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Helping Your Child's Doctor Make ADHD Treatment Decisions
Just as an optometrist needs you to tell how a lens affects your vision, the doctor needs you to report how an ADHD medicine affects your child's behavior, well-being and ability to focus on tasks, and any side effects your child may experience while on the medication.
Help your child's doctor by writing down any changes you see in your child, including both ADHD symptoms and how your child is feeling while taking the medication. You could make notes in a diary, or you could use a symptom tracking tool.
ADHD Symptom Evaluation Form
Healthcare providers and other social service professionals have a variety of forms to assess your child's ADHD symptoms and their impact. All the forms point to the set of symptoms documented by the American Psychiatric Association, but each reflects different ways to document the symptoms of ADHD. Use these forms to track whether specific behaviors increase or decrease. Make a copy of an evaluation that your child's teacher or other adult completed. Complete a new evaluation form each time you visit the clinic or doctor's office.
One such evaluation is the ADHD checklist on this website. Fill it out and take it to the doctor's office to help monitor your child’s progress.
Watch for ADHD Medication Side Effects
Any medicine may have “side effects,” some of which may be mild, but others may be serious and need immediate care from a doctor. Some children don’t have side effects, or the side effects fade away in a short time. Report any side effects to the doctor. They tell how your child’s unique body responds to the medicine. The doctor may adjust the type of medicine or the amount of medicine to help manage any side effects.
Find more information in the Frequently Asked Questions section.
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