Parents have the responsibility and authority to make medical decisions on behalf of their children. This includes the right to refuse or discontinue treatments, even those that may be life-sustaining. However, parental decision-making should be guided by the best interests of the child.
It’s essential for parents to feel well-informed and supported in making decisions about their child’s ADHD treatment. If a healthcare professional doesn’t proactively provide information about the benefits and necessity of medication, parents can take the initiative to ask questions. Some questions that might be helpful include:
1. “Can you explain more about how medication can benefit my child’s ADHD symptoms?”
2. “What are the potential risks and benefits of using medication, and how does it fit into an overall treatment plan?”
3. “Are there alternative treatments or interventions we should consider alongside or instead of medication?”
4. “How will we monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the medication over time?”
5. “Can you provide information or resources to help us better understand ADHD and the role of medication in treatment?”
And then some advice from a well-respected human source, CHADD:
Treatment of ADHD with medication is most effective for reducing the core symptoms of ADHD—inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
