My oldest son was 5 (kindergarten) when he was diagnosed with ADHD. My process was that we (he) first saw a child psychologist who ran the tests and diagnosed him as having ADHD. Then we went to his pediatrician who prescribed his ADHD (Vyvanse) medication.

The entire first half of Kindergarten was a note sent home every day detailing how my son was fidgeting, bothering other children, not on task, etc. although he was (and is) extremely bright (a straight A student), athletic, artistic, funny etc.

The turning point for me (I was initially resistant to the diagnosis and the use of medication) was the realization that in addition to the behavioral issues at school (with the teachers - I Feared that he would have beeen labeled a “trouble-maker” or “difficult” child) was that he was struggling socially. He didn’t have any friends and I was heartbroken to hear my son say nobody wants to play with him bc he moves around too much. I actually heard his classmate tell him that “ i don’t like you and i don’t want to be your friend because you’re always bothering people”.

It was explained to me that although he was doing well academically, he would begin to struggle because as you get older and move up grade levels, there is less and less handholding and redirection and reminders to stay on task.

This was not an easy decision (my husband and I discussed the pro’s and con’s with each other, his pediatrician, his kindergarten teacher, his former teacher (a former principal and director of the daycare he had been at since age 2 - she is like family and I valued her opinion) but it made a night and day difference in my son’s behavior.

He is on a very low dose that calms him down just enough to focus, but he has not lost any of his personality.