Evaluation

Who can make the Diagnosis?

In a best-practice model, the diagnosis is made by a team of professionals with training in AD/HD or in the diagnosis of mental disorders. Child psychiatrists and child psychologists who hold their Ph.D. degrees, developmental/behavioral pediatricians, or paediatric neurologists are those most often trained in differential diagnosis.

 

What is the difference in qualifications amongst all the medical professionals?

Knowing the differences in qualifications and services can help the family choose someone who can best meet their needs. There are several types of specialists qualified to diagnose and treat AD/HD.

Child psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating childhood mental and behavioral disorders. A psychiatrist can provide therapy and prescribe any needed medications.

Child psychologists who hold a Ph.D. qualification in educational, developmental or clinical psychology,are also qualified to diagnose and treat AD/HD. They carry out educational-psychological assessments which help to identify the presence of specific learning disabilities and other disorders that may co-exist with AD/HD. They also provide therapy for the child and help the family develop ways to successfully manage the disorder. Psychologists are not medical doctors and must rely on the child's physician to do medical exams and prescribe medication.

Neurologists, medical doctors who work with disorders of the brain and nervous system, can also diagnose ADHD and prescribe medicines. Unlike psychiatrists and psychologists, neurologists do not usually provide therapy for the emotional aspects of the disorder.

Within each specialty, individual doctors and mental health professionals differ in their experiences with AD/HD. So in selecting a specialist, it's important to find someone with specific training and experience in diagnosing and treating the disorder.

Whatever the specialist's expertise, his or her first task is to gather information that will rule out other possible reasons for the child's behavior. Among possible causes of AD/HD-like behavior are the following

  • A sudden change in the child's life-the death of a parent or grandparent; parents' divorce; a parent's job loss
  • Undetected seizures, such as in petit mal or temporal lobe seizures
  • A middle ear infection that causes intermittent hearing problems
  • Medical disorders that may affect brain functioning
  • Underachievement caused by learning disability

  • Anxiety or depression.

 

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