At Pediatrics West, we play an important role as your family’s medical home. As a Practice, we feel strongly that it is important to assist you in diagnosing and managing your child’s school and behavioral issues. This evaluation will start with a consultation with your Primary Care Provider. Depending on the concerns, your PCP may complete the evaluation or refer your care for a more specialized service depending on the Provider’s experience with ADHD treatment or any co-occurring diagnoses. Please talk to your child’s provider if you have concerns about your child’s mental health.
Deciding if a child has ADHD is a several step process. There is no single test to diagnose ADHD, and many other problems, like anxiety, depression, and certain types of learning disabilities, can have similar symptoms.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects between 8-12% of school age children in the United States. It is a neuro-behavioral disorder that can be a challenge to diagnose as physicians must rely on second hand information from parents, teachers and relatives, who may all have different impressions about the severity and impact of the symptoms. Therefore it is often viewed as a very subjective diagnosis.
ADHD symptoms are extreme forms of common behaviors such as: inattention (difficulty staying focused and on task) hyperactivity (inability to control movement and sit still while working) and impulsivity (inability to restrain inappropriate responses).
Potential treatment options for ADHD include Medications, Behavioral intervention strategies (Cogmed) and Parent training.