How to Get a Good Diagnosis to See If Your Child Has ADHD

Your child's teacher says that you need to find out if your child has ADHD or not. What do you do? Here are some tips from the ADHD Information Library.

First, find a clinician, a Psychologist, or Marriage, Family, and Child Therapist, or Psychiatrist, who has a good working knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD or ADHD. Most mental health professionals do NOT know much about the disorder, even if they tell you that they do. During my formal training in psychology at both the Master's level and the Doctorate level I received about 15 minutes of training on ADHD. Find an expert in your community.

Ask parents at your local CHADD meeting about who the best doctor and the best therapist in your area are. Then call your local psychiatric hospital and ask for either the Children's Unit or the Adolescent Unit Charge Nurse. Ask the nurse who the best doctor and therapist for treating Attention Deficit Disorder are. Once you have a name or two, call the professional on the phone and give them a two minute interview.

Keep the phone call brief. They are busy people too. Ask them questions such as, "What percentage of your practice is with Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD ADHD children or teens?" "How many years experience do you have in treating ADD ADHD individuals?" "How do you do a diagnostic work-up for Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD ADHD?" and "What treatment options are you familiar with in the treatment of ADD ADHD?" Based on their answers you will know whether or not you will want to work with them.

Read this entire ADD Information Library web site. Once you have read the 80 or so pages of information at that site for parents you will be ready to meet with the professional who will do the assessment, and perhaps the treatment. If the professional seems to know more than you do (after you've spent time preparing) then that is a good sign. If they seem to know less than you now do, then that is a bad sign. Why pay money to someone who knows less than you do?

Find the Expert -- do what he recommends -- and pay him what he's worth.

Ask to have a thorough assessment done, including a parent interview, a child interview, parent and teacher rating scales, and TOVA testing as appropriate. Emotional conditions that could also be causing ADHD-like symptoms must be ruled out.

If the diagnosis is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder what should you do?

Never give up YOUR responsibility as your child's parent to any professional (medical, psychological, or educational). If they are experts, get information and opinions based on their experience. Trust their judgment and learn from their wisdom. But YOU are the parent. Once your child or teen has had a good work up, and you have a "righteous" diagnosis you will have a lot of decisions to make regarding treatment. But always remember that YOU are the parent.

It is YOUR job to get all of the information that you can from the experts and make the decisions regarding your child's treatment. No professional will ever love your child as much as you do. Educate yourself until you are an expert! Read lots of books, vist each of the ADHD Information Library's family of web sites, talk to lots of people who know what they are talking about. Subscribe to our newsletter. As Solomon said, "My son, get Wisdom and Knowledge." You need to become an expert NOW!

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

---

Helping Your Children Develop Their Self-Discipline

We want our children to do the right thing, especially when they are out with their friends. We want to believe in them, but somehow, we don't feel certain that they would.Have you... Read More

10 Secrets To Know You?re A Good Working Parent To Your Kids!

How are parents to know they are doing the right thing for their children when they are working parents? Many parents feel guilty for the amount of time they are spending at work... Read More

Understanding A Childs Beliefs, Nuturing Young Beliefs

Children are moral and make moral determinations... at least until their view becomes jaded through doctrinal or extremist teachings. But if they are nurtured and encouraged to live under the umbrella of Right... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: How to Say NO!

Q: Whenever we tell my daughter "no," she just bugs and pesters until we give in. I know it's wrong to give in, but she makes things so unpleasant that we give in... Read More

From Good to GREAT: Secrets On Becoming A Better Dad

While most fathers aspire to become the best Dads they can, all too often life just seems to get in the way. Missed soccer games and bedtime stories, always "In a minute" or... Read More

10 Ways You Can Advocate For Your Child With A Learning Disability

Did you know that you are the most important person in your child's life? Of course you did. But did you know that parents of children with learning disabilities can also be their... Read More

Homeschooling ? Can I Do It?

Many parents would like to homeschool their children but are afraid they don't have the training or ability to be their children's teacher. This is certainly understandable, because most parents never had any... Read More

When Everybody Does It Comes Back to Haunt You

Parental example, whether for good or for bad, is undoubtedly the most powerful influence on a child's moral and social development. If we are to succeed at all in bringing up our... Read More

?I?M OVERWHELMED? -- 5 Tips On How Parents Can Take Control Of Their Lives

Are you feeling overwhelmed being a parent? Do you want to feel more relaxed and empowered raising your child? Working parents, stay-at-home parents, visiting parents ? it doesn't matter which one you are... Read More

Aquini Potty Training Dolls - A Great Tool For Potty Training!

Corolle Paul or Emma Drink-and-Wet SET potty dollsThis is the very best potty doll we available. This potty doll is a much better value than slightly cheaper potty dolls because it functions perfectly,... Read More

Family Meetings Are Now On The Agenda

"Not another meeting!"That tends to be the reaction from many parents when they hear the M word mentioned. Parents tend to associate meetings with the workplace rather than families. Even at work, meetings... Read More

What a Parent Must Do to Stop Online Predators

Teens can freely access the Internet from computers at school, at their friends' homes and in public places such as libraries and even from cell phones and video game consoles. Internet is everywhere,... Read More

The Importance of Mothers

Moms, did you ever question your value as a role model, caretaker, administer of hugs and Band-Aids? I think we all have in today's climate of "do more, get more, have more." Many... Read More

Home For The Holidays: Avoid Aging Parents Becoming A Burden

By not planning for the future we guarantee that we will leave our children with a tremendous burden. Just about the time they are preparing for their own retirement and their children's college... Read More

Introduction to the Medications Used in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder

There are several treatment options available to help improve the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Since there is no prescription medicine that can "cure" for ADHD, the various medical interventions seek to... Read More

Now, They?re Bullying My Daughter in Our Home: Welcome to Cyber-bullying

Last night Tom's daughter, Sue, came out of her room to see her dad and said, "I got another one of those instant messages. It says, 'tomorrow you had better not show up... Read More

Adoption: Laughter and Tears

If you ever walk through an orphanage, it will be an experience you'll never forget. Witnessing children in poverty, children discarded, children stunted both physically and emotionally, will stir your heart beyond belief.... Read More

Cloning; is it for you?

What would it be like to have a clone? What would it be like to be a clone? If you end up cloning yourself you just might have the opportunity to find out... Read More

The Free Ride In Public Schools

To protect children's self-esteem or deflect complaints by parents, many public schools today automatically advance failing students to the next grade level. In other schools, some students are left back a maximum of... Read More

Partnering With Your Daycare or Preschool

For the most positive daycare experience for your child, partner with your childcare center and make a personal investment beyond the monthly tuition. You can build your partnership with your daycare by volunteering... Read More

Life Lessons Learned in My Underwear

For several years now, I've told the following story as a keynote presentation when I do speaking engagements:When our oldest son was a toddler and teething heavily, he woke up one morning at... Read More

Child Safety at Home

Maintaining a safe home environment for your childrenAs adults and parents we are responsible for all the aspects of child safety at home and the importance of following child safety tips to improve... Read More

25 Things That Matter When Relating To Our Children (Leaving A Legacy Of Love To Those We Love)

In my opinion, these things matter...1. Enjoying childlike delights before the child no longer delights in being one.2. Paying attention long enough to understand -- yet caring enough to make a necessary correction... Read More

So, The Thing Is... Im Feeling A Little Guilty

So, the thing is? I am feeling a little guilty.I know, I know, what's new? I'm like the travel agent for guilt trips. Right now I'm feeling a little guilty because I am... Read More

The Secret To Keeping Kids Interested on Family Vacations

Vacations and trips are great family events, but how do you keep kids interested and busy during the down times? Have them keep journals of the trips and their impressions.Writing JournalsTake a minute... Read More

Punishing the Victim -- Why Public Schools Pressure Parents To Give Their Kids Mind-Altering Drugs

Public-school teaching is structured in such a way that it inevitably bores millions of normal, active children who are forced to sit in classrooms six to eight hours a day with about twenty... Read More

Every Mom Worries

Sitterphobe "I never have a second to myself," this mother tells you (and tells you and tells you). You agree, judging by her slightly frazzled demeanor, that she could use a break. Maybe... Read More

The ADHD Parents Guide: Questions for the School

Here is something that you might want to keep if you are thinking about changing your child's school next fall or if you are planning to have your child tested by the school... Read More

Awesome Dads Top Ten Communication Intentions

An Awesome Dad in by no means perfect. But that itself is perfect, because imperfection allows us to really understand the personal evolution our children are going through with us. The definition of... Read More