Unlocking ADHD contributor Silvia Buniardi shares about her parenting journey with her son, Seth. Despite having multiple physical and learning issues, Silvia’s steadfast support for Seth has seen him progress to where he is today.

My son, Seth, was diagnosed with Ataxia Cerebral Palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at a young age. Every diagnosis has its own challenges. I would like to share how I helped my son to manage and cope with ADHD. 

My Son’s ADHD Symptoms

I brought my son to a psychiatrist when he was around 6 years old as he showed ADHD behavioural symptoms. He was not able to sit still, did not pick up on social cues, he had a short attention span, could not focus and concentrate, did not seem to listen when spoken to directly and sometimes did not follow through on instructions. 

What Helped with his ADHD Symptoms

There are some things that I implemented to help Seth to manage his ADHD symptoms. 

• I watched his diet carefully, giving him fish oil daily and also exposing him to more physical exercises. 
• Besides attending his weekly occupational therapy sessions, I also enrolled in brain gym and craniosacral therapy courses in order to work with him personally at home. 
• When he started primary one in a mainstream school, I shadowed him for a year to help him better integrate to the mainstream environment. 
• He also started taking medication to help him to focus and concentrate until he was in primary four. 

Seth then continued his primary five studies at the Pathlight School. He managed to complete his ‘O’ levels and graduated from Pathlight School in 2018. He is currently pursuing his diploma in Singapore Polytechnic. He is currently in Year Three of the Infocomm Security Management Course. Our journey will continue and as usual, we will take it a day at a time 

In 2019, I wrote a book “Extraordinary You” about my journey with my son from the time when he was born until he was 19 years old. I hope this book will be able to create awareness about people with special needs and inspire those who are walking on the same journey. To get a copy please email me or PM me at either Instagram or Facebook (Silvia Buniardi). 

Silvia’s story of overcoming challenges in her parenting journey with her son, like many others, highlights the enduring spirit of ADHDers and their caregivers as they continue to be an inspiration to the people around them. 

If you would like to read more Singapore ADHD stories, click the link to see more.