I schedule an appointment for my daughter to see a doctor today regarding ADD. Her teacher and I filled out a Copeland Symptom checklist and she scored moderate to severe in a few areas - mostly inattention.

What should I be asking the doctor when I go? Also, what should I expect them to do? Refer me to someone else? Physical examination?

Any information would be greatly useful.

Im going at 1:00 today so I hope that is enough time to get a few responses.

Thanks!

What kind of Dr are you seeing? Is it your GP? If it is I would ask to be referred to a child psychologist or someone more specialized in ADHD.
Going to someone more specialized will let you hear all your options.
Please don't be apposed to meds. They really do give our kids a fighting chance but maybe couple it with counseling.
KNow that you are aware she has it you can learn to work with it as apposed to having it run her life.
Good luck and let us know how you make out :)

Thanks for the info. We are going to see her primary care physician, so I will ask about getting a referral.

PurpleLady,


Just as an FYI,

When you get a chance, please check out anything by Patricia Quinn re: ADHD in girls.

A succinct &very well done explanation of the significant gender differences is in Sandra Rief's " How to Reach & Teach Children with ADD/ADHD," Jossey-Bass Inc.

Section 1.1 ( page 10 I think)

Lastly,here's a few more things to recognize:

1) Parent & Teacher Rating Scales DO NOT have to match;

2) the 1994 DSM IV field trial for ADHD had a sample population of children/adolescents between the ages of 4-16 yrs. old; over 80+% of whom were BOYS and;

3) the use of test scores alone for the sole purpose of diagnsoing ADHD is universally considered inappropriate

hope that helps some

tc
mctavish23
(Robert)