How Is ADHD Treated?
If a doctor finds out you have ADHD, you will get treatment to help. This can be
a big relief. It can be hard to feel like you're always struggling with things that
others seem to have no trouble doing.
To help teens with ADHD, doctors might:
Prescribe medicine. Medicine
can boost the brain's ability to pay attention, slow down, and be more patient.
Provide therapy. Therapists
can help people learn attention skills, cope with feelings, and gain self-control.
They can help people with ADHD see the best in themselves and figure out how to use
their strengths.
Help parents learn what to do. Parents play a big part in ADHD
care. They can help teens do things like listen better or be more organized.
Parents can also give encouragement, love, and support.
It's not just doctors and parents who help teens
with ADHD. Sometimes schools give students a learning plan called an IEP that's designed
just for them.
Teachers can also do these things to help teens with ADHD do well in class:
- Break schoolwork into parts.
- Help students organize their things.
- Make sure students sit where they are less likely to be distracted, like away
from a window or door.
- Give students quick breaks to get up and move during class.
There are things that people with ADHD can do to help themselves too, like:
- Eat healthy food.
- Get enough sleep.
- Be active every day.
- Practice mindfulness exercises and breathing exercises.
What Causes ADHD?
ADHD is caused by differences in the brain's ability to pay attention, slow down,
and be patient. It's not clear why these differences happen, but doctors know that
ADHD is in a person's genes. Most teens with ADHD have a parent or relative who also
has it.
ADHD is not caused by eating too much sugar or anything else a person does.
What's It Like for People With ADHD?
Having ADHD can be difficult sometimes. Kids and teens may get scolded for things
they can't help — like not listening, losing their temper,
or doing things too fast. That can make people feel bad about themselves or mistakenly
blame themselves for ADHD. But ADHD is not your fault.
Parents, teachers, and therapists can help you get better at paying attention,
slowing down, and gaining self-control. They can teach you to use your strengths and
energy in good ways. With the right help and support, people with ADHD can improve
their attention and self-control, do well in school and activities, and feel good
about themselves.
Date reviewed: November 2017