I have ADHD. I was never evaluated or treated as a child. I have an adult daughter with ADHD who refused her medication as a child. She is now a felon with a drug problem. Her oldest son has been (sloppily) diagnosed with ADHD and his doctor recently increased his medication because he gained three pounds. I say he was sloppily diagnosed because I am willing to bet that no QEEG or PET or SPECT scan was done. This statement is made based on the area we live in. He has never been evaluated for other possible neurological disorders. He has lived most of his life with me, and I am the family member who knows him best, and has been more involved with his activities than any other family member, including his parents. He and his brother are currently "living" with their dad who lives with his grandparents. Dad is rarely home and great-grandmother has the bulk of the responsibility for both the boys. I am not convinced my grandson has ADHD, but he is very depressed. How can I help him? I am not afraid to talk with his dad, but need some idea of what to talk about!
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Pat
Thank you for your post and welcome to ADHDCentral.com.
I am sorry for the difficulties you are experiencing right now and do hope things get better for you.
Diagnosing ADHD does not normally include any type of brain scans, as these have not been proven as conclusive at this time. Most physicians will diagnose ADHD in children based on questionnaires completed by caregivers and teachers as well as through interviews with parents and the child. If you have been the primary caregiver, it would have made sense to have you complete a questionnaire and have input into the interview process, however, the doctor may have felt he or she had enough information based on what was gathered from the dad and your grandson.
Depression is often a co-existing condition with ADHD, so it is possible your grandson could have ADHD and depression. A complete evaluation would be necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
As far as what to discuss with the dad, I would talk about the importance of an accurate diagnosis and your willingness to be included in the diagnostic process as well as in any treatment plan.
Some additional information that may be helpful:
Behavior Modification
Creating a Treatment Plan
Rating Scales to Diagnose ADHD
Evaluating Children for ADHD: What to Expect
How Do You Know if a Treatment is Working?
The Importance of an Accurate Diagnosis
I hope this information helps.
Eileen