If you believe you may have a student with ADHD, then you should discuss this with parents at parent teacher conferences or a parent teacher meeting. This is a delicate conversation to have with parents, and it helps to think through the ADHD symptoms in children before the meeting.
Before the Parent Teacher Conference
Before parent teacher conferences, you should take careful observation notes if you think you have students with ADHD. You should also check these notes against an ADHD checklist to double-check ADHD symptoms in children. You are a professional, who observes these children on a regular basis; but this discussion with parents may be difficult for them. You should make sure you have all your facts and support information. You may even want to invite some special area teachers, such as art or music, to attend the parent teacher meeting with you. Ask them to bring any notes that they may have about the child's behavior in the special area classrooms.
During the Conference
During the parent teacher conferences, you will want to make sure to do the following things when talking with parents about a possible ADHD diagnosis for their child.
- It is very important that you do not diagnosis the student with ADHD. A medical doctor must make the diagnosis. Your goal is just to let parents know that you have observed and recorded many ADHD symptoms in children for their child. You are concerned that the student may have trouble with ADHD, and you are suggesting that parents take their child to his or her pediatrician.
- Be prepared to share notes and specific details with parents who are sure to have many questions about your suggestion and comments. If you feel these particular parents will be very upset, you can invite the school counselor or principal to the meeting to help answer questions the parents may have about students with ADHD.
- Have information available at the meeting to give to parents about ADHD. Some types of information that parents may want are a checklist of ADHD symptoms and possible treatments of ADHD--medications and alternative therapies. Ask the school counselor to help you gather this material before the parent teacher conferences.
- If parents become very upset or the conference runs long, schedule a follow-up parent teacher meeting. Nothing has to be decided that night. Sometimes, parents need time to digest the information that you presented them about the ADHD symptoms in children.
Following Up
You may want to follow up with parents if a second meeting was not scheduled. You could do this with a quick phone call or an email, whichever form of communication the parents prefer. During the follow-up, you will want to:
- find out if parents are planning to or have taken the child to the doctor after the discussion at the parent teacher conferences
- answer any more questions the parents have about students with ADHD
- offer your encouragement and support for the student and his family
- remind parents you are available to answer questions and fill out questionnaires from the doctor.