Does My Child Have ADHD? A Guide for Concerned Illinois Parents

As a parent, you know your kid better than anyone. You see the creative sparks, the boundless energy, the good times and the bad. But sometimes that energy can feel too big. School struggles, constant emotional and physical outbursts, forgotten chores…all of which can leave you wondering is this normal? This can’t be typical. What is this thing? Does my child have ADHD? Or, is this just a phase?

For parents across the country, and for Illinois parents and Chicago parents in particular, it’s an extremely common question. The journey to the answer can be frustrating. It can be indirect and, at times, unclear. And there’s also quite a bit of trepidation of what it means for your child when you find the answer. And that’s natural.

If you’re reading this, you’re doing the work of trying to find out how you can navigate the best path of success for your kid. So, you’re doing the right thing…even if it isn’t always easy. Just like raising a kid with boundless energy isn’t always easy. But that’s good news, because you’re stepping up to the task, and that proactive effort will offer a greater likelihood of success for your child. (And there’s more good news below to remove some of your anxiety about what the implications of an ADHD diagnosis are!)

So, where do we start? Well, at Mind-Body Pediatric Psychiatry, we believe an ADHD diagnosis isn’t just a label, it’s the start on the path to find out how to best help your child find success.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder can look different in every child. In fact, take a quick look at the term itself: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. No wonder we refer to it more simply as ADHD, the complete term is full of compound words, a hyphen, a slash, and almost seems to be at odds with itself. ‘Deficit’ and ‘Hyper’ seem to imply two opposing states of being. One at rest, and one at speed. That in and of itself should tell you that children with an ADHD diagnosis vary wildly in their symptoms.

One child may seem to be constantly moving, as if driven by a motor. The other child, in contrast, spends their schooldays looking out the window lost in a daydream. So, when you ask ‘does my child have ADHD?‘, know that what you are experiencing could be very different from another parent in the carpool line.

• Struggles with Executive Function
  • These children can have trouble starting a task, staying organized, or experience difficulty in following multi-step instructions.
• Hyperactivity or Restlessness
  • The classically viewed or considered symptom of ADHD, although by no means the only one, these children exhibit more of the hyperactive symptoms – trouble with fidgeting, staying seated, and appear to be constantly ‘on the move.’
• Impulsivity
  • This one can be difficult to interpret, in particular, because of age – but these symptoms manifest in constant interruptions, big emotions, or jumping into action without thinking of the consequences.
• Inattentiveness
  • The lunchbox or water bottle is always left at school. These children can get distracted very easily, or appear not to listen when spoken to directly, time after time.

One of the core tenets of pediatric psychiatry is distinguishing between ADHD and other conditions. In our practice, we often find that anxiety or sleep issues can mimic ADHD symptoms. For example, a child who is anxious may fidget due to anxiety about an upcoming assignment or test, not because they are hyperactive or have trouble focusing. A child who experiences sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality often demonstrates behaviors that closely resemble those of a child with ADHD. 

Because we take a holistic approach, we don’t just look at a checklist. While, yes, there are classic symptoms (which we quickly stated above), it’s important to look at the whole child and identify the root cause. Their nutrition. Their family. Or their environment. Even their emotional world, to ensure an accurate diagnosis before recommending a path forward.

Many parents we speak with are tired and frustrated of facing behaviors that have become so consistently difficult to deal with, whether at home or in the classroom, that they are ready for a diagnosis. For an answer. But, on the other hand, there’s also a fear of what that diagnosis can mean for their child. What the implications are. And, in particular, what that means from a medication standpoint.

The good news is, even if the answer to Does my child have ADHD ends up being a ‘yes’, this doesn’t necessarily mean that medicine to treat that diagnosis has to be in your future. Now, certainly medications are the gold standard of treatment for ADHD symptoms, but there are many other methods to treat ADHD. (Take a look at some of our other articles on this very blog, for example on Saffron or Supplements or Smartphone use and you’ll start to get an idea of the variety of tools that are available to you.) So that’s the good news and, ideally, takes some of the fear of a diagnosis off your mind.

Ok, so, hopefully this has been helpful reading for you…and maybe removed some of the stigma as you go down this path of consideration. Taking that first step with google and actually typing “does my child have ADHD” can be daunting, in and of itself. There are, however, some other things to be aware of (if you aren’t already) about getting access to treatment for ADHD symptoms in Illinois.

First off, culturally, we are in the throes of a mental health crisis…where gaining access to child psychiatry resources can be incredibly difficult. Waitlists for in-office pediatric psychiatry are excessive. In the Chicago area, we have heard of waitlists as long as six months, or even a year. Thankfully, there are other options available for you.

• Remote Accessibility
  • Talking about mental health with your kid is hard enough. We offer telehealth evaluations for families across the entire state of Illinois, allowing your child to be assessed in the comfort of their own home on their own terms.
• No Long Waitlists
  • We prioritize timely access because we know that “waiting and seeing” often leads to more and more frustration for the child and for the parents. A six month wait to get psychiatric help is really just unacceptable. As a society, we need to do better for our kids!
• Holistic, Collaborative Care
  • It’s not just one symptom. It’s not just a diagnosis. We work collaboratively with parents, with caregivers, with referring therapists & psychologists, with school nurses to put together a complete plan that includes medication, lifestyle support, and supportive therapy.
• Weekend Availability
  • And this is a big one. But the rush of making a midday appointment, taking time off from school or putting in for PTO to get your child the help they need…not always doable for parents. Our weekend appointments offer a far more relaxed way to discuss mental health, on your terms.

Well, if you are asking ‘Does my child have ADHD?’ you’re taking the right first step. But, you don’t have to walk the path alone. Whether you want a formal evaluation, or you just want to look for ways to improve your child’s focus, their wellbeing, or just their enjoyment of life, we’re here to help.

Feel free to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation today to discuss your child’s particular needs and learn more about our holistic approach to child psychiatry in Illinois.