Most kids have A LOT of energy, but there is a real difference between an ADHD diagnosis and just having a kid who needs to burn off a little extra energy every day. If you want to learn more about the difference, you should call Northern Colorado Assessment Center. Our knowledgeable professionals have the experience and training to provide effective evaluation and accurate diagnosis for ADHD and other educational, emotional, behavioral, and developmental health concerns. Read on to learn more about how to determine whether or not professional ADHD assessment is the right course of action.
Know the Signs
First and foremost, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of ADHD. In a recent NoCo Assessment Center blog, we walked through the 10 common warning signs, specifically:
- Self-Centered Behavior
- Interrupting
- Impatience
- Mood swings
- Lack of focus
- Difficulty with self-contained behavior
- Lack of follow through
- Disorganization
- Fidgeting
- Symptoms occurring across settings (home, work, school, other activities)
Ask Their Teachers & Other Caregivers for Feedback
The tenth warning sign is that your child’s ADHD behaviors occur across settings, so we recommend you take the time to talk to their teachers, childcare providers, and other adults who offer support and care for your little one. They can help you to determine whether or not your child is exhibiting behaviors indicative of ADHD across settings rather than just at-home when they’re supposed to be doing homework after a long day of sitting still at school.
Sign up for Assessment
If you believe a child is showing many of the common signs of ADHD and their teachers and other caregivers agree, we’d love to have the opportunity to work with them to determine whether or not ADHD is a factor. As part of assessment for ADHD, we want to make sure that all possible co-existing concerns have been evaluated as well because we always want to understand your child’s unique brain as completely as possible. This ensures we can offer the most accurate diagnosis and effective recommendations to maximize your child’s strengths. In addition to testing, interviews, and observation in our office, we may also ask that you provide the following information:
- Family medical history
- The child’s medical history
- Any past diagnosis and assessment results
- Reports or feedback from educators or other caregivers
Once we’ve completed the individualized ADHD assessment, we will provide a report and recommendations to help ensure you have the tools necessary for your child to receive the support they need to be successful across settings.
