Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD

Spending extra time making sure your child finishes their homework. Reminding your child constantly to do ordinary tasks. Wondering why your child’s grades are slipping even though they know the material. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Parents often come to Dr. Nguyen sharing these experiences and feelings of frustration. 

 

During Dr. Nguyen’s time as both a psychiatry fellow and an attending at UCLA, she has worked with numerous families struggling with managing attention-related difficulties in their children.  Across the inpatient unit at UCLA Resnick, the partial hospitalization program, and outpatient clinics - Dr. Nguyen has worked with children struggling with attention (as young as four years old) all the way to young adults. 

 

It’s natural to have concerns and questions, no matter how old your child is. Is my child too young for medication? How will medications affect my child’s development? How long will they need to be on medications? What about behavior techniques? Ultimately, to get good answers to these questions, Dr. Nguyen advises parents that their child first receive an accurate diagnosis to know what exactly is going on, as there could be other reasons contributing to attention-related struggles. 

 

In Dr. Nguyen’s virtual clinic, she uses a diagnostic and evaluation process that has been refined based on her time treating patients and working with families at UCLA. Beginning first with a no-cost 15-minute get-to-know-you phone call, both you and Dr. Nguyen will have a chance to chat, ask questions, and learn about the kind of support you (and your child) are looking for. Based on this chat, Dr. Nguyen may refer you to another colleague or let you know that you and your child are a good fit for her practice. 

 

The next step, if you proceed, is the intake appointment, which consists of one to two 1-hr appointments. When working with children, Dr. Nguyen takes a thorough history, which will usually takes up to two appointments. For younger children (elementary school-aged children), Dr. Nguyen will meet with both parents and child in the same session. For adolescents (between age 12-19), Dr. Nguyen will meet separately first with the patient and then another session with the family and patient together. 

 

During the intake, Dr. Nguyen will conduct a comprehensive evaluation, which involves discussing the goals for care, gathering a comprehensive history, and understanding your child’s symptoms. She will also discuss treatment options and approaches that align with your preferences (such as conservative medication regimen, particular therapy modalities, etc). 

 

After going over your diagnosis and treatment options with Dr. Nguyen, you are free to choose among several options:

• Continue care with Dr. Nguyen

• If you already have another provider, you can return to your existing care team with the diagnosis and treatment recommendations

• Discuss referral options depending on your needs and preferences

 

At this time, you may have other questions not covered in this article. For example, how might you be involved in your child’s treatment plan? What will sessions after the intake look like? How soon can you expect to see an improvement?

 

The best way to get these and other questions answered is to have a quick chat with Dr. Nguyen. We invite you to book a no-cost, no-obligation 15-minute call with her as she reserves a limited number of spots each week for these calls. She is happy to answer any questions and provide further detail where helpful. When you are ready to take the next step, our clinic will be ready to assist you and your family.