When You Feel It’s Your “Fault” When Your Child Is Diagnosed with ADHD
When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, many parents feel that the child they knew as perfect — their own child — has somehow been diminished, and they blame themselves. This guilt is especially strong because ADHD has a strong genetic component, and because mothers, who carried and nurtured that child through pregnancy, may feel a particularly deep sense of responsibility. Here we examine why these feelings come up, what science actually says, and how to shift from self-blame to confident, compassionate action.