October is ADHD Awareness Month, a time to recognize the unique ways ADHD affects children and families. Here is a story from a grateful parent of clients at the Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center.

When I share that my fifth-grade twin girls both have ADHD, most people don’t believe me. That makes sense—no one believed I had ADHD either, until I was formally diagnosed at age 38.

What people may see as a simple personality quirk or forgetfulness is actually an entire brain that works differently than a person without ADHD. It affects the way we process information and store memories, how we use money, food and time, how we show up in relationships, and so much more. Mind you, not all these are negative: people with ADHD are often deeply creative people who “think outside the box.” We are inventive, capable of deep focus, and tenacious, with a deep capacity for empathy.

For my girls, symptoms started to emerge around third grade. As the workload increased from second to third grade, I began to notice a lot of overwhelm and resistance. They struggled to pay attention in class, though it flew under the radar because girls often mask their symptoms. When their grades began to suffer, I knew it was time to pursue testing and intervention.

I knew I only trusted my girls with an expert who understood not only the complexities of ADHD but the co-morbid issues of anxiety, tics and OCD behaviors they were experiencing. I wanted someone who would see my kids as individuals, not a copy-and-paste diagnosis. After doing much research, I realized what the person we needed was Dr. Howard Schub with the Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center at JF&CS.

Dr. Schub’s extensive knowledge and experience have earned him expert status, and he earned my trust from our first visit. In a world where even our pediatrician has confused my children for each other, Dr. Schub quickly understood the nuances of their ADHD. For one, it’s fairly classic ADHD that benefits from medication; for the other, it’s secondary to anxiety and OCD tendencies, so as the anxiety is addressed, the ADHD becomes more manageable. He didn’t rely on intuition alone—he administered a QB test, which provided data confirming that both girls have ADHD brains.

We first met Dr. Schub two years ago, and I’m so happy to say that now, my kids are thriving. Our days are certainly not perfect, but we have a map and a field guide now. We’re all learning to appreciate the benefits of the unique ways they’re wired, and knowing that I can fully trust our doctor allows me to worry less.

I used to fear that a diagnosis would define my kids and potentially limit them. Now, I see that naming their differences removes the power of uncertainty. I see them living out the childhood I wish I could have had, knowing my differences weren’t moral failings or “laziness.” Naming and treating their ADHD has allowed us to do what’s most important: love and support them exactly where they are.