ADD websites Non-profits Starter Information Popular sites
“The most important things we can offer Children & Adults with ADHD are Love, Acceptance, Respect & Empathy… In the absence of these things, all of the Other things you do are unimportant” – Sam Goldstein
Center for Disease Control and Prevention – ADHD section. Attractive, ADD-Friendly format- complete, but concise- offers basic information about ADHD and children, but provides links to help you find out more. (Mostly to CHADD or the National Resource Center)
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
CHADD –CHADD stands for Children and Adults with ADHD. CHADD has a national headquarters and approximately 200 local chapters that hold monthly meetings and offers a professional directory (with paid listings.) They provide a wealth of free information on both their own site and link to The National Resource Center for ADHD for even more. Please note: CHADD now offers an Accessibility and Language option that includes text-to-audio in any language as well as many other features. Look for it on the top right-hand corner. Pressing the link brings up Recite me, an amazing tool! Note: You can also email or talk to a resource specialist to get personalized help.
CHADD National puts on a large annual international conference and publishes the bi-monthly magazine Attention – (One of many membership benefits which include access to their many members-only articles – Individual or family, $5 a month or $53 yearly) Free monthly e-news. Find online support CHADD’s Parent Support group on Health Unlocked
ADDA– ADDA stands for the National ADD Association for Adults. They send out e-mails to keep you up-to-date and feature a Professional Directory. Collecting personal stories from readers and offering Virtual Peer Support. Webinars are Free for Members ($50 a year or $5 a month) or $10 each.
Attention Deficit Disorder Association Southern Regions –Very active in Texas! Many volunteers help support their work and can offer information in areas they cannot serve with a support group. Good variety of articles both posted and linked.
STARTER INFORMATION
Children
Healthy Children’s ADHD section features a number of articles from 3 paragraphs to 3 pages long. Topics cover a number of general as well as more specific concerns for ages 3-18 – From the American Pediatrics Association
Kids Health -The #1 most-visited website for children’s health and development. – The Nemours Foundation sponsors a website for Parents, Kids and Teens – each has their own section. Covers any and all aspects of children’s health concerns. Available in Spanish and you may add audio to most articles if reading is a problem. Use the Search option- Just type in ADHD– or just start browsing for other concerns.
ADHD Resource Center from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists – Includes Facts for Families with up-to-date information, video clips plus an eBook. Copy and paste link: https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/ADHD_Resource_Center/Home.aspx
Children and Adults
Help Guide.org is a site founded by the Rotary Club International. (Link works) They have a quite a good ADHD section, but they also address MANY other concerns of modern life – Mental and Emotional Life, Family and Relationships, Healthy Living, Seniors, and Aging.
ADDitude.mag– A complete site sponsored by ADDitude Magazine, a national bi-monthly magazine for the ADHD community. Short, pertinent articles address a host of AD/HD concerns. Learn about family support options for Attention Deficit Disorder as well as many topics specific to adult issues. Just added a Networking section to their site – with Forums, Blogs, Videos and listings for nationwide ADHD events – Great targetted newsletter -Choose your concerns
ADD About.com – Keath Lowe moderates the site, keeps a Blog, sponsors a Forum and expands the site every day- Up to date and easy to read- Their Coping with ADHD section has a wonderful selection of on-point and useful information.
Totally ADD! for adults – Some pretty good Information and a lot of just plain fun. Quick videos address a number of common concerns of adults with ADD. Blog and ADHD screening tools- Constantly adding more videos and now providing FREE Webcasts– (recorded and available for view anytime)
Health Central.com / ADHD Central– Recently rewritten. Solid, relateable information with recommendations for other sites and ADHD advocates.
Web MD has a large section devoted to ADHD. Copy and paste: http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/default.htm – They offer a very well-organized and informative overview of the disorder. Articles are generally short and somewhat impersonal, but they’ve tried to cover it all. They even have Videos (prefaced with short ads- indeed many videos are advertisements themselves for supplemental treatments), keep up-to-date on ADHD news, and monitor an online community.
Healthy Place.com – Another good starting place- ADHD section addresses a number of common concerns and needs. Most are short, introductory articles, but they cover a number of topics.
ADD freeSources
ADHD – ADD freeSources on Pinterest – Over 15,000 Pins featuring articles, images and other commentaries on ADHD and related topics. Choose from 90 boards. They offer tailor-made information for parents, adults with ADHD, professionals as well as for children and teens.
ADD freeSources on Facebook – If Facebook is more your cup of tea, we post our favorite articles twice a day.
The DSMV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, guideline for all psychiatric disorders, was updated in 2013 by the American Psychiatric Association. The following are the updated criteria for an evaluation for ADHD.
9 Inattention Symptoms (Six or more symptoms present for 6 months or more)
Consistently disorganized
Problems organizing activities
Cannot focus or pay attention to tasks or instruction
Forgetful
Frequently loses personal items (arrives at class unprepared, loses toys and tools)
Begins tasks or assignments, but frequently does not follow through and leaves them uncompleted
Appears not to listen, even when directly addressed
Makes careless mistakes in school work, professional work, and other activities
Avoids taking on tasks that require sustained mental effort for long periods
9 Hyperactivity-impulsivity Symptoms (Six or more symptoms present for 6 months or more) Note: For individuals 17 and above, only 5 or more symptoms are needed because overtly hyperactive symptoms reduce with age.
Talks excessively at home, in class, at work, and other places
Has difficulty remaining seated in situations where sitting still is expected
Children may move about a room, climb, or run where inappropriate to do so – teens and adults feel restless
Cannot sit still when seated and frequently squirms, fidgets, or moves around
Difficulty playing quietly (children) or quietly engaging in leisure activities (teens and adults)
Seems constantly moving and driven, as if by a motor
Impatient and has trouble waiting his or her turn
Interrupts others’ conversations or games
Blurts out answers to questions before the speaker has completed the question
If you or your child exhibits six or more of the symptoms on either or both of these lists, you should consider having a professional evaluation for ADHD.
Making the Diagnosis
Note: To make a diagnosis of ADHD, these symptoms should not be better explained by another physical or mental disorder. Dysfunction or upheaval in the home, school or work environment can also cause similar symptoms and should be considered.
To be diagnosed with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for 6 or more months and to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age. For adults, symptoms must have been evident in some way by their teen years.
Symptoms appear, on average, between 3 and 6 years of age. And a diagnosis requires that some symptoms were evident before the age of 13 years.
There are three categories or “presentations” of ADHD; ADHD with Hyperactivity, ADHD/Inattentive type, or ADHD/Combined type. Dr. Daniel Amen proposed even more types. For more information, see Recognizing the Types of ADHD on Everyday Health.
Don’t expect a quick diagnosis
“According to developmental pediatrician, Mark Bertin,
“An initial evaluation includes a detailed history along with physical and neurological examinations. These appointments explore psychological, family and educational factors that may be triggering concerns. Developmental tests are used to observe your child’s cognitive, language, motor, and academic abilities, or specific aspects of behavior.” (1)
“An evaluation should also identify strengths as well as the likely causes of any difficulties. The goal is to create as comprehensive picture as possible of skills and to provide practical information for planning accommodations.” (1)
Unfortunately, primary care pediatricians are failing to meet the standards of care set forth by the American Pediatric Association on many levels. (See results of a 2014 study reported by David Rabiner in “Pediatric care for children with ADHD – Discouraging new findings.”) Your doctor is doing you a disservice if all he provides is a 15 minute visit followed by a prescription and maintains that is sufficient for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
Serious impairment
“Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD,” states Russell Barkley, PhD. “ It is normal for all children to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive sometimes, but for children with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe and occur more often. ”(2) It’s important to keep in mind that not every high-energy or impulsive child has ADHD. Children and adults are diagnosed with ADHD only if they demonstrate these symptoms so often that they are causing real difficulty. Impairment in two areas of life, playground, classroom, home, social, or the workplace, is crucial.
Developmental delays in Executive Function and control of emotions are also problematic. (2, 3) The inability to regulate attention stalls building self-regulation, or self-control, a mark of growth and maturity. These will show up in everyday situations as chronic disorganization, memory problems, procrastination, a lack of motivation or follow through in situations when interest or the pressure of deadlines isn’t high. Frustration is a common response and invites overwhelm and anger at the situation as well as at themselves.
Take ADHD seriously!
There’s still a lot of misunderstanding and moral judgment that those with ADHD are PURPOSEFULLY not living up to expectations. The extent of these difficulties permeates how those with ADHD think of themselves, as “less than” others. According to a 2006 study, “Children with a history of ADHD were 6 times as likely as those without ADHD to have a high level of overall difficulties including emotional, conduct, and peer problems and were 9 times as likely to manifest a high level of impairment including interference with home life, friendships, classroom learning, and leisure activities.”(4) Early diagnosis and effective treatment, preferably combining medications and behavior changes for parent, child, and adults, is the key to building self-awareness and skills that can change many of the negative outcomes.
3) The validity of the executive function theory of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analytic review. Willcutt, EG, Doyle, AE, Nigg, JT, et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15950006 Harvested 10/22/2014
4) Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties with Impairments in Everyday Functioning among Children with a history of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – Tara W. Strine, MPH, Catherine A Lesenesne, PhD, Catherine A Okoro, MS, et al. http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2006/apr/05_0171.htm Harvested March 2, 2015
“Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhoto.net” Modified on Canva.com
You’ll find that many of the providers that diagnose and treat ADHD come from a variety of specialties; such as child and adolescent psychiatry, pediatrics and family medicine, as well as from adult psychiatry. Adults seeking experienced providers may need to seek help from sources they wouldn’t usually consider.
It is so important that the evaluating clinician is knowledgeable about ADHD. He or she must be experienced in recognizing ADHD, but also in recognizing other co-occurring conditions that may be present, as well as being able to tease out other conditions that may be confused for ADHD. Effective treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis. Misdiagnosis leads to ineffective treatment, more problems, and lots of frustration. So really do your research to find an experienced specialist.
• Psychiatrist: An MD who treats the brain and may prescribe medication • Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: May diagnose and treat, as well as prescribe medication. • Registered Nurse Practitioner: May also diagnose and prescribe medication. • Psychologist: A brain specialist who is not an MD and can’t prescribe meds • Family doctor: Knows your family but may not have extensive knowledge of ADHD. Some will work with non-prescribing specialists to medicate • Pediatrician: Some even specialize in treating ADHD. Can prescribe. • Neurologist: A doctor who specializes in treatment of the brain and central nervous system – May prescribe • Behavioral Neurologist: Another MD that specializes in brain and CNS disorders – May prescribe. • Therapist: Masters degree in therapy – May diagnose and provide therapy, but cannot prescribe. • Master level counselor – Has a master’s degree in counseling or psychology, but no prescription authority. • Social worker: May provide diagnosis, counseling, and behavior assistance. Cannot prescribe.
Note: The above list is congruent with recommendations of the National ADHD Research Center.
Note: One professional’s criticism of this article promotes the view that a psychologist or psychiatrist is the best choice for the diagnostic process. Preferably one with access to a diagnostic tool or two. See below. (1) Note: Many well-known practitioners use checklists and thorough interviews with the patient, as well as rating scales from close family members and, in the case of children, teachers reports, to aid in the diagnostic process. There is limited research showing that Tova, Spect scans, and EEG-Based assessments are as accurate. See our Pinterest page on the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD for more information.
(1) Opposing Opinion from an Email sent to ADD Resources, a non-profit where this article was first posted.
Folks, Your posting on “Who Can Diagnose?” is, in my opinion, both inaccurate and unethical. It is clearly understood in most of the professional community that psychological testing is required for a diagnosis of ADHD. In addition, for accommodation purposes colleges, grad schools, SAT/ACT etc only accept diagnoses from MDs and PhDs. There is a reason for this. An ADHD diagnosis is worthless without a complete diagnosis that considers all aspects of a person’s psychological situation/makeup; that is, co-occurring conditions. Moreover, ADHD is known to be over-diagnosed in boys. That is largely because under-qualified professionals are making decisions not based on reliable and validated psychometric testing (like TOVA), but on other grounds. I have spent a career picking up the pieces from misdiagnoses. I’m very disappointed to see an organization like yours promoting this kind of misinformation. If you think this is nonsense, try checking with the AMA, American Psychiatric Association or APA. Ross Mayberry, Ph.D. – http://www.rossmayberryphd.com/
“Image courtesy of GrauCodin/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net”. Modified on Canva
In the real world, finding a provider well versed in ADHD can be a challenge. Well known diagnosticians don’t have to advertise, while others claim experience, but lack the expertise in treating all the aspects of the disorder. A missed or incorrect diagnosis delays getting the help you need. It may also be difficult to identify other disorders that so often accompany ADHD. Many physical or mental disorders have similar symptoms and make a correct and complete diagnosis challenging. Emotional difficulties, as well as the family problems, or a poor school or work environment may also create similar behaviors.
Basic symptoms of ADHD include: Making careless mistakes, failing to pay attention and keep on task, not listening, talking excessively and fidgeting. Symptoms are rated as to how often they occur and whether they create impairment in at least two areas – social, school, in the workplace or at home. (1) Many of these symptoms are common is other disorders as well, which means patients may be incorrectly labeled as having ADHD, or just as often, that ADHD will be missed. In general practice, therefore, ADHD is both over-diagnosed and under-diagnosed.
Physical disorders that may be confused with ADHD include thyroid problems, poor hearing, celiac disease, sleeping disorders or even food allergies. (2) (3) Other psychiatric disorders may be “comorbid” with ADHD or a different disorder altogether. They may be missed at first glance as they may not surface until later in a child’s development, in adolescence or adulthood. The most common comorbidities include Learning Disabilities, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, anxiety, and depression. (4) Aspergers Syndrome, now categorized as high functioning autism, or bipolar disorder are also something to be considered. (5)
Due to the serious nature of ADHD deficits, finding the best treatment at the price you can afford is important. Just how much you need to stretch your budget is a personal matter and should be based on the severity of symptoms of ADHD and their negative impact. (See: How much does it cost to test for ADHD? from Consumer Reports) If finances are a concern, please see ADHD Treatment: Money Matters.
For practical reasons, diagnosis and treatment is often left to Family Practice doctors or general pediatricians. An exploration of two opposing viewpoints on the struggle to receive appropriate treatment highlight the dichotomy between an ideal situation and the care you are able to find. One is a personal opinion of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with many years of experience assessing ADHD while the other comes from an article on improving care for ADHD in primary care practices.
“AD/HD is real. It is neurological/biochemical in origin and is NOT a behavioral disorder or an excuse for failure. It is a disorder that requires that every aspect of the person’s life be explored because AD/HD affects ALL aspects of life and is almost always associated with other disorders.
Because of its complexity, ADHD is NOT a disorder that can, or should, be diagnosed in a busy family or pediatric practice. It requires extensive history taking, a lot of time, and knowing the subtleties of the disorder. Treatment requires first and foremost a COMPLETE diagnosis of all comorbid conditions.
Preliminary treatment will usually include the use of medications in proper sequencing for the best symptom coverage for all presenting conditions. In addition, self-care needs, such as a healthy diet, moderate exercise, and making sure of adequate sleep should receive attention. Further treatment will likely include psychological counseling; school and workplace accommodations; peer interaction and social skills training as well as coaching to develop time management and organizational skills.”
Adapted from the words of Ted Ritter, ARNP, CAPMHNP, board certified as both a Family Nurse Practitioner and as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. (Harvested 9/20/2010 Northwest ADHD and Behavioral Clinic)
On the other hand….
“Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has a prevalence rate of 8.6 percent among children, which translates into approximately five million children in the United States who require ADHD-related mental health services (Froehlich et al., 2007).
ADHD, as one of the most prevalent pediatric chronic conditions in childhood, is certainly a part of daily practice for virtually every pediatric provider.
The mental health system and specialty mental health providers in the United States do not have the capacity to accommodate this number of children. As a result, the majority of children with ADHD receive diagnosis and treatment services from their primary care physicians….”
Jeff N. Epstein, Ph.D., and Joshua M. Langberg, Ph.D
Source: Improving ADHD Care with Community-based Interventions in Primary Care From National Alliance on Mental Illness – www.nami.org – Harvested 9-20-2010
A 2015 research study reviewed by David Rabiner, Ph.D, points out the failings of “community care.”
Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics on the evaluation and treatment of ADHD are frequently not followed.
The careful monitoring of medication often does not happen to the degree that it should.
The commonly co-existing conditions are routinely not identified. (6)
Vigilance and patience are needed to ensure the best care. Whoever your provider, specialist or not, keep a journal to track responses to medication and any behavioral intervention. You can use any of these ADHD Screening Tools. Try documenting any behavior that seems different from others at that age. If ADHD alone doesn’t account for all the symptoms you see, look for the ADDitude Mag.com series, “Is it ADHD or is it…? — Possible disorders include Anxiety, Learning Disabilities, Bipolar Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder and more. (7) (Look below the footnotes for a few statistics from a large 2011 study- Survey)
“Consult a specialist if traditional treatment isn’t working, or if you suspect your child has a complex form of ADHD,” says Brock Eide, M.D., “Your pediatrician or family doctor may not be up-to-date on the latest and greatest cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment approaches.” (8) Specialists will vary according to your concerns. For instance, with anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder, see a psychiatrist. For Tic or Autism Spectrum disorders, see a neurologist. Assessing learning disabilities is a job for any number of specialists, including psychologists. (9) See Find ADHD Treatment and Support to find a provider near you. Early detection offers the best prognosis, but remember, all disorders don’t present at the same age. And, as children move into adulthood, it cannot be assumed that an individual will grow out of the disorder. Studies have shown that 30 to 65% will continue to have problems. (10, 11.12)
Expect results from getting treatment, but not immediate changes. As Rae Jacobson writes, “Getting diagnosed wasn’t a cure, it was a key” that opened a gate to getting treatment, implementing appropriate strategies, and accepting that ADHD is not a character flaw.” (13) ADHD is a chronic condition that can be managed with medication, routines and structure and other personalized techniques. It may require some exploration to find the right type of medication and to find the right dosage, a process called titration. It will also take time to change behavior rooted in biology, regulate emotions and support weak executive functions.
Here’s where cultivating patience comes in. Your job is to do the best with what you have to work with today. Structure and routine help automate everyday actions, lead to greater productivity as well as build self-esteem and awareness. Progress inspires a change in attitude as well as lessening the unfortunate shame and doubt in one’s abilities that so often accompany the disorder.
Don’t just address deficits. Work to identify areas of strength, or “islands of competence,” and create a toolkit of strategies with different ways to get around problem areas more naturally. (14) Parents, advocate for your children to get the help they need. Both children and adults with ADHD must learn to speak up for themselves. It’s empowering and can be life-changing. Don’t try to hurry the process. Treating ADHD is not a sprint, it’s a journey of a thousand steps. One step at a time is enough.
“Photo courtesy of Luigi/FreeDigitalPhoto.net” Modified on Canva.com
(2) Meta-Analysis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Joel T. Nigg, Ph.D., Kara Lewis, Ph.D., Tracy Edinger, N.D., Michael Falk, Ph.D. – Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Volume 51, Issue 1, Pages 86-97 .e8, January 2012.- Harvested 10/20/2014 – Link works – http//www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(11)00953-1/abstract
(4) Patterns of Comorbidity, Functioning, and Service Use for US Children With ADHD, 2007, Kandyce Larson, PhDa, Shirley A. Russ, MD, Robert S. Kahn, MD, MPHc, Neal Halfon, MD, MPH http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065146/ – Harvested 10/17/2014
(10) Not Just for Kids by Ronnie Rochman – Time – ADHD Often Continues into Adulthood Harvested 3-6-2016 http://healthland.time.com/2013/03/04/why-adhd-is-not-just-a-problem-for-kids/ “In the largest study of its kind, researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital and Mayo Clinic found that close to a third of children with ADHD — 29.3% — still have the disorder as adults, along with an increased rate of other psychiatric problems.”
(12) Can Children Recover from ADHD by Adulthood? Russell Barkley’s Facebook pageMarch 1 at 8:57am – Harvested March 4, 2016 “Follow-up studies published over the past decade, which are more rigorous than those done 20-40 years ago, indicate that up to 35% of children may no longer qualify for the diagnosis of the disorder or be impaired from it in any major life activities.
(13) What it’s Like to have ADHD as a Grown Woman by Rae Jacobson – Harvested 9-7-2015 – http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/08/what-its-like-to-have-adhd-as-a-grown-woman.html (Copy and paste URL)
The survey published by National Survey of Children Health, which involved over 60,000 children ages 6-17 years including over 5,000 with ADHD, showed that psychiatric and physical comorbidities were very common in children with ADHD. (Larson 2011) Overall, 67% of ADHD children had at least one other mental health or neurodevelopmental disorder compared to 11% of children without ADHD. 33% had one comorbidity disorder, 16% had two, and 18% had three or more. ADHD was associated with elevated prevalence of the following (Phend): 1. Learning disorders (46% vs 5%) 2. Conduct disorder (27% vs 2%) 3. Anxiety (18% vs 2%) 4. Depression (14% vs 1%) 5. Speech problems 12% vs3%) 6. Autism Spectrum Disorder (6% vs0.6%) 7. Epilepsy/Seizures (2.6% vs0.6%)
ADHD and Comorbidity by Mintin Patel, Mita Patel and Harsha Patel – Harvested 9-7-2015 – Copy and paste – http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/28240.pdf
