Why Your ADHD Child Needs an Evaluation

Many parents suspect that their children might have ADHD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder, but are afraid to have their children formally diagnosed. They feel that once their child gets the ADHD label he will be categorized and placed in an unbreakable mold for the rest of his childhood. They fear that this label will have a negative effect on his life and his future.

This is a legitimate concern. This can happen and this does happen. Not always, not even frequently, but enough that labeling your child for the sake of categorizing him, may be something that you do not want to do.

So why not just treat the ADHD symptoms or the ODD behavior without the label?

Here is the reason.

Over the years, experts have noticed that the symptoms individuals experience follow certain patterns. Frequently, they are able to categorize these symptom patterns. When they are able to do this they attach labels to these patterns. These labels are called diagnoses.

The purpose of labeling your child with a diagnosis is not to give him a label. It is because experts understand that treating your child is easier and usually more effective if they can figure out which category he is in. Just as certain behaviors fit certain patterns and therefore fall in a certain category, treatments for these behaviors fall into certain categories as well.

For example, Bob is a nine year old who has trouble controlling his impulses, can't pay attention in class, and is hyperactive. He has a friend in his class, Fred, who is just like him. Fred also has trouble paying attention in class, has trouble with impulse control, and is often hyperactive. But Fred at times can be a bit moody, sometimes seeming quite happy and other times seeming a bit sad and withdrawn.

Now if you were just look at their symptoms, Bob and Fred seem almost the same and the most logical thing to do would be to give these two children the same treatment. After all, their symptoms are almost identical. But an astute clinician, who really understands how certain conditions are categorized, will see things differently.

Bob fits the pattern for a child with ADHD. Fred also may have ADHD. But there is a real possibility that he also has Bipolar disorder, which is a much more serious condition. The treatment of these two conditions is not the same.

This means that if Fred does not get an adequate assessment, in all probability he will get the incorrect label of ADHD and his Bipolar condition will be missed. 15% of people with bipolar disorder who do not get treated commit suicide, which makes Fred's misdiagnosis a very serious error.

And this type of thing happens all the time. It can happen any time a child walks into his pediatrician's office and walks out ten minutes later with a diagnosis of ADHD and prescription for Ritalin or Concerta.

Getting your child a correct diagnosis is extremely important.

A diagnosis is not just a label. It is the key to understanding and definitively addressing and correcting the problems your child may have. A good evaluation gives his treatment providers important information about the extent of the problem your child has as well as other problems that may be below the surface.

ADHD and Anxiety

How to Make Your Child More Responsible

Understanding the Symptoms of Childhood Bipolar Disorder

How to Stop Your Child from Arguing with You

ADD ADHD and the Danger of Ritalin

ADHD Medication and the Risk of Future Drug Abuse

Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Power Struggles

How to Handle Your Difficult Defiant Teenager