ADHD EVALUATION/STIMULANT MEDICATION If you suspect or have been advised that your child is having learning difficulties or attention problems in an academic setting, we recommend that you obtain an age-appropriate educational evaluation. This can be arranged through your child's school or we can provide the names of private child psychologists who do testing. After the evaluation is complete and prior to a consultation with one of our physicians, send the written report along with any teacher or parent reports to our office.
After review, a physician will meet with the parents alone to review the history and discuss the test results and recommendations. If our assessment and the written evaluation support the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder, we will discuss the treatment options, including educational modifications and the use of stimulant medications.
At a subsequent visit with your child present, we will take baseline measurements of height, weight and blood pressure and explain how medication may be helpful. We will review the expected therapeutic effects and the possible side effects. Depending on your family history, we may order some pre-treatment cardiac testing.
Our physicians are experienced in the medical management of straightforward ADD/ADHD. If we are not able to arrive at a successful treatment plan, or if in addition to ADHD, a child has other psychological problems, we may recommend a separate psychiatric evaluation in order to find the optimal medication.
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