If parents have questions about the doctor's or therapist's instructions, you can encourage them to ask their healthcare professional for clarification or further instructions. Make it clear that it is important for them—and for their child—to understand and follow the doctor's medical advice about medication and other therapies for ADHD. ADHD is a serious condition that may require the child to be on medication and undergo counseling for a long duration. If your school approves, you can refer the parents to an ADHD family support group or to supportive web sites such as this one.
There are many myths and facts about the treatment of ADHD that parents may ask you about. Many people think ADHD is related to eating sugar and food additives but excess sugar and food additives do not usually cause ADHD. Restricting foods containing artificial flavorings, preservatives, and sugars has been found by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help only about 5% of children with ADHD and these children are mostly either very young or have food allergies.
There are a number of alterative therapies offered for the treatment of ADHD. However, there is no scientific proof of the effectiveness of the following in treating children with ADHD.
The following is a list provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):
If parents ask about the above treatments, you should inform them that the most effective demonstrated treatment involves a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and support from caregivers, including parents, other family members, and you.
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