What if the behaviour you’ve been worried about isn’t laziness, defiance, rudeness or a child simply being “difficult”? What if there’s something more going on underneath?
In this episode of Let’s Reconnect, psychologist Breanna Jayne Sada shares the stories of four families navigating diagnosis with their children and teenagers, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, developmental delay and depression.
Each family’s journey is different. One noticed developmental differences in their toddler. Another watched their daughter struggle socially when she entered high school. One initially mistook their teenager’s depression for laziness, while another resisted an ADHD assessment for years because they feared their son being “labelled”.
Yet a common theme runs through all four stories: the diagnosis didn’t change their child. It changed their understanding of their child.
Breanna explores why parents can understandably feel frightened or hesitant about assessment and diagnosis, including concerns about labels, medication, stigma, blame and what a diagnosis might mean for their child’s future.
She also discusses the relief and grief that can exist alongside one another when families finally receive answers.
A diagnosis is not the end of a child’s story. For many families, it can be the beginning of greater understanding, compassion and access to the support their child needs to thrive.
If you have a quiet feeling that your child is struggling or developing differently, you don’t have to work out the answer yourself. Speaking with your GP, paediatrician, psychologist or another appropriately qualified health professional can be a helpful place to begin.
Support:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Emergency: Triple Zero (000)
The information discussed in Let’s Reconnect is general in nature and does not replace personalised mental health or medical advice.
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