We have recently (about 5 weeks ago) gotten the formal ADHD Aspergers DX for DD (aged 6). We had already started to change some of our parenting towards her (praising positive behaviours rather than coming down on the negatives etc, and reminding ourselves again to be consistent). She started medication this week for ADHD (starting on Ritalin for trial of toleration, and moving onto the 12 hour version with a different name next week) - I can't see a differnce but I see her mostly in the evenings (DH and I work FT, I tend to cover evening collections, dinner and bedtimes, while he does mornings - and we both have a chance to get work stuff done too - as DH is away at the mo, au pair does mornings).
School had always been supportive but even more so now that they have formal Dx. Creche suddenly far more "on the same page". So life has settled down ENORMOUSLY in the past 2-3 months anyway, but especially since Easter.
DH and I did a parenting course in the autumn - but it was a standard course (and as we finished, the guy who designed it, although not giving it, came out as "not believing that autism really exists", it's down to "poor parenting and a lack of love"). We didn't feel we actually learned anything new, although we were reminded of a couple of things (mainly about consistency and mixed messages).
We are waiting for the report from the Ed Psych. She's finished the tests last week and will issue that in next few weeks.
In the interim, school has applied for the resource hours DD would be entitled to (but we only got DX 1 month after deadline for 2012-13 school year resource applications, so while sent in that same day with EP report to follow, it may be another 18 months before we get anything concrete there, certainly nothing this year but hopefully maybe even an hour or 2 in Sept from school's discretionary allowance (lots of SN kids but also lots of willingness to help)). As she is high achieving academically, school are saying they'd try to do work around social stories etc and other assistance rather than needing to work on academic aspects.
DD is also very sporty. Apart from general PE and lots of running around (walks to school or cycles most days, scoots home more than a mile twice a week, and is always on the green out front playing football or climbing trees), she does a sports class after school once a week, swimming classes on Saturdays and is in a GAA club (football and hurling) on Saturdays too.
(And we are not in UK, so CAMHS etc not relevant to us).
What can we expect from here? And how can we best help DD to achieve her potential? (We had 2 main reasons for going this road - to get some bit of calm in the house generally, and to help DD be the best she can be). She is highly functioning (and seems, to us and school, high achieving - but I really try NOT to be pfb about it).
I was fine about going this route, and knowing the poss dx last Sept (based on initial observations). Even when we got the letter. But now I suddenly feel like I am a bit lost and don;t know what to do for the best.
Sorry it's so long, but any thoughts are welcome.