Not everyone believes it, but when it comes to ADD (attention deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), a diagnosis is important. It can be an important step in managing your child's symptoms, and they may not have AD/HD at all, but only AD/HD tendencies. Take the worry out of the situation, and get a professional opinion.

The trouble is, who do you approach for a diagnosis? For this information, you can rely on several sources---your pediatrician, your family doctor, a teacher, or most likely, a parent who already has a child with AD/HD. You might be recommended to many different types of sources that can include physicians, psychologists, and neurologists.

What's the difference? Why choose one over another? Only you can be the judge, but to help you decide, here is what each type of health professional does:

Pediatricians are medical doctors, who have completed 4 years of medical school, and an internship and residency in their specialty. They can diagnose illnesses, prescribe medication, and also monitor your child's growth. Though they can diagnose AD/HD, their practices are mainly for a ten-minute evaluation to solve a problem. They don't often get into long evaluations, though some might. You can get preliminary advice from them about whether or not your child may have AD/HD, but they will probably send you on for further analysis to another type of physician or counselor.

Developmental pediatricians, also medical doctors, specialize in diagnosis and treatment of developmental abnormalities, and their evaluations can be very extensive. They can work with your child on certain developmental issues, but may gather a team of physicians to help with the full treatment of AD/HD.

Child psychiatrists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing mental abnormalities in children. Most don't provide counseling or coaching, but only prescribe medication to help alleviate conditions. They will also monitor the effect of the medication on your child.

Pediatric neurologists are doctors who diagnose and treat central nervous system disorders in children. Usually, they will only help children with AD/HD who have a tic or Tourette's syndrome, which can accompany the disorder. Their interest lies only in AD/HD's effect on the central nervous system.

Clinical psychologists are PhDs, who can provide diagnosis and treatment of AD/HD. They try to discover the underlying causes of AD/HD behaviors and alleviate them via conferencing, sometimes with the whole family. They cannot issue medications, though they will offer recommendations for medication to doctors when needed. They may also offer family counseling as a form of treatment.

Pediatric neuropsychologists are not medical doctors, but PhDs with a post-doctoral specialty in training. They can discover your child's strengths and weaknesses, through studying their brain function, which is a positive way to deal with AD/HD. They can offer suggestions to parents and teachers about your child, but they will not offer treatment.

Educational psychologists are not doctors, either. They have either masters' degrees or PhDs in education, and they specialize in learning disabilities. They can diagnose AD/HD and will help to tailor your AD/HD child's learning experience; however, they can address no other needs outside the classroom.

Any of these professionals can diagnose AD/HD, but which one is right for you and your child? If you're comfortable with the person and your child is, too, then, you're on the right track. Just don't let the choice stunt your progress. Get an evaluation and treatment when your child is young, and you'll find them leading a happier life. Let them know that they're special and that they have quick, creative, and intelligent brains, and finding their strengths and weaknesses. That's key. If you don't know what they are, let a professional help you and work within their advice to see your child succeed.

Tellman Knudson is CEO of OvercomeEverything, Inc. and a certified hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner who has helped many clients achieve ADD Success. Visit his comprehensive library of ADD information and join the forum at InstantADDSuccess.com (http://www.instantaddsuccess.com)

Source: www.isnare.com