Why is an ADHD diagnosis important for a child?

If ADHD is something you are wondering about for your child, ascertaining a diagnosis can be important for a number of reasons:

• A diagnosis can help your child understand more about themselves and provide an answer to ‘why’ they may find certain things more difficult. Sometimes children with ADHD develop negative beliefs about themselves such as ‘I must be stupid /bad/lazy’, or ‘no one likes me’ because they find school difficult, get ‘told off’ more than others, or struggle more within their relationships. Knowing that they have ADHD can help children see that it is not their ‘fault’ and empower them to learn different ways to manage their ADHD.
• Families often find that getting a diagnosis prompts others to make the changes and adjustments needed to support their child. This can involve the child receiving additional educational support and/or their teachers altering their approach/ enabling adaptations to be made to the school environment.
• Although it is a personal choice, people diagnosed with ADHD can find that medication helps them manage their symptoms. Medications like methylphenidate can help a person concentrate, control their impulses, plan ahead and follow through with tasks. However, to access medication, a person requires a definitive diagnosis of ADHD. Therefore, accessing a comprehensive diagnostic assessment is crucial if medication is something you wish to pursue.
• Research suggests that undiagnosed ADHD can lead to poorer academic, financial and psychosocial outcomes for people. ADHD can often be an underlying factor in other problems such as substance misuse, anxiety, depression, gambling difficulties as well as higher divorce rates. A timely diagnosis is important to ensure a person gets the treatment and support they require to live a happy life and achieve their potential.