Advocating for ADHD Patients

One of my favorite shows is Jane the Virgin. You all should watch it sometime, so I won’t get into the background too much, but Jane’s son, Mateo is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), when he goes into kindergarten. If you are a control freak, imagine yourself 10x worse and that is Jane, so just envision her anxiety and need for control when she finds out her son needs help. Between cutting down sugar, running to school to suppress energy levels, hiring an aid, and even resorting to medication, ADHD changed Jane and Rafael’s parenting methods and poor Mateo’s life forever.

I chose Mateo as an example because I feel as if the producer, Jennie Snyder Urman, portrayed the likeliness of a young boy with ADHD really well. Also, Gina Rodriguez (Jane) and Justin Baldoni (Rafael) brought concerned and overly anxious parental figures to life. It was easy for them to think something was fundamentally wrong in their son and that they did something wrong raising him. Like these myths, there are a lot of others than can prevent a child from getting the best help possible:

• ADHD is not a mental condition, rather it is the child’s choice

• Kids who have ADHD are lazy and dumb

• Parents should discipline their kids more, and then they will focus better

• ADHD is just an excuse for misbehavior

These myths have all been clinically proven wrong, yet they continue hurting the many victims that suffer with ADHD. ADHD can be caused by many things, but none of these reasons include lack of discipline or bad behavior.

So, why do people continue to endorse these fallacies? Well, I believe a lot of it is rooted in cultural bias people have held to be true. For example, my sister gets distracted very easily and often cannot sit still. When I half-jokingly suggested she should get tested for ADHD, my mom freaked out and yelled at me. Her upbringing in a conservative Indian village accustomed her to believe that any medical condition is a disease, and my sister’s lack of focus can be disciplined out of her.

According to an article analyzing cultural bias, “A 2020 review by Slobodin and Masalha on sociocultural aspects of ADHD in minority children found cultural disparities led to under treatment but conversely caused higher classification based on cultural, language, and racial bias” (Ghoshal). The article also mentions that some of this bias includes “ fear of stigma, negative attitudes about ADHD medications, disparate tolerance levels for child behaviors, and historic mistrust of healthcare providers” (Ghoshal). Due to the lack of acceptance that BIPOC has to developmental issues such as ADHD, many patients do not get diagnosed at all.

Fortunately, many children and adolescents do get diagnosed, amidst all these predispositions:

An ADHD diagnosis usually happens when parents or teacher recognize these symptoms (O’Conner, Reviewed by Kennard):

• Not seeming to listen when directly spoken to (in children) or having trouble listening

• Overlooking or missing details and making careless mistakes

• Losing stuff: school supplies, your wallet, your keys, your phone, etc.

• Fidgeting and being unable to sit still in the classroom or an office

• Excessive movement or extreme restlessness

• Interrupting or intruding on others’ conversations, games, or activities

• Having trouble waiting or taking a turn

From this list, it is easy to see how some of the myths are still considered. A lot of these symptoms occur in kids here and there. However, it is important to note that for those who actually have ADHD these are much more severe and persistent.

It is also important to get a proper diagnosis. You should never self diagnose or self proclaim you have ADHD because that is very disrespectful to those who are actually suffering every single day. If you truly feel the austerity of these symptoms, you should visit a doctor. The diagnosis will usually be recommended by a pediatrician, and then a psychiatrist or psychologist will have the child and parents go through observation, interviews, questionnaires, and screenings for learning disabilities.

After receiving a proper diagnosis, there is a diverse array of treatments to choose from, depending on the severity of the condition and the comfort of the patient and family (Low, Reviewed by Gans).

• Behavior Therapy: Teaching strategies to help children in school, home, and relationships

• Individualized Education Plan (504): Extra time during tests and focused attention

• Pharmacologic Treatment (Along with psychiatrist methods):

  • Concerta (Age 6+): Central nervous system stimulant; 12 hour symptom control

  • Catapres (Clonidine ~ Age 6+): Calming effect it has on the body used to alleviate symptoms like hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, overarousal, and sleep difficulties

• Nutritional Diet: More fatty acids and less processed food

Along with these treatments, there are some parenting strategies that could also help:

With these treatments and unconditional support, children with ADHD can definitely thrive when diagnosed. Nonetheless, those cultural beliefs could hinder my prospective patients’ chance at a diagnosis if parents reject my advice to see a child psychologist. To prevent this from happening, I would share the story of a diagnosed ADHD patient with the same ethnicity and cultural background as my patient, who is excelling due to proper treatment and diagnosis.

Anyways, if you are someone who feels like they need a diagnosis, please speak to your parents and get a doctor recommendation. For parent readers, I hope this helps you better support your child and strengthen their development. For those who have ADHD, don’t be discouraged by your shortcomings--you will succeed in all your aspirations in life as long as you are passionate and determined to overcome your obstacles.

Till next time,

Nancy

Works Cited

“3 Causes of ADHD.” Newhavenrtc, New Haven RTC, https://www.newhavenrtc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ADHD_Causes-of-ADHD.png. Accessed 25 Sept. 2021.

“8 ADHD Myths & Misconceptions.” HealthyChildren, American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Myths-and-Misconceptions.aspx.

Malini Ghoshal. “How Race and Culture Can Impact an ADHD Diagnosis.” Psycom Pro, 16 June 2021, https://pro.psycom.net/assessment-diagnosis-adherence/adhd-assessment-treatment/adhd-and-culture-a-complex-dynamic-influences-diagnosis-and-treatment-in-bipoc-patients.

Gluck, Samantha. “Misconceptions about ADHD.” HealthyPlace, https://www.healthyplace.com/adhd/articles/misconceptions-about-adhd.

Low, Keath. “How Parents Can Help Their Children with ADHD.” Verywell Mind, https://www.verywellmind.com/adhd-in-children-20844.

O'Conner, Gail. “Lat's Talk About ADHD.” Edited by Jerry Kennard, HealthCentral, 10 Aug. 2020, https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/adhd.

Snyder Urman, Jennie. “Chapter Ninety-One.” Jane the Virgin, season 5, episode 10, The CW, 13 Oct. 2014.

**cover art by me : )

~ designed on Canva