Ask GROZA: Does My Kid Have ADHD?

By SCOTT GROZA | Special to the Palisadian-Post

A common question people have when they walk into my office is, “Does my kid have ADHD?” The conversation starts with, “My kid’s struggling in school. He’s scattered. He’s not remembering his books. He’s checked out in class. Do you think he has ADHD?”

And of course the first thing I always say is that we don’t diagnose, but getting a diagnosis is where you’d start if you want to find out. Connecting with an educational psychologist or neuropsychologist for testing is the next step in getting a diagnosis.

Then I share what we’ve observed from years of working with students who have been officially diagnosed.

First, just because a student is impulsive doesn’t mean he has ADHD. I like to say there are kids who are simply born with “ants in their pants.” They’re kids; they might just be more interested in other things at this moment than school and homework. Impulsivity does not make an ADHD diagnosis inevitable.

Secondly, on the flip side, just because a kid can focus on activities he likes for extended periods of time, like video games or art, doesn’t mean he’s intentionally blowing off his homework. He actually may be showing signs of inattention.

ADHD can be present even when a student demonstrates the ability to focus on “selective” things. In fact, a classic sign of ADHD is when you’re able to focus on things you like that aren’t tedious, but unable to focus when it comes to things that aren’t easy or interesting.

The third thing I share involves “executive functioning.” This is a big umbrella term for the metacognitive processes that allow humans to organize and store information and execute imperatives.

Often times ADHD impacts these executive functioning processes and that’s why you have kids who are intelligent but “all over the place.”

Finally, I make it a point to emphasize that an ADHD diagnosis is relatively prevalent these days and is not the end of the world. It in no way means that your kid is going to be unable to succeed in life, not by any stretch of the imagination.

However, it does mean that academics will be more difficult. So making a plan is imperative for school success.

So What Do You Do If You Have a Diagnosis?

While there are usually many different recommendations found in the pages of a neuropsychological testing report, medication and educational therapy are two recommended resources that I’m most frequently asked about.

Medication: No one wants to start doling out meds to their kid. However, when attentional challenges start to impact quality of life, it may be worth having a conversation with a doctor about treatment options—management by a psychiatrist is usually best.

Anytime you start an ADHD medication it’s going to be a trial-and-error process to some extent because you never know how the meds will interact with the body chemistry of the child.

Side effects may occur, affecting things like mood and appetite, and some brands work better than others for particular kids. Sometimes it’s a silver bullet that works wonders (they usually do mitigate symptoms); other times, results are underwhelming.

Educational Therapy: For families who cannot include medication as an option or who want to try non-pharmaceutical interventions, there are educational therapists who specialize in equipping students with new and more effective metacognitive strategies.

There are many more things you can do to help your awesome kid with ADHD thrive.

Stay tuned for next month’s follow-up article: How Do I Work with My ADHD Kid?

Each month, Scott Groza, Director / Co-Founder of Groza Learning Center and private school Groza Academy, answers parent questions regarding their student’s education.  Groza finds deep meaning in helping kids and parents successfully navigate the challenging world of academics. With a strong commitment to each student, team building, innovation and individualized learning, he and his wife Christy Groza have created a multi-faceted educational company that specializes in Tutoring, Test Preparation, Reading Programs and Private Schooling. Groza Learning Center and Groza Academy are based in Pacific Palisades and have served the community for nearly 10 years. Have a question? Email Ask@GrozaLearningCenter.com.