How to know if you have ADHD | Mom Minute

Most of you will not know this, but our son was diagnosed with hyposensitivity disorder as an infant when he wouldn’t respond to normal everyday stimuli. Through years of several types of therapy, including the implementation of a multi-sensory environment for him, he has been able to progress significantly.

As we felt we’ve been able to manage that hurdle fairly well, our son was just recently diagnosed with ADHD.ADHD And Your Kids After years of low points, and feeling like failing parents more than any parent should, two months into his kindergarten year, Little Buddy was expelled for several days. Without going into details, the ruling was that he was becoming an extreme danger to the students and his teachers.

This wasn’t the first sign of problems in school, it had gradually built up over those first two months despite close observation and guidance at school and at home. We literally did not know what to do at that point, or where to turn.

There’s plenty more I could share about those years, but I am just not ready to do so. That behavior wasn’t my son and I knew it, my son was my son and I love him no matter what. But it wasn’t easy, and there were nights where I cried for hours and felt like the most awful mother for not being able to help him.

We of course prayed heavily about how we could give Little Buddy what he needed to be successful, without enabling bad behavior. We’d dreaded even thinking about ADHD or early Autism, but felt we couldn’t help him solve his problem if we couldn’t find its root. This diagnosis was not something we took lightly, as he is a boy, and boys often are extremely energetic and inattentive. But something seemed off.

The diagnosis, and all the research we had done previous to it, helped place Little Buddy’s early years’ behavior into context. Especially as the ADHD was paired with the Hyposensitivity Disorder, making the early years a very frustrating situation for him.

We tried specialized diets and certain types of in-home therapy, but there was little improvement. We then spoke to our pediatrician about it, who recommended that Little Buddy was old enough that we could take him to a child psychiatrist for analysis.

The subsequent help we have received, via careful medication and therapy {for Little Buddy and us}, has made a world of difference in our son’s behavior! He’s advanced one full year in academics in just two months, reads like a pro, follows instructions, and shows those sweetest sides of himself nearly all the time. He’s happier, and doesn’t want to go back to the way things were before.

Kids who have ADHD are wonderful! Now that we are aware of the disorder, we are finding more and more people we know who are very successful adults who are also medicated or therapy-aided ADHDers! We all have imperfections, the key is to not let them define us. We work through them the best we can, try to learn to be confident in who we are, and that’s what makes us beautiful!

One of our viewers, Sarah, wrote in asking… “I think my child has ADHD. How can I be sure, and how can I help him/her if he does?

How to know if you have ADHD

So for today’s #MomMinute on The Moms View, we invited Dr. Chiovanni Chopra, a Board-Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, to come and talk with us about ADHD, its symptoms, provide her recommendations on how to manage it, and specifically address Sarah’s question.

For more information, go to Premier Mind Institute and, under “Resources“, click the link to the national organization’s page about ADHD.

To watch our discussion, simply click the video below…

For any of our readers, I am curious to hear what your experiences have been with ADHD or knowing someone who has. {Please keep in mind, that each situation is different. There are varying opinions and treatments out there, as well as some harsh judgements, and not every approach will work for everyone.}

Please free to leave your comments below…

Happy Parenting!

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Comments

  1. We went through something similar problems with our second daughter who is almost 4. She went into the terrible two’s and never outgrew it. We had sleeping, eating, and emotional problems as well as speech delays. People were labeling her as our sullen, serious, introverted, cranky child. This bothered me so much because occasionally I would see glimpses of a sweet, darling 3-year old. We went in for lots of tests and she was diagnosed with Childhood Sleep Apnea. After 5 surgeries, she is doing so much better. I’m glad you were able to get your son the help he needs. It makes all the difference.

  2. On a positive note, my husband has adult ADHD and we refer to it as his superpower. We firmly believe that the ADHD helps him excel at his job. And by excel, I mean he is THE BEST at his office for his particular position.

    The ADHD spotaneity has led to some exciting family outings and last-minute date nights on a Tuesday evening for no reason whatsoever (yay me!). Of course, the medications help him out A LOT. I’m a firm believe in “opposition in all things”, and the same is very true with ADHD. For every thing we’ve found difficult about it, there is something equally spectacular to balance it out.

    Be grateful that you’ve figured this out early. My poor hubby didn’t know what was “wrong” until he was 30 years old. Your family will be blessed and learn so many things by loving Little Buddy and helping him learn how to manage the ADHD. 🙂

  3. I think my ten year old daughter is depressed. She isn’t eating as much and doesn’t seem as interested in the things she used to love doing (reading, competitively swimming). How can I help her get out of this funk? I want my sweet, bubbly Anna back.

  4. I am so glad that you noticed that us ADHD/ADD kids are great! Now I will warn you, there are some schools, that when you get them a 504,(if you don’t know what that is, then look it up) they won’t understand it, and won’t follow it. Do NOT let them get to you, and keep fighting them. I have gone through this, in my 6th grade year, my teacher could not tell that I have ADD, so she judged me just as harshly as the other kids, so I received some low grades, but my mom brought it to light that I have it. So first, look up how to get a 504 for your ADHD child, second, get one, third, if a teacher fights, fight back. Thanks for reading!

  5. Dear Mindy, my sister is always taking my things and when i try to take my stuff back she always runs away and won’t give it back until i get my mom. What should i do? (btw I’m the younger child)

  6. Hello,
    Have you ever thought about treating your sons adhd with a wellness or nutritional specialist, specifically trained with a GAPS diet (gut and psychology syndrome)? (this diet was created by Dr.Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, MMedSci(neurology), MMedSci (nutrition)) http://www.gapsdiet.com

    I don’t know where you live, but here in CA, I know of someone who treats children and adults dealing with this syndromes successfully.

    Her name is Anna Penick, and she is so passionate about helping and healing people.

    I went to a class she gave and have been following her suggestions with great success, she believes in healing the body through nutrition.

    Her website is selahwellness.net

    It sounds like an advertisement plug, but none of the people mentioned above paid me to tell you this or even know I am recommending them to you.

    I just wan to help you…

    God Bless.

    Pilar

  7. Mindy thank you so so much for this mom minute video. My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD last year after several years of me thinking I was going crazy and was a bad parent. Even after a diagnosis there are tough times and it’s reassuring to know that I’m not alone! Thank you x

  8. I completely understand your concerns and feel your pain as a parent with a child who has ADHD; however, I disagree with statements you make regarding the diagnosis of ADHD, ADD and the comparison to autism.

    I enjoy and follow your blog for help with hair but am frustrated because you are in a position to create awareness on behalf of the mental health profession, are someone that many people follow but are providing incorrect information on a very important issue.

    Please make sure that the correct information is being conveyed to the general public in combination with your personal story to create awareness and public discourse!

    Thank you!

  9. I know a friend and business partner of my boyfriend who has adhd and he himself know it. he told to my bf the first time they met. he would take self medication sometimes and make up stories. he is addicted to this medicine called ritallin and whenever he goes to a pharmacy and they don’t have that he would get so mad and just shout and scolding everyone there. He always insist ritallin makes his body calm and himself focus but no, he just gets worse and uncontrollable. he’d even get us into trouble too and just suddenly, out of nowhere, he would come up and say we (his friends and boyfriend) betrayed him and was not a true friend to him and ripped him. he gets so mad even in just little things and yell at everyone. so when he decided ti end his friendship with us we didn’t tried to talk to and just let him go also for us because we can’t him anymore. I didn’t mean to be rude to him but he’s actions just totally make me crazily mad. I was not used to that kind of behavior and I was not patient enough to understand him.

  10. I also have ADHD and my parents found out that I have it when I am 8 and I also have to take medicines and it is so disgusting its sattera I think I don’t know how to spell but its some kind of medicines and When I don’t take the medicines I can’t stop moving myself and when I stop I just feel like not stopping and have to keep doing it and it is so hard to stop and I couldn’t sit properly and keep moving and if my parents told me to stop I would stop but after a while I started moving again and I would run around like crazy and also I cannot concentrate during class and kept day dreaming and thinking its gonna be recess soon. And I kept talking in class not paying attention

  11. I’m 19 and I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD since I was 8 but my parents can point it out from way back when I was an infant. I was never the “hyper” portion as a child but we’ve later realized that’s because I was dancing/ exercising so much that I was able to drain that extra energy. I was put on medication and I’ve been told recently that if it wasn’t for the fact of how much I was able to dance, I wouldn’t have graduated high school! I’m now finishing up my second year of university with a GPA of 3.6 and have been placed on the deans honor roll. Like Mindy’s said, every persons different but for me it was exercising (like sports) that allowed me to control my brain a little easier. It also helps to have teachers and basically other people to realize, we don’t process information the same way as most people, and to give us time to do things!

  12. I’m currently reading about the Brain Balance program proven to cure many neurological disorders. My 6 yo daughter has ADHD and possibly other problems. The book is Disconnected and gives lots of info about how people with these disorders have a stronger side of brain and both need to synchronize. It gives exercises to correct this and has cured even severe autism. I’m just beginning but am hopeful to find treatment without meds. We know that we are to the point of her needing meds and really don’t want that so will try this. I would never criticize a parent who chooses meds as I was there but this is an option proven and worth looking into. Best of luck! I understand where you are as my daughter also is a wonderful girl inside. I just need to bring the real her out instead of her quirky brain.

  13. Hi mindy, everything u described, pretyy much describes my 1st grader, who has to repeat 1st grade again because of his adhd,, its affecting school and home, and as a parent im lost, feeling like i failed as a parent sometimes,,like u mentioned meds helped him improve, i just dont want to put him on something i have no clue about,, please share if u will mindy,,thank u

  14. I don’t have any questions for you because everything mentioned in the video I have already lived through with my son. He will be turning 7 in a few weeks and was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 3. I was also told that nothing could be done until he was 5 years old. He was in daycare at the time and on the verge of being expelled from the center due to his behavior. I always knew something wasn’t right with him, ever since he was an infant. It got to the point that I just couldn’t take no for an answer any longer. I contacted his pediatrician who did a very basic assessment of him and from there referred us to a neurologist and then to a psychiatrist. His ADHD is an everyday, ongoing battle. He was put on medication at the age of 3 and the neurologist classified him as severe. Him and everyone around him (teachers, family members, ect) struggle with it everyday. But the good thing is that we are all working together so that he can reach his full potential. I just wanted to say thank you for doing this interview. One of my biggest struggles is that I feel NO ONE understands exactly what is going on. I’ve heard it all…. Discipline him more, he does not really have ADHD, he’s just a boy, ect. Its nice to know that I am not alone, so thank you.

  15. I am almost 16 and through my church I work with seventeen pre-ker’s along with two other people. One I know has ADHD, others may be diagnosed eventually. Myself and the other teachers have found some ways to help him concentrate and calm down. He often has problems listening and obeying. I know his mom tries hard but she is deaf, a single mom, and has a three-month old baby, so we do what we can. I also know an older child who is ten. Her parents are very involved, she takes medication, and is very productive. She participated in a Bible memory verse competition and placed FIRST! I know about 5 other children who have ADHD, and some I knew before they were diagnosed, and believe me, whatever the treatment was it very much improved their behavior, social skills, and productivity!

  16. Oh boy do I know that feeling.its amazing tho after years of behaviour therapy& eliminating/adding things to his diet in just a few month the medication changes the whole tagrectory of their school experiance(by halfway thru kindgarten he was begging not to go..not what a normal kindgarter says)& how we interact as a family. In 2 months my 3rd grader went from barley getting by to being in the top of his class..I wish you guys so much love…cause even with the meds it can still be frustrating for everyone..

  17. Our daughter was diagnosed a year ago. Then I took her into the eye doc and she was diagnosed with convergence insuffincy (spell). Her eyes do not focus. There is some studies that say some not all kids are being misdiagnosed as ADHD when its their vision. There is so much for me to include on here. She is now reading at almost grade level. She is not having ad many outbursts. I am planning on taking her off her adderall over summer break to see if there is a difference. Good luck. If u have any questions please feel free to call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx. I would gladly help. Or email [email protected]

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