ADHD

What is your relationship with the patient? How did you feel when you knew that he/she was diagnosed with ADHD?

I am the mother of the patient. At first, I really thought that my son was just extra hyper and energetic compared to others because he would fidget with almost every item that he holds and sees and could not just stay put in one place. I did not know exactly how to feel when I first heard that my son has ADHD because I had no idea what the condition was. But when the doctor explained the condition of my child, it somehow made sense on to why he was behaving like that.

What challenges do you face as a parent of someone with ADHD? How do you over-come these challenges?

Kids are already hard to manage because of how playful they get, but having a kid with ADHD feels double than that and that is one of the challenges that I would consider because they are just more restless and energetic, and they need a lot of attention so you really need to exert a lot of effort in taking care of him. But one thing that I always do when my kid gets hard to deal with is to just be extra patient. I am her mother, and knowing his condition, me and my husband should be the one who beside him all the time and we should be the one who understands him the most, that’s why I do not get angry at all whenever he is all around the place. In fact, there would be times that we would join him in his own adventures inside his room.

How do you manage the emotional and physical difficulties of providing care for a person with ADHD?

Just like what I stated before, I just become extra patient in times that my son gets really hard to take care of. But additionally, even though he is somewhat different from the others, I do not see my son as a disabled person, I would just think of my love for him and would see him as someone who is extra special, who is more playful and I think it really helps especially on the emotional aspect. On the physical part, although it could get tiring dealing with a very energetic child, seeing his smile releases all the tiredness that I feel.

In retrospect, what knowledge or experience do you wish you had gained before you became responsible for the care of your kid or sibling? Why?

I should have taken my son to a competent doctor as soon as I observed something weird about his behavior. The doctor's strategies and tricks could have helped me and my son handle his impulsiveness and disorganized thinking as early as possible.

What do you want people to know, particularly those who have a child or sibling with ADHD?

ADHD does not make a person a lesser human. In fact, I consider someone with ADHD to be one-of-a-kind, with features and skills that make them more creative, kind, and energetic than anybody else I know. There is nothing to be terrified of in them. Trust me, after you get to know them, you'll be shocked at how nice and genuine they are.

What is your message and advice to a parent of someone who also has ADHD who might be reading this?

As a parent of a child with ADHD, the best advice I can provide is to be patient and never be tired of giving them endless guidance and love. Never be ashamed of having a child with ADHD since this disorder can be managed. Finally, it's critical to seek the help you need to understand and manage your child's condition. Joining a local or national support group can bring you in touch with other people in a similar situation and can be an excellent source of information.

- Jonnalyn Paterno