Warning Signs That You Need to Find a New Doctor to Treat ADHD or Behavioral Traits   Frank Barnhill M.D.
 

Over the years, I have been fortunate to have treated several thousand kids and adults with ADHD, behavioral traits, and sudden as well as long term emotional problems. I always ask about any treatment they received before seeing me, get an idea of how that therapy was done and how well it worked. As a result, I’ve accumulated a “list of warning signs” that seem to indicate the previous doctor, therapist or counselor needed more education in treating the patients problem.

I’ve decided to share that list with you, as I have with my own patients during the course of their therapy. So, with no further explanation, here goes!

You should find a new doctor/therapist/counselor/psychologist to treat ADHD if:

1. Your doctor tells you the only way to treat the problem is with drugs. Likewise, if he or she says a team approach is unnecessary or behavioral training isn’t needed, just walk out of the office.
   
2. You notice he or she only talks to you and not “his patient” when asking how the child or family member is doing. We call this veterinary medicine. How can they know what is really going on inside someone’s head without asking that someone?
   
3. You try to give him input from schoolteachers, friends, other relatives, outside counselors, and siblings, but it dismisses or downplays the importance.
   
4. You tell your therapist or doctor how ADHD or the behavioral problem is disrupting your family, and he assures you that things will get better after your child responds to treatment. This is a real biggie now days. I’ve seen several marriages fall apart because an ADHD child caused so much family conflict that everyone jumped ship. ADHD is a family problem. It affects the entire family unit and therefore everyone in the family must be involved in treatment if it is to be effective!
   
5. If all the information he gives you about ADHD or other behavioral problems is printed in pharmaceutical company handouts. A lot of patients have told me how their previous doctor just handed them a drug company brochure and told them “This will tell you everything you need to know.”
   
6. Your doctor hands you a drug company brochure, then proceeds to prescribe that particular drug, with the remark, “This is the drug of choice and we really don’t need to discuss any other medicines.”
   
7. Your doctor or counselor indicates that ADHD and behavioral problems are really just indicators of laziness, stubbornness, poor discipline, “just being a boy”, or “girls tend to be like that”.
   
8. Your doctor tells you not to establish a routine of firm, uniform, fair discipline for yourself and the entire family. Remember, discipline is taught by example and “seeing is believing”. If you don’t have the discipline it takes to keep appointments, be somewhere on time with all you need to do a job or stick to a diet and take your medication, then you can’t expect your ADHD’er to do the same. ADHD kids have very sharp observation skills and put up on these things in a heartbeat. (They also have very long memories!)
   
9. Your doctor doesn’t look for other causes of hyperactivity before starting, or at least while starting drugs and other treatment. You might want to look at our article: “When it’s not ADHD, What is it, a Zebra?” to get an idea of other diseases that can mimic ADHD, depression, anxiety and general behavior disorders.
   
10. Your doctor avoids discussing his ADHD or behavioral medicine training. Reading about ADHD out of a book is a lot different that actually having classroom and patient contact training.
    
11. The doctor tells you that this medicine will cure your ADHD problem. At this point, you should grab all and run to your car! This doctor probably has no training in ADHD or behavioral medicine.
    

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