Treatment

It's a great help that your parents, teachers and everyone you know knows about your difficulties. When you have difficulties concentrating, calming down, sitting still and not being too impulsive, it is because you have ADHD. When you succeed, your effort should be noted. You should not get unfair criticism for what you have difficulties coping with.

Working memory training

One can train the brain's working memory with the help of special apps and computer programs.

Medication for ADHD

Medication must be seen as an opportunity. All patients with ADHD do not need to be treated with medicine. Medical treatment of ADHD should be considered as part of a treatment when other support is not enough. Before you start with medication, it can be good to set goals for what should improve.

No medicine removes ADHD, but the medication relieves the symptoms when the right amount is in the body. The medicine can be very helpful for your attention. It becomes easier to remember things, plan and not rush away, listen and sit still when needed. It is especially important for handling school work, but there may also be situations in your free time where it can help.

The most common side effect of medicine is reduced appetite, which makes it important to ensure that your weight and height are not affected by too little food. Many side effects that may occur at the start of the medication such as headache, stomach ache and palpitations usually calm down. Who gets side effects varies and it may be worth trying out different medications. Try to see which kind has the best effect for you and the least side effects. Your height, weight, blood pressure and heart rate must be checked at regular intervals and it's easily done by the school nurse.

It is good to start testing medication of methylphenidate type. The methylphenidate medication has its effect throughout the day and you don't have any medicine in the evening and during the night. Since you start a new medication every morning, you can take breaks on the days when the medication is not needed. During the first weeks of adjustment of what dose works best, it is good to take the medicine every day, even on weekends.

The different Methylphenidate products differ in how the dose is distributed throughout the day and how long the affect lasts. It is about finding the medicine that best suits your needs. If the dose gets too high and stays in for too long it can be difficult to fall asleep.