ADHD: How it Impacts the Family

Any negative medical condition suffered by one family member usually carries over to the rest of the family. 

How an ADHD diagnosis can affect the whole family

Once a child, teenager, or even an adult, is diagnosed with ADHD, the impact of the diagnosis will be felt by the entire family. Furthermore, the fact that the condition is incurable means that the impact will be felt throughout the person’s lifetime. Family members may become agitated and confused when trying to deal with an individual who has ADHD.

Family changes that occur when individual's are diagnosed with ADHD:

Increased supervision

This is most prevalent with hyperactive children who constantly get themselves into dangerous situations. As a parent or caregiver, these children will require more supervision than their peers, and will often force the parent or guardian to abandon their other duties. The affected individual may also require supervision even during social gatherings to keep them from certain activities that may exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD. All these mean more time spent looking after the child instead of performing other duties and responsibilities, which can be stressful.

Misunderstanding the condition

To the untrained eye, some of the ADHD symptoms may be portrayed as disobedient and naughty behavior. In response, the parent may react with punishment, which often gets harsher as the parent gets more frustrated.

Medicare

Once an ADHD diagnosis is reached, this implies an increased cost of medical care for the individual. First, you will need to seek the initial diagnosis from a qualified healthcare professional. Second, in order to adequately manage the condition, your doctor may suggest a combination of both behavior therapy as well as medication. None of these comes cheap, and the fact that it’s a lifetime condition makes it even tougher financially.

Training

Any person looking after a child with ADHD will need some sort of training or counseling. A child with ADHD should not be treated as their peers, and parents, guardians, and teachers need to learn how to properly interact with the child in order to create a safe enviornment.

Social

We all like to see our children make new friends and playing or interacting with others. This is going to be very difficult, however, if they are diagnosed with ADHD, and they might have a poor social life, especially if they are not properly cared for.

Education

ADHD also takes a toll on the individual’s academic performance. Inattentiveness is the culprit here because it keeps the child from concentrating on school work or listening to teachers. As a result, their grades are lower, leaving them behind their peers, causing problems also in their future.