I had concerns that one of my children might have ADHD when he was in early middle school, so I arranged two assessments, one with insurance and one without. The one I did with insurance, which was clinical with an MD who specialized in ADHD and other neuropsychological disorders/differences, turned out to be more accurate than the private pay one (not an MD). I don’t know if that had anything to do with the payment, but the private pay assessor had an over 95% diagnosis rate with her patients, while the provider that accepted insurance had a diagnosis rate that is more reflective of the population (only a little higher than the local incidence as reported to CDC), so some degree of confirmation bias might have been at play with the private pay provider.
It can be difficult to get stats on their diagnosis rates, but you can ask for them if you schedule an appointment with them. The worst they can say is no. It might help you save potentially thousands of dollars and a lot of unneeded stress.
I agree, I knew one had it, I knew three did not, and one on the fence. I was two classes away from my MA in special education when I got pregnant with #1, so had a little bit more information.
One indicator of neurodivergence is to look at your family tree.
For my kids
Paternal Grandfather ADHD
Paternal cousin x2 ADD
Maternal Grandfather Dyslexia (diagnosed as an adult when my niece was diagnosed)/ADHD
Maternal Grandmother Gifted
Maternal Aunt Gifted
Mother ADD/dyslexia
Maternal Cousin Gifted/ Dyslexia
DD22 ADD
DS23 ADD/Dyslexia/ Gifted (he hit the trifecta)
@Spring4, This is a very good observation which I didn’t think about until you mentioned it so clearly.
Since it seems you kid received two different outcomes from the insurance and private adhd testing, which result did you trusted more? after the testing, what forms of treatment did your kid receive?
I trusted the MD and went with his recommendations. These appointments were about 6 years ago, 6 months apart, which is the minimum length of time between assessments that can yield valid results. Over time, the MD’s results have shown to be an accurate reflection of this DS’s learning profile.
@Spring4 was the MD a psychiatrist or…? Neurologist?
Was the private pay provider a neuropsychologist?
As I have written, we went with an MD/psychiatrist for ADHD, and a neuropsych. for other challenges to learning. I would be interested in what kind of MD you found who evaluated not only ADHD but “other neuropsychological disorders/differences.”
The MD I sought out is a renowned, published expert in the field of neuroscience (MD/Ph.D).
The private practitioner that did the inferior assessment is a Child Psychologist.
Both are still practicing.
Experiences may vary- I’m sure that there are better child psychologists out there than the one I took my child to.
I will add that what the private practitioner determined seemed off to me, so I sought out the MD/Ph.D and did not mention the other assessment at all so as to keep the two assessments entirely independent.
Both practitioners offered all of the above. The private practitioner wanted me to bring him back twice (read: bill me twice) for the comprehensive assessment. The MD/Ph.D. did it all in one visit through insurance with a copay.
My kid also got a full workup and diagnosis after sophomore year of college. They had had a concussion (or two) in high school and had been referred for a full day of testing with a neuropsych. While medication was an option, their decision- after a short trial with meds - was to use strategies recommended by the neuropsych. Actually, this diagnosis made a lot of sense to me in fitting together various bits of the past. But I would not have suspected it given how little “H” had ever shown itself.
As for jobs, the advice I give anyone is know your strengths and know how to manage your weaknesses. There are plenty of jobs that don’t suit me for any number of reasons, none of which would be related to an LD. It sounds like your D has the discipline and intelligence to do well in school, so she should be fine.
Spring4, Got it. The MD was also a Ph.D and I’m guessing the her/his phd was in neuropsychology. It makes sense that the MD/PhD was able to test for ADHD and also for a learning profile in the same test (I’m guessing).
I think an accurate evaluation is essential to get the appropriate treatment. I like your strategy to do a private and insurance test.
Gardenstategal, thanks for your encouraging words.
It’s great that your son found an alternative to meds that worked with him. Strategies from a neuropsych sounds like the skills provided by EF coach too me. Although I’m not sure.
Everyone, In general, I asked about what personal experiences any of you had had disclosing as it relates to jobs because I found this from an adhd clinic website. See quote below. Does it applies to everyone ? I don’t know.
"Do I tell my school or employer if I have adhd?
At work, as unfortunately stigma and misunderstandings around ADHD still exist, it is best to think carefully about who you might discuss your ADHD diagnosis with, and what you might wish to request support with. Talk it through with your ADHD therapist or coach before you have the conversation with your employer. "
My recommendation is not to disclose. Every employer is looking for applicants who can perform the role well. There are few positions in which it would be to anyone’s advantage to have ADHD. At the same time, many applicants are not well-suited tovcertain jobs for any number of reasons – not people oriented, don’t handle stress, can’t teach themselves new skills, poor at math, disorganization, nervous public speakers, etc.
All of us need strategies to get through our days and to navigate our challenges. Your D is no different. She just needs to select positions that cater to her interests and strengths.
Primary care doctor thinks my kid does not have ADHD. Doctor ordered Labs and asked questions/questionnaires (I was not in the room so I"m not sure exactly what). To clarify it was not an adhd testing. It was about something else that could be interpreted as adhd.
Her doctor developed a treatment plan related to labs and will follow up to see if things improve. Then, we’ll see about the adhd testing.
It’s a relief to know that most likely is not adhd.