Born Out of My Own Journey

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I didn't start this work as an expert. I started it as a mom who was afraid to say the word out loud.

When my twins were just two years old, a daycare director asked me if they had ever been in childcare before. She said they didn't listen and were very active. I was offended. It felt like an accusation against my parenting. But those same behaviors followed my boys from setting to setting. By the time they were expelled from preschool and then suspended from Kindergarten, I couldn't call it "typical boy behavior" anymore.

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Even with my background in health care, I didn't know what questions to ask. I didn't know I could put my concerns in writing, or that services were available to my children. And I was embarrassed. I wanted so badly for my boys to be seen as "normal," and I listened to family members share opinions about my children and my parenting without first trying to understand what we were going through. Quite frankly, I didn't know what I didn't know about ADHD.

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Eventually, I got answers- most of which I had to find on my own.

 

All of my boys have now been diagnosed with ADHD. Because of what I learned with my twins, I recognized the signs early on with my youngest two, and requested an evaluation before their struggles became overwhelming. That difference showed me what early support can do.

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I hold a PhD in Public Health, and understand the greater impact that a health condition has, beyone the person living with the diagnosis. Now I've brought that work home. S.A.Y. ADHD was born to erase the stigma and provide support for children beyond the ADHD diagnosis. S.A.Y. ADHD is the bridge I needed. Now I help other families and educators cross it.