admin Do you suspect that your child may have ADHD? Children with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder usually exhibit hyperactive, impulsive, and inattentive behavior. However, not all children who display such behaviors have ADHD. In fact, most normal children may show hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention at some time in their young lives. The best way to be sure if your child indeed has ADHD is to take him to a specialist. The doctor can give your child a series of tests to diagnose ADD and ADHD.
To test for ADHD, the doctor may give your child the following types of tests:
o WISC-R
o WRAT
o TOVA
o Bender Gestalt Test
WISC-R stands for Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. This is an intelligence test designed for children ages 6 to 16. Usually performed by using the process called pattern analysis, this test is also done to determine if a child has a learning disability. However, this may not be as effective in leading to a correct diagnosis of adhd test.
WRAT is acronym for Wide Range Achievement Test. Like WISC-R, this test is performed to determine if a child has a learning disability. The Wide Range Achievement Test is used to measure a child’s reading comprehension, arithmetic, and spelling ability
TOVA or Test of Variables of Attention Continuous Performance Test is a computer test used to measure a child’s hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and the number of times he can respond to questions or situations. This is usually used to gauge the effectiveness of the medication taken by the child; thus, this test is usually given before and after the child takes the medication. TOVA is considered by professionals to be a highly accurate test.
The Bender gestalt test is a psychological examination used to measure a child’s emotions, neurological development, and visual skills. This is usually done with the use of cards having nine geometric designs. Children taking the test are usually asked to redraw the designs of each card from memory after each one has been shown individually.
These tests are important for doctors to determine if the child is really suffering from ADHD. If your child is diagnosed as having ADHD after undergoing these types of tests, do not worry. There are several medications which can help you and your child in relieving the symptoms of the disorder.
If you are worried of the dangerous side effects that ADHD medications bring, you can talk to your doctor and ask for alternative treatments. Certainly, the doctor will give you choices of alternative treatments to choose from.
The doctor may suggest therapy and other alternative treatments such as homeopathic remedies and herbal remedies. Homeopathic remedies and herbal remedies do not have any side effects and are therefore safe for your child. Moreover, they have properties that can improve the brain function of your child, relieving him of the symptoms of ADHD.
