ADHD or APD? Has Your Child Been Misdiagnosed?

According to the Center for Disease Control 4.5 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 were diagnosed with ADHD in 2006, and this number has continued to rise annually. Prescriptions of ADHD medications have also followed this positive trend. Of the children diagnosed in 2010, as many as 74% were treated with various forms of stimulant drugs. These drugs, which include both Ritalin and Adderall, have side effects such as decreased appetite, headaches, stomachaches, trouble getting to sleep, jitteriness, and social withdrawal. With the possibility of such harsh side effects, diagnosticians must have a surefire way of confirming ADHD before prescribing medication, right? Wrong.

Doctors diagnose ADHD not by looking at blood tests or finding neurological markers (there are currently no such tests available for this disorder), but by making a "clinical judgment" of your child's symptoms. Herein lays the problem. Children with other disorders, such as APD (Auditory Processing Disorder), may present with symptoms very similar to ADHD. Has your child been misdiagnosed? If you have doubts concerning your child's diagnosis, contact Swank Enrichment Center for testing and consultation.

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/731.html

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): Definitions, Research, and Solutions

5% of typical child learners will have undiagnosed APD, or the inability to efficiently process verbal language. How do you determine if your child is suffering from this hidden handicap?

Your child has passed all hearing screenings BUT:

- Someone has suggested that your child has ADHD
- Your child is considered a poor listener
- Your child mumbles his/her speech
- Your child often drops the endings of words
- Your child frequently "mishears"

If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, and is having trouble academically, socially, or emotionally, seek diagnostic testing from a speech language pathologist or audiologist to determine if APD is the cause.

For more information on APD and treatment see the link below (*APD Treatments) or feel free to contact us.

*APD Treatments