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What to Expect During an ADHD Evaluation
The time it takes to diagnose a child with ADHD can be longer than parents expect. Two things often stretch the time:
Rule-outs
The first step of diagnosis may be to rule out other medical disorders that have symptoms similar to ADHD. The doctor may want to be sure that your child doesn't have something that looks like ADHD, but isn't.
Parents sometimes find this slow and careful decision-making frustrating.
The following two thoughts may help you stay calm through a complicated ADHD evaluation process.
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Recognize the difference between science as fact and science as method. Think of diagnosis not as selecting the right fact, but applying the right method. Doctors don't automatically know. They evaluate. A true scientist admits to not having all the answers. Nevertheless, doctors know better than anyone else what the possible answers are. They also have tools and techniques for arriving at the answers. You can find more information about the facts of ADHD in the ADHD on Trial section of this Web site. Be sure to read the Frequently Asked Questions for even more information.
- There is no specific test, such as a blood test, for ADHD; the diagnosis is a result of a thorough evaluation by a qualified health care professional which may take time.
If this is your first time working with a health care professional on evaluations, you may want to talk to some friends or family members with health disorders. Ask them how quickly their diagnoses were made. You're likely to hear a long story!
It may take patience to get through the evaluation period. Remind yourself that this process may be what's best for your child.
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