If your child is showing signs of hyperactive behavior and you have noticed that they have a difficult time staying focused or paying attention to certain things, you may be wondering whether or not it is worth having them screened for ADHD. Most experts will agree that it’s usually quite difficult to determine whether or not a child has ADHD until they are around six or seven years old, so if your child is younger, it may be worth waiting until they are this age in order to see whether or not they are still showing ADHD-like symptoms. Many younger children are often a little bit hyperactive, and will grow out of this trait over time. However, if you are worried and still want to have your child evaluated, here’s how to go about it.
Finding a Professional
If you are concerned that your child may be suffering from ADHD, it’s important to make sure that they are evaluated by a qualified professional. It’s a good idea to start off by visiting your pediatrician or family doctor when you go see someone for help, as they will be able to refer you to specialists and other health professionals who work with children who have ADHD. Your family doctor or pediatrician will also be able to run some preliminary screenings in order to ensure that any other potential health conditions or causes are ruled out.
What to Expect
If you have never been to an ADHD evaluation before, it might be a little daunting for both you and your child if you are unsure what to expect. Usually, an ADHD evaluation or screening will consist of a thorough screening of your child’s family, personal and medical history, along with interviews with your child, yourself, and perhaps a teacher from their school. Along with this, there is usually a physical examination of your child carried out in order to ensure that any other physical causes of ADHD-like symptoms are ruled out. Once the evaluation is complete, you will be asked to return for a follow-up meeting.
Ongoing Treatment and Support
When it comes to managing ADHD, it’s important to ensure that your child is given the right ongoing treatment and support. Many children who are diagnosed with ADHD will be able to recover from the disorder before they reach adulthood with the right therapy, treatment and support. Your doctor or pediatrician may be able to refer your child to regular counselling and other talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Psychotherapy, which can often be very useful when managing and learning to live with the symptoms of ADHD. Along with this, it’s important that you support your child as well as possible by taking part in their treatment and asking advice about how to change your home life and environment to make things easier for them.
If you think that your child may be suffering from ADHD, it’s important to take them to a professional in order to find out for certain.
