Will’s ADHD Story

“Will is now the student and friend we always knew he could be.”

Read more about recognizing signs, getting treatment and feeling hopeful for the future in Will’s ADHD story.

Recognizing the signs

Will was always our busy child. We had him at a really great daycare, but he struggled when he entered preschool. We were being called in regularly for meetings, and he was eventually asked to leave. At home, we noticed he wasn’t listening to us, refusing to cooperate with dressing or pick up toys.

Will had a tough year at kindergarten. We worried that maybe we sent him too early. He was younger than most of the other kids. Fortunately, his teacher was experienced.

About a month into first grade, it was apparent that Will was having more than just a little difficulty or that he was too young for his grade. He was having a lot of trouble keeping his hands to himself — pushing and shoving in line. Less structured settings were especially difficult, and he got in a fight during gym.

Getting treatment

We talked with Will’s pediatrician, whom we trust. Because of some of the other behavior problems Will was experiencing, she recommended behavior therapy to improve his compliance and ability to manage strong emotions without becoming aggressive.

We got to participate in treatment and were really pleased with the strategies we learned to support Will. With our permission, the therapist consulted Will’s teachers and put a formal plan in place to keep him on task. Will’s cooperation improved, his aggression decreased, and he finally made some friends.

Overcoming medication stigma

Despite major progress with therapy alone, we found Will was still having some challenges. He was fidgety and struggled with assignments, missing important instructions or producing messy work. Will’s pediatrician explained that these are some of the core features of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and that in many cases, medication is helpful.

Feeling hopeful for the future

She was definitely right! The first medication we tried wasn’t helpful, but the second made a huge difference, especially at school. With the combination of medication and therapy, Will is now the student and friend we always knew he could be.