I knew the time would come when my son would ask me why he takes medicine every single day. I never tried to hide it from him, but he never asked so I figured he was good with the fact that he just needed to take it and when he wanted to know something, I would answer it. Well that time has come. We were getting ready for school when he asked me why he needed medicine everyday and what was “wrong” with him. The ONE thing that I never wanted my son to think was that there was something “wrong” with him and that was why he had to had to take medicine. And by wrong, I mean more along the lines of bad. Like he was bad, therefore he needs medicine. I didn’t want that line of thinking
Me: Zachary, you have ADHD. You know how sometimes you have a hard time pay attention even when you really want to pay attention?
Him: Yea.
Me: Well that’s because of the ADHD. So you take the medicine to help you pay attention better. And sometimes when people have a hard time paying attention, they do things and end up getting in trouble like talking when the teacher is talking, running around the room, playing duck duck goose during circle time, etc.
Him: Yea that was pretty funny when I played duck, duck, goose. But why do I have ADHD?
Me: Honey, ADHD is because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. See this cup of water is filled all the way up, but this one is only have way filled up? That’s how part of your brain is. So when you take your medicine it helps fill that other cup all the way up so you are able to do things like follow directions better, sit still, etc.
Him: Oh kinda like Miss Sara’s scale and the bears. If you put 2 bears on one side and 3 bears on the other, the 3 bear side goes down and the 2 bear side goes up?
Me: Exactly!
I think letting him take the lead was great.
My son is 7 and was diagnosed just after his 6th birthday over a year ago. I didn't say anything really to him at the time and he didn't ask. He thought it was fun to swallow a pill and get praised for how great it was.
When we started counseling a couple months ago, one of the first things she asked was if I explained ADHD to him. I found the idea of telling him something is wrong with him repulsive and I couldn't figure out how to explain that it causes all kinds of problems in school but is a really great thing.
She explained it to him but it doesn't seem to register with him. I don't think he's mature enough to understand it yet. But he is quite sensitive to the fact that's he's different from his classmates and he sometimes feels inferior (although the right meds have made a tremendous difference in his self-esteem).
You are right, honesty is the best policy. And ADHD IS a gift!
Penny
http://adhdmomma.blogspot.com