Assessing For ADHD - Looking At The Correct Procedures And Deciding The Best Treatment
Assessing For ADHD - Looking At The Correct Procedures And Deciding The Best Treatment
What are the correct procedures in assessing for ADHD? Usually the DSM manual is followed and questionnaires are filled in by parents, teachers and any other caregivers. But in many cases, a doctor or pediatrician is only too happy to give a ten minute examination and prescribe powerful mind altering drugs which are nothing more than amphetamines!
Researchers at Swinburne University's Brain Sciences Institute have concluded that ADHD is just a label for describing a range of behaviors which do not fit in with our ideas of normal behavior in a child. It is a handy label and very often, it is mistakenly applied.
ADHD is such a handy term that it covers the whole gamut of misbehavior or malfunctioning child. That can cover anything from distractability, inattention and day dreaming to hyperactivity, out of control behavior coupled with impulsivity and aggression.
Let us look more closely at the correct procedures in testing for ADHD. We mentioned the questionnaires and the DSM -IV Manual but a more thorough investigation can yield better and more accurate diagnosis and is less likely to lead to a misdiagnosis.
The doctor should first carry out a thorough medical exam and examine family medical history as well. He will be seeking to eliminate other conditions which mimic ADHD. There are so many of these that I cannot list them here. But the principal ones are emotional trauma due to a tense home environment, dyslexia, anxiety, thyroid problems, diabetes or a chronic ear infection.
Some ADHD experts like Dr Amen recommend neuroimaging in assessing for ADHD. These brain scans can show a lot of interesting information. Diet and nutrition can also be investigated.
Then, in assessing for ADHD the doctor will look at the behavior patterns and compare them to normal behavior with the help of the DSM manual. If they seem to be excessive and lasting over a period of six months, then it is possible that they are part of this disorder. They can also be assessed in relation to the settings and they should be present in at least two of the childhood settings and not just one.
These then are the correct procedures to follow and as we can see, many doctors and child specialists just take a short cut and go straight for medication. Medication has its limits, side effects and also health risks and many parents are very wary about going down that particular route.
In addition, the experts have warned that child behavior modification is the key and that a comprehensive approach to treatment is what is needed. Why not check this out so that you can decide what could be the best treatment for your child without risking his health or his happiness. Fondle Admiringly Swiss Watches For Bright Girls Use A Courier When Buying Clothes Online Buy Camcorders Some Crucial Tips To Follow Prostate Massage For Prostate Cancer Prevention Best Man Speeches Wedding Logitech G11 Review Come To Understand The Men Eyeglasses Frames Obesity is it a family disease Deck Refinishing Updating Your Deck In Vancouver - Choosing A Good Dentist Importance of Mechanical Modeling in Mechanical Product Design Top Beaches destinations in China Online Mutual Fund Investment - Making Easy Money