ADD/ADHD Process

[~me~]

My DS2 (just about to turn 7yrs old) has been seeing a Paed for initially day time incontinence. That has improved.
At our last appointment, she discussed getting him assessed for ADD/ADHD. This is due to his poor attention at school and when we have appointments with her, he constantly fidgets, wriggles and just does not sit still. She believes he may be on the low end of the scale and worth getting him assessed to get him some extra help especially at school.
The fidgeting also occurs at meal times and at school during sit down and listen time. He is also very easily distracted.

I have had a meeting with his teacher and literacy coach, this was before we headed down the Paed avenue. It was hinted in not so many words about his attention, at this time I thought they were angling for me to get him checked out for Auditory Processing.
He has had his hearing tested and passed with no trouble, she mentioned she had to prompt him a few times to actually listen.

After the last appointment with our Paed, she suggested I have a look at the Raising Childrens network website in the ADD/ADHD area.
I had a good look, he seems to hit quite a few of the dot points.

At this stage, we are just keeping an eye and ear out this term and I have spoken to his teacher about our appointment with his Paed. We have a review booked in to discuss at more lenghth and make a decision later in October.

So after all my above, my question is this, what is the process for a diagnosis and how long does it take?

Thanks in advance.

[nothing2lose]

It requires the teacher and parent filling out a questionnaire. They are then reviewed by the paed.

If your child scores a particular number on the scale, they are diagnosed.

[bump2bubba]

It requires the teacher and parent filling out a questionnaire. They are then reviewed by the paed.

If your child scores a particular number on the scale, they are diagnosed.

Same here we had the meeting with the teacher then scheduled the appointment with the peas took the parent/teacher answers to questionnaire gave that to the pead then they did a full interview assessment of Locky he was 7 - the peas will tell you what they feel is going on right then and there - then it was a couple of weeks with a written formal assessment for the school yourself and a copy to your dr! They will also discuss a plan of action with you re: medication if necessary (we tried it even though it didn't work for us) then a school action plan. Now it's more information retainment we are having issues with) school did a iq assessment and he was over 100 so the kid is smart he just has trouble remembering a long list of instructions. I repeat myself over and over and it's eventually starting to sink in! I know it can be overwhelming you are your child's rock and whatever your decision through your journey know that your an awesome carer and be gentle to yourself it can be tough! Xox

[Phteven]

I guess our path is a bit different in that as well as the questionnaires we also have an assessment with an educational psychologist who will also do a wisc iv test and psychometric testing and some other stuff.

[nothing2lose]

I should add my DD had an IQ test, etc the year before she was diagnosed by the school psych. The paed said he wouldn't do it again until she was older. He had the results of the tests when he made the diagnosis.

[nickle730]

As Zazou said, my DS had a WISC and psychometric testing done at age 6-7. Many of the behaviours you have described could also describe my DS, ~H~, but the testing determined that he does not suffer from ADD/ADHD. He is a very smart, very active little boy who has a visual processing disorder and likes to push the boundaries!

My DS really struggled during 'sit down and listen' time at school and a sensory cushion for 12 months has worked wonders.

These active little boys are a challenge!

[~me~]

That's really interesting nickle730 and Zazou, I just had a quick look at the wisc-iv test.
The Paed did not elaborate on what sort of testing she was thinking about. This appointment was the first time she mentioned further testing as we initially went for his day time incontinence.
She had mentioned it based on how he is at the appointments and me bringing up the what went on at the meeting with his Teacher.

I read in another thread about the sensory cushion, at one stage the teacher mentioned DS2 had asked (he had seen another little boy with them) if he could wear headphones to block out noise. She gave them to DS2 and said that he actually sat and did his work withing minutes.

He is the sweetest funniest little boy, so in some ways this has come out of the blue to myself and DH.

All very helpful..Thankyou.

[Traveller]

Subbing this topic. I had a very interesting conversation today with nothing2lose and I'm taking my ds2 to the gp tomorrow to discuss a ? ? diagnosis

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say that as your DS goes to a Catholic Primary School, definitely try access to the Pastoral Care facilities. They can be absolutely invaluable in terms of helping with a personal, social, physical, emotional, mental or spiritual nature. big hun, it must be difficult xx

[Traveller]

I went to the gp today and have a referral to a paed, plus a mental health plan so I can get 6 subsidised visits to a child psychologist. What can I expect and should I tell the school now or wait until we have a diagnosis or not?

[~me~]

I should add that before the end of school term last year, we had an appointment with the Paed and she sent home an assessment that we filled in and one for the Teacher to fill. This is how the outcome came about on Thursday.

Traveller, I would tell your DS2's teacher and have a meeting. They may already be aware of issues. Have you had meetings with his teacher before? This is how we came about my DS2's problems in the first instance.
That way they may be able to get extra help in the class room for him.

[Traveller]

H I was called into school at the end of term but the teacher seemed more concerned that DS2 needed to try harder and stop getting distracted by his friends/talking inappropriately. He also mentioned a lack of insight into the consequences of his actions/impulsiveness but adhd wasn't ever mentioned. It was only when I thought about his behaviour at school alongside the behaviour at home (which we have found some coping mechanisms for) that I thought it might be something more than just naughty behaviour. He will have a new teacher next week so I'll have a chat to her about my suspicions.

I haven't particularly liked his teachers the last two years so maybe it's just that, and maybe this new teacher will not have any issues. Time will tell I guess.

[~clover~]

Definitely talk to his new teacher. Diagnosis or not, they'll get no where without an understanding teacher.

DD's diagnosis was a little more involved. I was more looking into the Sensory Processing side of things. I didn't even really think about ADD.
We though initially Auditory processing as well. We had her hearing tested & also had the school counsellor do an assessment. It was the school counsellor who noted her trouble with concentration (DD was only just 5 at the time).

We then went to the GP & got a referral for an occupational therapist, along with the ECP. We did our assessment & she decided that while DD did have issues with her tactile & vestibular senses, she also had concentration issues. We did a few sessions of OT, got some tips & went to the paed. He pretty much diagnosed her without the questionnaire, but we & her teacher filled it out anyway. Unfortunately by that point DD was at a smaller school that really had no idea what AD/HD was. That was frustrating....

We were prescribed Ritalin, but I took a while to fill the script. 3 months or more. I then only filled it so the script didn't get any more trashed in the bottom of my hand bag.

12 months later I finally gave up & started medication. After getting her report & basically she'd learnt nothing in 6 months. Her teacher (same one for about 20 months so far & another year with her this year) has been awesome. She even made DD a weighted vest to try. It helped with the fidgeting, but not the concentration.

We are now on long acting Ritalin & I'd say it'll be a long time before I try her without it. It also helps with her emotions at home. She's a VERY emotional child, & she does struggle with impulse control. (drew on walls til she was 7!)

She's come a very long way since starting meds. The difference was noticeable within days.


Once a child is diagnosed with ADD, they are also entitled to a Mental Health Care Plan, on top of the EPC. That's a further 12 subsidised sessions you're entitled too every 12 months.

[feeb]

Hugs H must have come as a bit of a shock. The choice to use Ritalin or not is a huge decision, I hope you find something else that works first for you all.

I have a feeling we will have similar discussions with DS1 teacher once he starts school. He has attention issues and always has, we have been working with Speech Path and OT for 3 years on the attention to detail and lack of listening etc.

[myturn]

I went to the gp today and have a referral to a paed, plus a mental health plan so I can get 6 subsidised visits to a child psychologist. What can I expect and should I tell the school now or wait until we have a diagnosis or not?

You will probably have to get information from the teacher for the assessment, either a questionnaire or referral form or something for the psychologist anyway... But if you are not sure whether the teacher is helping, might be best to wait until you've spoken with the psych /paed and see what they want from the school - if anything. That way, if the teacher does give information, it unbiased by your opinion or concerns, and the teacher is just responding to their own thoughts on the issue. If you had more confidence in the teacher that would be a different matter and you might like to discuss it first.

[Traveller]

Quick update. I spoke to the psychologist today and she will meet with us next month. Following that myself and DS2's teacher will have a questionnaire to complete and she will also do he WISC-IV test and the WYATT test before considering a diagnosis. Can anyone tell me what to expect for those tests?

[myturn]

Traveller - the WISC (wechsler intelligence scale for children) is a cognitive assessment, so will assess his underlying intellectual abilities, across verbal, nonverbal, working memory and visual processing areas. It's an IQ test. But it's more complicated than just getting a single IQ score like you see on TV.

The WIAT (wechsler individual achievement test) is an assessment of academic skills. Reading, maths, written language and oral language. As they have been developed by the same people they can be compared to each other and used to assess whether the are learning difficulties as well as cognitive difficulties contributing to his difficulties at school.

It's good to get a battery of assessments like this. The psychologist will do it individually with him and separate from the classroom, so it is 1:1 and that can change behaviour etc, but does mean its the best conditions to get the best scores possible.

Then they will write a report combining all the information and make a call on what they think is happening, as well as provide recommendations. Every psych does thus differently though, so it depends on who you have as to what that will look like.

Happy to chat and advise more if you want to PM me.

[Traveller]

Thanks myturn, I may pm you tonight c