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When ADHD Is Suspected: The Importance Of Evaluations For Proper Treatment

In order to treat ADHD effectively, it is first important to get an official diagnosis. ADHD evaluations help doctors, psychologists, and individuals figure out what is going on to determine what type of treatment will be most helpful. ADHD symptoms can be very similar to a wide range of physical or mental health conditions that have nothing to with ADHD. Getting to the bottom of the symptoms is essential to providing the correct treatment for the individual in question. ADHD is treatable using medication and therapeutic interventions, but it is necessary to rule out any other conditions that could be exacerbating or causing the symptoms that are presented.

Mental Health and ADHD

When a child has trouble focusing in class, this can mean any number of things. Maybe the child lives in a stressful environment and isn't getting much sleep. It's possible that the child has depression or anxiety that is not being treated. Learning disabilities can lead to significant frustration, making it hard for a child to give schoolwork the attention it needs. Before jumping to a diagnosis of ADHD, it is necessary to rule out mental health reasons for a lack of attentiveness.

Medical Issues That Cause Poor Concentration

If a child is doing terribly in school and can't seem to get any work done, an ADHD evaluation may be suggested. This doesn't mean that ADHD is the only reason for a child's lack of success in school. Lead poisoning, a seizure disorder, and developmental delays can all lead to an inability to pay attention and get work done. When a child can't sit still long enough to get schoolwork accomplished, there can be a medical reason for this. Talk with your child's pediatrician when you have concerns so that you can rule out any medical causes for their behavior.

Getting to the Diagnosis

Evaluating your child for ADHD is going to take some time. There will be questions for you to answer. A professional will meet with your child and do some testing. Your child's teacher will be consulted if necessary. To get a clear picture of what is going on with your child, you may need to meet with the evaluation specialist several times to talk about their behavior.

Getting to the bottom of what is going on with your child is vital to providing the right treatment. An evaluation will help rule out other issues and point to a more definitive diagnosis so that treatment can begin.


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