Send us a text Imagine discovering that the challenges your child faces are, in fact, a reflection of your own. Junaid Hussain, a family medicine physician, shares his deeply personal journey of navigating autism and ADHD within his family, a path that began with his son's diagnosis at the age of eight and led to his own self-discovery. You'll hear about the profound changes and adaptations they've made, such as homeschooling and medication, to better support their son's emotional regulation and impulsivity. Junaid’s story is not just about overcoming obstacles but also about embracing the unique journey of acceptance and understanding that comes with raising a neurodivergent child. We also shed light on the broader societal landscape of autism awareness, starting from the initial hurdles families encounter before a diagnosis is established. Junaid discusses how speech and language therapists play a crucial role in helping families understand autism-related behaviors. Moreover, we address the urgent need for empathy and awareness not only in society but also within the medical community. Junaid's experiences have fueled his advocacy for improved autism understanding across diverse communities, stressing the importance of media and education in fostering a more empathetic society. Finally, we offer guidance for those grappling with autism and ADHD diagnoses, whether early in life or later stages. The potential overlap between autism and ADHD is explored, emphasizing the value of professional guidance and resources, including insights from experts like Professor Tony Atwood. We highlight the importance of self-care for parents to ensure they are well-equipped to support their children effectively. This episode is a testament to the power of sharing personal stories, inspiring hope, and building a connected community where everyone feels supported and understood. https://tonymantor.com https://Facebook.com/tonymantor https://instagram.com/tonymantor https://twitter.com/tonymantor https://youtube.com/tonymantormusic intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)
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Welcome to Why Not Me? The World Podcast. Hosted by Tony Mantor. Broadcasting from Music City, USA. Nashville, Tennessee. Join us as our guests tell us their stories. Some will make you laugh. Some will make you cry. real life people who will inspire and show that you are not alone in this world.
Hopefully, you gain more awareness, acceptance, and a better understanding for autism around the world. Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Welcome to Why Not Me? The World. Today, Junaid Hussain joins us. We will be discussing his son, which was diagnosed autistic and ADHD. We'll also discuss how he found that he mirrored his son's behavior and was diagnosed autistic along with ADHD as well.
Thanks for coming on the show today. Thank you so much. Oh, the pleasure's all mine. I understand that you practice medicine and became a doctor in the UK.
So I'm a doctor in the state to be known as a family medicine physician, a primary care doctor in the UK. So I completed my training in 2015 and I've been a doctor since both here and in the UK, also in the Middle East as well. In terms of autism and ADHD and neurodivergence, That came about I think in the last four to five years after my son's diagnosis of autism or ADHD.
When was your son diagnosed autistic?
He was diagnosed right at the beginning of 2020. He was about eight years old at the time. We knew for many years he struggled with his mental health. And it was difficult, even as a doctor myself, to pinpoint and find out why and what was happening. We had a lot of discussions with different people. Eventually, a friend of mine, who's a psychiatrist, I spoke with him.
And I said, look, I'm worried, very anxious, very depressed. And I don't know why he's only eight years old. I don't know where this is coming from. And through the usual questionnaires and spinning tools, he made a formal diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder and ADHD.
Once he was diagnosed autistic, you finally had the opportunity to understand what was going on and the reasons behind some of the issues that you thought he had. How did that change him and how did that change your life?
Massively. I can't overstate how big the change was in our life. So from his perspective, he eventually stabilized on a medicine called atomoxetine, which is a type of antidepressant, but it also works for ADHD. and it controlled his impulsivity, his mood, a significant amount. It's not perfect.
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