Just a thought

I don't know about you, but I'm amazed at how often we think we know what is best for others without trying to understand their situation first. I know in the past, I probably made the same mistake.

ADHD is a complex disorder, no two children are the same and it manifests in many different ways. Of course there are many things we can do to help our children, and some of them are up on this blog. But I've noticed recently, that some people seem to think they know best.

My experience is that this is mostly in the area of medication. It seems that when a parent chooses to put their child on medication, that it unleashes the best and the worst in people. I'm always disappointed when I hear of, or read of, people who just assume that medication is somehow the cop out and the quick fix first response. This is simply not true.

Again, from experience, parents of children diagnosed with ADHD and other related disorders are not looking for a quck fix to make life easy for themselves. They are dedicated parents who want the best outcome for their children. They have usually tried many alternatives, done the research and checked out many possible solutions.

I'm ok if people choose not to medicate and  I'm ok if they choose to medicate. In Australia, medication is not just dished out. It is given in consultation with doctors, parents and other professionals and monitored, to try to ensure the best result for the child involved. Medication is useful in many cases and enables children to focus and to learn and over time to build skills to help them live effective and useful lives.

Medication, whatever the type, is part of an overall response, and the parents I see in our group are not just relying on medication. For them it is one tool that they use, in conjuction with many other tools. Lets not make life harder for parents of children diagnosed with ADHD (who already have a very difficult job), by having a go at them for using medication as part of an overall holistic treatment process.