How to Test Your Child for ADD

ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder, is a neurological impairment that renders children more hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive than their peers in at least two settings, such as school and home. The disorder is also called ADHD--Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. There is no simple test for ADD, but there is a process for diagnosis and certain things to look for when assessing your child.

Instructions

• 1

  Get a comprehensive medical evaluation. Make sure your child does not have underlying vision, hearing or other health issues that are causing him to have problems with impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention.

• 2

  While observing your child, complete a checklist--from your pediatrician or from resources below--that measures ADD behaviors.

• 3

  Ask your child's teachers to help. Have them fill out the Vanderbilt ADHD Teacher Rating Scale, which assesses student behavior in the school setting.

• 4

  Talk to your child's pediatrician. He may have insights or other observations to help you diagnose your child.

• 5

  Analyze your data. Your child needs to be exhibiting ADD behaviors (six of nine behaviors each that indicate inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity as listed on the checklists) in two or more settings to possibly qualify as having ADD.

• 6

  Assess your child's happiness. Even if he is exhibiting the signs of ADHD, he may not be diagnosed with it. He needs to be "functionally impaired" because of his behaviors; that means he needs to be failing classes or having social problems directly stemming from his ADD symptoms.

• 7

  Contact your child's school. Share the information you have collected with the school's child-study team and explain your concerns. The team will then need to set up formal observations of your child in the classroom and talk to your pediatrician.