ADHD

What is it?

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a medical condition; it does not mean that you are naughty or that your parents have brought you up in a bad way; there are differences in the brains of people with ADHD.

There are 3 main symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

• Inattention means that you find it difficult to concentrate; you skip from task to task; you forget instructions; you are disorganised.
• Hyperactivity means that you feel restless and fidgety; you constantly fiddle and touch things.
• Impulsivity means that you speak and act without thinking; you find it difficult to wait your turn; you may have outbursts of temper that you cannot control.

An RDaSH CAMHS specialist would need to diagnose ADHD so you need a teacher or a doctor to refer you for an appointment. Visit your GP to talk to them first. Only someone aged 6 or over can be diagnosed with ADHD as anyone younger is not fully developed emotionally.

You will meet with an RDaSH CAMHS specialist for initial screening which could happen in your school, home, or at Kimberworth place. That worker will ask you lots of questions; they are not being nosey but they need to understand what is causing your distress. Your family can come with you if you want, but also if you want to be seen on your own you can be. This service is confidential, but if you talk to us about something that puts you at risk, your worker might need to tell someone else. They would discuss this with you first.

If it is likely that you have ADHD a full assessment will be made which will include information from your school and a number of assessment and screening tools. Staff will ask you lots of questions; they may ask your school and family to answer questions. This is to understand how best we can help you with your problem.

If you do have ADHD then the Rotherham Specialist CAMHS worker will talk with you about different types of help, individual to you and your family. This may include medication, support groups for parents/carers and advice to your school.