Case Study – Understanding ADHD and how this affects our son was a massive turning point for us all

02 February 2023

It became really apparent that something was not right with our son as he hit puberty. He became very frustrated, very agitated and couldn't concentrate for long. At school it had been pointed out, that because of some of his actions and behaviour, they thought he had OCD. It was decided that we needed to a professional diagnosis, so that we could understand him better, and learn how to provide the support he needed.

We started with the National Health Service; however, it would have been a three to four year wait to see an NHS Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. It was quite apparent that we needed to have it sorted sooner rather than later. We needed a diagnosis, we needed to understand what was wrong, we needed to know how to support him. So, we decided to look for a Private Psychiatrist. We were recommended JM Mental Health and then read lots of positive reviews. Upon meeting Dr Julia Moss, we knew that she was the right fit for us.

Following consultation with Dr Julia, she was able to diagnose that our son had ADHD. ADHD isn't what everybody thinks it is, it's a lot of different things. It’s not about behaving badly; the disruption comes from his frustration.

It was recommended that our son was put on medication. We were worried about the effects that this might have had on him, but it had the opposite. It helped him so much and the difference was massive; he was content, calm and could think more clearly.

Dr Julia has been just brilliant. Not only did she support our son, she supported us, and she collaborated with the school throughout, supporting the teachers with furthering their knowledge of how to support a child with ADHD. The school were fantastic at adapting to his specific needs. We were so proud when he passed his GCSE’s, achieving Grade 6 in English. He recently passed his driving theory test and is about to start a Plumbing Apprenticeship. The world is all opening up for him, and that's just amazing.

Understanding ADHD and how this affects our son was a massive turning point for us all. We were able to learn strategies to support him and provide the right environment, appropriate stimulation, and encouragement.

If you have any worries at all about your child, if you think that there is a problem, go and get them diagnosed, because they're spending too long being frustrated in their world. When you can get lots of help, life becomes easier for everyone. I would highly recommend JM Mental Health.

The challenges we were facing:

Our son was not performing well at school
The school suspected he had OCD and managed his behaviour accordingly
NHS had a waiting list of over three years for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

What we were hoping to achieve going to a Private Practice:

Support for our son – we knew we couldn’t wait for the NHS
We were hoping for answers into what was causing his behaviour
We wanted to understand how we as his parents, and how his school, could support him better

The outcome of working with JM Mental Health:

A diagnosis of ADHD, enabling us to understand him and the drivers behind his behaviour
Teachers made adaptations to meet his specific needs and learning style
Our son has made a significant improvement in concentration, resulting in a greater ability to learn. Transitioning from under-performing to passing his GCSE’s

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Understand more about ADHD…

…we have put together some helpful insights, hints and tips in a short blog – it’s a quick read…

https://jmmentalhealth.co.uk/blog/5/adhd_in_children_what_to_look_out_for_and_how_to_get_help

…or if you are looking for some more in depth information, we’d recommend reading…

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Attention-Hyperactivity-Disorder-Children/dp/0091817005

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A-Z+of+ADHD&i=stripbooks&crid=92ZOCJZ3H3GD&sprefix=a-z+of+adhd%2Cstripbooks%2C63&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

“The Gift of ADHD – How to transform your child’s problems into strengths” by Lara Honos-Webb

“Late, Lost and Unprepared” by Joyce Cooper-Kahn & Laurie Dietzel – A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children With Executive Functioning

“Atomic Habits” By James Clear

...and here are some useful online resources:

www.addiss.co.uk – The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service.

www.adhdfoundation.org.uk – ADHD Foundation, The Neurodiversity Charity

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/adhd-and-mental-health/ - ADHD and Mental Health

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/conditions/adhd-and-mental-health/ www.ukadhd.com/support-groups.htm - The UK ADHD Partnership – support groups and a lot of links

…and of course, we are here to support you. If you are concerned about your child and would like to talk to us about taking the next steps together, contact us for an initial free chat… https://jmmentalhealth.co.uk/get_in_touch.aspx

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