Parenting a potentially ADHD child is stressful because you love your child and want to support them. Meanwhile, you have questions and concerns about their constant energy, difficulty focusing, impulsive actions, forgetfulness, and academic challenges. In 6 Benefits of an ADHD Evaluation and Diagnosis, I want to help you discover how a proper assessment can provide critical insight and understanding so you can unlock your child’s potential, lower your stress, and reclaim your family harmony!
Most of us enter parenthood thinking that challenges like ADHD only happen to a few unfortunate kids. We certainly don’t expect it to show up in our kids. Contrary to popular belief, ADHD is very common because an estimated 3.5% of the population currently has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Just as each of us will be affected by medical problems at some point during our lives, it’s also likely that we, or someone we love, will have to cope with ADHD
When a child has ADHD, they might find it hard to focus, and they could be super active and impulsive. It can cause significant problems at school and home since it’s tough for them to plan and get things done. Navigating those hurdles without clearly understanding what’s going on, or WHY this is happening can be stressful for everyone: kids, parents, family members, and teachers!
Clarity is key!
To simplify things, imagine you have an energetic boy and want to understand the root cause behind his excessive or deficient behavior. To get the clarity you need, ask the following questions:
- Is my son’s behavior a product of poor choices?
- Is my son’s behavior a product of ADHD?
- Is my son’s behavior a product of age-appropriate behavior for boys?
Asking these questions will give you the clarity you need so you can tailor your parenting style to match their unique needs—and make learning and everything they do a much better experience for years to come!
Here are the 6 big benefits of ADHD diagnosis and evaluation.
1. Your Child Develops Self-Awareness
One of the top benefits of a test for ADHD and a diagnosis is that it can give you and your child a label for what they’re feeling and going through. This understanding can help you both recognize that these challenges are not due to laziness or unwillingness but are the result of a neurological condition.
Knowing that there’s a name for the feelings that they’re having can help your child feel less alone. When your child learns about ADHD and sees an ADHD symptom checklist, they’ll also realize that many other kids go through the same challenges as well.
An ADHD diagnosis can help your child understand what their specific needs and challenges are in different situations. The knowledge that your child has ADHD can help you both understand their needs at home, in school, and in social situations.
2. Your Child Will Get Better Support
As children with ADHD grow older, they can learn to advocate for themselves. Knowing they have ADHD empowers them to communicate their needs to teachers, peers, and even family members. This self-advocacy can be vital as they transition into adolescence and adulthood.
With a diagnosis, educators can create tailored strategies and accommodations to support your child in the classroom. This might include modified assignments, additional time for tests, or behavioral interventions. When children see that these accommodations are in place because of their diagnosis, it can help them understand their unique learning needs with clarity and confidence.
3. An IEP Can Be Created
Getting an ADHD diagnosis can help ensure that your child is getting the type of educational assistance they need in the classroom. With an ADHD diagnosis, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan can be made that is perfectly suited for their needs.
These plans work to specify various accommodations and extra support services that will be needed as part of a child’s learning environment. Creating a strategy for them can help them continue doing well and progressing in the classroom. Annual goals can also be set to ensure that they stay on track.
Many things could be part of an IEP or 504 plan. This includes the specification of extra learning services, learning environment changes, changes in test and exam formats, and more.
It could also include a representative who is working in special education services and a child psychologist, along with parents and teachers.
4. Plan Your Child’s Treatment
Understanding that your child has ADHD through an evaluation and diagnosis can help inform you about what their needs are. As a result, that information can help you form a clear and strategic treatment plan.
Several different treatments and resources can help a child with ADHD. ADHD treatment for kids could include ADHD counseling, school and classroom accommodations, Collaborative Problem Solving, and medications.
The first step to developing an effective treatment plan is understanding the root cause of your child’s behavior. Once you know this, you can develop a strategy for helping them succeed in life and the classroom.
5. Build Your Child’s Strengths
While children with ADHD face unique challenges in school and everyday life, there are also advantages to having ADHD. Children and adults with ADHD think differently, and this gives them unique skills that can help with a variety of things.
Children with ADHD, for example, tend to be very good problem solvers and are often creative and adventurous. They’re also great at focusing on specific tasks while tuning out things around them that they aren’t focused on.
Children with ADHD have a lot of strength and resilience and often have the energy needed to thrive in specific environments. ADHD individuals are often spontaneous and courageous as well, and this can help them achieve a lot of great things in life.
By helping your child understand that they have ADHD, you’ll also be able to help them see what their strengths are. You can encourage those strengths to help them become more effective in school and beyond.
6. Improve Their Emotional Self-Regulation Skills
ADHD can sometimes be associated with emotional dysregulation, where children have difficulty managing their emotions. Recognizing the connection between their diagnosis and these emotional challenges can help your child become more aware of their emotional responses and develop coping strategies to meet the demands they face each day.
Understanding the Benefits of ADHD Diagnosis
While there are many challenges that your child will face with ADHD, there are also many benefits to the diagnosis.
With a complete understanding that your child has ADHD, you can care for them more appropriately and avoid trying to solve the wrong problems. You can develop a better strategy for helping them do their best in school, at home, and beyond!
Need ADHD counseling in Orange County? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
