Explaining ADHD diagnosis to children

[Chocolateyclaire76]

How do you tackle explaining to a 9 year old why, as parents, we want to get them assessed for ADHD?

My daughter has always been hyperactive, talks constantly and has a great deal of trouble managing her emotions. Since birth I’ve always suspected something and the older she’s getting I want to find out for sure but my fear is that she will get extremely emotional if she knows that we suspect something.

I hope that this makes sense and any advice would be greatly appreciated

Often they will be aware of the fact they are struggling with certain things or are “different” to their peers so that can be a good starting point.

Just explain that you want to make sure she is getting the help she needs and the doctor is going to help you do that.

I'd agree entirely with @Sirzy - and you don't necessarily need to badge the ADHD specifically if you think that'll distress her...just frame it as the doctor taking a look at things to see if there's any way they can help.

I'm potentially about to go through something similar with my 9 year old. I've already broached the conversation by saying that when people need help with something physical they go to the gp and when it's something maybe inside that you can't physically see, there are other kinds of doctors who we can go and see and can help us. So far, so good. 🤞

Following with interest, because we are starting to have the conversation with my five, nearly six year old (who is diagnosed autistic and was at age three).

Even at five she's noticing she's different so we're kind of explaining slowly that her brain works a bit differently to some other peoples but that it's ok etc etc. It's hard because she has another little girl in her class with autism who has very profound needs and she understands that she has autism. So explaining to ours that she has 'the same' when the children are so very very different is going to be tricky (due to her age, really).

We're taking the approach of not labelling it yet, because of this but we will be more open the more it's discussed and the older she gets. I have the benefit of being recently diagnosed myself so I can explain that my brain is a bit different too. OP if you know anyone else with ADHD or perhaps can find some well known people whore diagnosed who she may relate to it might help especially as your child is a little older than mine.

The Mini ADHD Coach on Insta is something DS1 likes and he often recognises himself in the cartoons (he doesn't have Insta, I do ):

https://www.theminiadhdcoach.com

(DS1 is 9 btw and has ASD/ADHD).