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It was almost ten years ago that social worker Dotty Poirier first heard of ADHD through her job, but she was experiencing it at home with her daughter.

"I would watch her at home and trying to do her homework and a fan would be on. She would just go like this and say I can't work". says Poirier.

For Dotty, and for more parents, determining whether or not your child actually has ADHD is the first and most important step in getting them the help they need. 

"Untreated, this disorder can have a profound negative effect on a child's entire life", says psychiatrist James Greer of the Providence Center.

Greer says recent advances in understanding brain function and behaviors of children with ADHD has lead to more accurate diagnoses. 

"Very often, in the past, this disorder was diagnosed very, very quickly and without adequate amounts of exploration and investigation. As a result of that, people often felt this wasn't a real disorder, this is just a behavior problem", says Dr. Greer.

If you, or you child's teachers, or your pediatrician suspect your child has ADD or ADHD, you may be overwhelmed with concerns. Where do you go for information? One great resource is The Providence Center.  Getting the right information and the right treatment helped Dotty's daughter.  After nine years with the disorder she's now going off her medication and going off to college. 

"It was amazing how her self-esteem improved, how she was able to get her work done. It was an overnight success almost.  I'm very proud of her. She's been able to make it."

For more information on the Providence Center you can call 1-800-456-0300, ext. 4020.