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Obtaining An Accurate ADD ADHD Diagnosis
Obtaining An Accurate ADD ADHD Diagnosis By Mary Asomah...
At one time or another many healthy children will exhibit ADHD symptoms.
Children are naturally full of energy and many children find it challenging to stay focused while in school.
But it is very important for parents to understand that an accurate ADHD ADD diagnosis can only be performed by an
experienced health care professional, after a detailed
ADHD assessment
and full physical examination is performed.
Although there are many ADHD ADD
checklists available that outline typical
ADHD behaviours,
an ADHD ADD diagnosis should never be administered by parents, teachers, or child care providers.
An accurate ADHD ADD diagnosis goes well beyond ticking off symptoms from a checklist. Parents concerned about their
child's growth and development should seek further counseling by discussing the matter with their doctor.
Interviews and Assessments Involved in an ADHD ADD Diagnosis
In an attempt to perform an ADHD ADD diagnosis on a child, a health care professional will first study the child's medical history.
The health care professional will want to know details of the child's prenatal care and birth and will need a full
history of the child's mental, physical and emotional health.
The health care professional will then gather information about the child by conducting various assessments. The child
should be given a personal interview as well as a written assessment.
Parents, teachers and other adults who have close contact with the child will fill out various Behaviour Ratings Scales
and assessments so that the health care professional can get a full understanding of the child's typical behaviour,
as well as how those behaviours affect the child's life at home, at school and in other social situations.
ADHD ADD Diagnosis Requires a Physical Examination
An accurate ADHD diagnosis requires a full medical examination of the child. ADHD symptoms may actually be caused by
other medical conditions.
Vision or hearing loss, low blood sugar, diabetes, thyroid problems and lead exposure are all medical conditions that
cause behaviour symptoms that could lead to a misdiagnosis of ADHD.
Before an ADHD diagnosis is made, the child should also be given an assessment for learning disabilities. Some learning
disabilities, such as dyslexia, can also be misinterpreted as ADHD.
ADHD symptoms often mimic the
symptoms of other disorders. These disorders include depression, anxiety, autism and
bipolar disorder.
In some cases a child may have co-existing disorders. It is important that an ADHD diagnosis incorporate a complete
outline of a child's potential challenges, so that the best possible treatment can be given.
