Anahi Ortiz is a pediatrician, ADD or ADHD coach, and a blogger. I greatly respect her knowledge and opinions.
– How did you get involved in ADD ADHD?_
When I was in med school my first rotation was psychiatry and I loved it! My last rotation was in pediatrics which I also loved. I ended up choosing peds for residency and became a pediatrician but psychiatry was always something I followed. During the eighties ADHD was called MBD – minimal brain disorder and it fascinated me. I started going to conferences with lectures on ADHD/ MBD and have followed it ever since. During my years practicing peds, I would be the pediatrician known for taking and treating children with ADHD, depression and anxiety. Coaching naturally followed my interest. I learned little by little that medications and therapy were not always effective with all of the symptoms of ADHD. Keeping up to date with ADHD, I learned of coaching and actually used it when I could with my patients.
– Then you have children with ADHD? What was that like?
I do have two children with ADHD; one is 19 and one is 25. Both were diagnosed in elementary school, around fourth grade when their grades did not reflect their intelligence and their difficulty with focusing and inability to stay still. I took the diagnosis in stride, I couldn’t think of it negatively otherwise I couldn’t have handled it well! It has been a roller coaster in terms of raising them. Currently one is in his second year of college and the other lives on her own in New York but never finished college. Both have comorbidities and both have gone through successes and downfalls. It is one day at a time.
– What is your viewpoint on the medications and other treatments?
I think medications do work, therapy is definitely necessary especially when there are comorbidities and coaching can help some with time management, accountability and organization. The more recent use of mindfulness looks like something that can help many people with ADHD and I advise mindfulness practice with my coaching clients. Exercise is another area that can be extremely helpful for those with ADHD; this is also something I advocate to my clients.
Thank you Anahi
It’s good to get another opinion.
doug
Anahi’s blog very informataive clik here
