Hi Kim, Welcome to the ADDitude Forum. You've certainly come to the right place to find people in a similar situation. ADDitude's medical expert, Larry Silver, says that a psychiatrist is the physician with the most experience with diagnosing ADHD and the medications used to treat ADHD. However, any mental health professional can diagnose ADHD as long as she follows the established criteria. Most importantly, you should find a professional who you are comfortable with and who inspires trust. Sometimes you have to try a few different roads until you reach the final destination.

Here are a few good articles about finding a doctor to diagnose and treat your son. These are good starting points for you and your son's journey through ADHD Diagnosis.

Picking a Professional to Treat Your ADHD Child

A Parent's Guide to ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment

Finding the Right Specialist for Your ADHD Child

Also, you might consult your insurance company and/or take a look through the ADDitude Professional Directory to find a qualified professional in your area.

Good luck, Dena

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Thank you for all your help! It was great information for me to get started!

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Kim,

You can also go to www.chadd.org to find a support group in your area. CHADD is a wonderful resource as well. The initials stand for Children and Adults with ADHD. They advocate for those with ADHD and provide lots of education and information. You do not have to be a member to attend a support group, but there are some areas on the website that are not available to non-members. If you run into a problem let me know and I'll see if I can help.

Elaine 20

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Which child do you suspect of the ADHD? If it is the younger one, that may explain the doctors' hesitation in making a diagnosis. By age 3, I KNEW my child had ADHD, but put off taking him to a doctor until he was 4 1/2. They really frown upon diagnosing kids that young. They say they would rather wait until they are "school aged" meaning 6 or 7. But these days, our kids are going to preschool and kindergarten. They are already struggling with teachers and schedules, hateful glares from other parents, classmates who call them names and make derogatory remarks. Then you watch while your youngster bangs his head against the couch cushion instead of playing with toys or watching a TV show, and can't sit still long enough to finish a meal or listen to a bedtime story. It breaks your heart.

Just keep looking until you find a doctor that you like. The doctor should treat you and your child with respect, listen to what you have to say and take your history into consideration. He/she should remember who you are each time you visit the office, and treat you like an individual, not just another face-less patient that needs a prescription.

It will take a while to find the medication combination and dose that works best for your child. Read books about dealing with children with ADD. Be prepared to defend your child to his teachers and other caregivers. Be aware that at this time, there is very little effort being made in schools to give our ADD children the help they need to be happy and adjusted. You will have to fight every step of the way to get even the basic necessities that your child deserves. Knowing that you are not alone is such a big help, because it is truly a struggle every day. This forum is a great place to find the help you need.

Don't hesitate to seek help whenever you have questions. Raising a child with ADHD is not for the faint of heart, and it really does require the support of everyone around you to make it happen without going crazy!

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