Abington Pediatrics
781-792-1999
360 Brockton Avenue
Suite 102
Abington, MA 02351
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a developmental disorder that affects the behavior, attention, and learning of children. There is no single cause of ADHD, but it does have a genetic component (i.e. a parent with ADHD is more likely to have a child with ADHD). The symptoms of ADHD may be more evident once your child starts school - it is important to keep an open line of communication between you (the parent) and your child's teacher. Below you will find helpful information on managing ADHD from healthychildren.org. You will also find our specific guidelines for diagnosis and treatment.
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Common Symptoms of Hyperactivity/Impulsivity and Inattentiveness
Adapting a Style of Communication with Your Child with ADHD
College Support Services and Accomodationos for Adolescents with ADHD
Diagnosis
If you suspect that your child may have ADHD, please call our office. We will then provide you with a set of diagnostic scales. The scales are to be completed by the parent(s) and teacher(s). Once the scales are complete, please give them back to our office for review. After the doctor has a reviewed the scales, we will schedule an ADHD diagnostic visit in our office. If your child is under six years of age and we suspect he or she may have ADHD, we may refer you to a neurologist for further evaluation.
Abington Pediatrics' ADHD Guidelines
Treatment
If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, we may start him or her on a medication to help control the symptoms (with your consent). There are many different types of medication used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. We will start your child on the medication we feel is best for their specific symptoms and on the lowest dose possible at first. We may need to change the dose and/or the medication if it is ineffective. You may call the office at any time if you feel your child's medication is not working well, or if you have any concerns, and we will schedule and office visit.
Follow-Up Visit
If your child has ADHD and is on medication, we require that your child is seen in our office every three months for a medication check in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics. If your child needs a refill of his or her medication but is due for a medication check, he or she must be seen in the office before a refill is issued. At each follow-up, we will check your child's blood pressure and discuss their progress on the medication. Do not hesitate to call if you feel that your child needs a medication check sooner than the three months.