New Clinic in Hermosa Beach 2200 Pacific Coast Hwy. suite 100
AD/HD ASSESSMENT
1) WHY HAVE AN AD/HD ASSESSMENT?
At South Bay Child and Family Therapy, Inc., we take the assessment of AD/HD very seriously. While some clinicians, educators may diagnose a child with AD/HD based on a behavioral checklist, we believe that is essential to assess a child with a thorough assessment in order to accurately diagnose AD/HD.
2) WHY DOES MY CHILD NEED AN ASSESSMENT WHEN I SEE THAT SHE'S OBVIOUSLY INATTENTIVE OR HYPER?
There are MANY reasons why a child may be exhibiting Inattentive, Hyperactive, or Impulsive Behaviors. The purpose of the thorough assessment is to determine the underlying impetus for the child's behaviors. Some underlying issues may include:
- Anxiety
- Mood Disorder
- Learning Disability (Reading Disorder, Disorder of Written Expression)
- Auditory Processing Disorder
- Non-verbal Learning Disorder
- Family Discord
- Discrepancy of Learning Style in Comparison to Teacher's Learning Style
- PTSD
- Cognitive Disorder
3) WHAT DOES AD/HD ASSESSMENT INVOLVE?
- Cognitive Testing (FULL IQ test)
- Auditory Processing Testing
- Memory Testing
- Achievement Testing (Reading, Writing, Math Level Assessment)
- Testing for Underlying Learning Disability
- Attentional Testing (Broad Attention, Selective Attention, Auditory & Visual Attention)
- Psychological Testing (To rule out possible anxiety, mood symptoms)
4) HOW LONG DOES THE ASSESSMENT INVOLVE?
An AD/HD assessment involves an initial parent session to gather developmental and educational history of the child, about 6-8 hours of testing with the child (2-3 sessions) and a parent feedback session following testing. Dr. Giti will also provide recommendations, resources, and referrals in the community to help your child receive your optimal ability. In addition, if it is recommended to seek accommodations and/or services for school, Dr. Giti will guide you through the IEP/504 process and how to advocate for your child.