Sarah Dixon’s Parenting Story

In this episode, Claire is joined by parent guest, Sarah Dixon. Sarah is a mother of two girls, aged 10 and 12, both of whom are dyslexic and have ADHD. Her husband has also been identified with ADHD. In this episode, Sarah shares her journey from the realisation her children thought differently, through the identification stage to where they are now. 

Sarah begins by sharing how ADHD became obvious in her firstborn, who she assumed was just energetic - even in the womb! However by age 8, differences from her peers began to emerge, for example still not being able to read and struggling to concentrate. Sarah admits she knew little about ADHD before her child’s diagnosis, sparking initial reactions of shock, denial, and protectiveness.

Sarah and Claire share insights around ADHD medication and its impact on their children's learning and behaviour. Sarah shares how a conversation with a psychiatrist helped her understand how differently ADHD medication works vs something like anti-depressants and ultimately, how that helped her feel more comfortable about her daughter trying it. They also stress the importance of early identification for neurodivergent children in schools, to access the right support and accommodations, as well as taking some time to celebrate the array of unique strengths and abilities their children with ADHD possess. 

Sarah leads a local school support group for parents of neurodivergent children and has recently become a director and trustee of the Accessible Learning Foundation (ALF) - a new charitable organisation focusing on early identification and support of those with neurodivergent conditions within the education, justice and business sectors. To find out more head to the Accessible Learning Foundation.