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Parent Support Groups for ADD

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of 2007, 5.4 million children between the ages of 4 and 17 had at some time been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD. For parents of these children, learning to manage the behaviors associated with ADD can be stressful and difficult. Children with ADD commonly have trouble with schoolwork and activities, act impulsively, and are forgetful. Fortunately, there are a variety of support groups available to help parents cope with an ADD child.

  1. Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

    • Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a nonprofit local and national support group started in 1987 to ease the isolation parents with ADD children often feel. There are more than 200 local chapters of CHADD located throughout the United States that hold community gatherings for parents. CHADD also provides online communities through its website (see Resources) for parents to pose questions and discuss concerns. Access to CHADD support is available to members of the organization who pay a yearly fee.

    Daily Strength

    • Daily Strength's ADHD support community is an online gathering place for parents as well as those diagnosed with ADHD to meet. Daily Strength offers an online discussion forum where parents can talk as well as a place to ask questions of ADHD experts. Members of the Daily Strength support community can choose to post information about themselves to share with others and can even share an online journal. Members may form smaller support groups as well. These groups can be related to different areas of the country or specific parenting issues.

    Other Online Support Groups

    • The Internet provides an extensive list of resources and support for parents of children with ADHD. Numerous online communities exist to help parents find each other and discuss issues like medications and schooling with each other. These groups include WebMD's online ADHD community, MD Junction for teens and families of teens with ADHD, and the ADD Parents Club (see Resources).

    Local Support Groups

    • Local support groups in the community can be useful resources for parents of ADHD children. A local support group provides the opportunity for parents to meet face to face, share their struggles and successes, and learn from one another. Check with your physician, school counselor or psychologist for recommendations. If there are no support groups for parents in your area, consider forming your own. Check the tips from "ADDitude" magazine (see Resources) on how to start a local support group and recruit members.

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