Growth Mindset

Over 50% of kids seen by a pediatrician are being assessed for ADD/ADHD and other behavioural concerns.  Not every child will meet criteria but many children (and their parents) do.  A pediatrician's job is not just to make the diagnosis but also to rule out other factors that LOOK JUST LIKE ADD/ADHD.

In order to rule out other causes (like hearing problems, family stressors, thyroid dysfunction etc), you will be asked many questions about your child's health, their environment and family history of medical, developmental and learning concerns.

You will also be asked to fill out a checklist.  There are many different checklists used but they all contain the same questions and all require at least 2 environments/people who know your child (one from within the home and one without - like a parent and a teacher).  Checklists are subjective and imperfect but these have been validated over decades of research and overall can reflect how much your child may be affected by their inattention or distractibility.

Whether or not your child meets criteria, there are strategies that can help all of us grow our skills that can help us not just in school, but at home and with our friends.

For more information please visit Caddra.ca

https://caddac.ca/wp-content/uploads/policy-paper_seriousness-of-ADHD-final-english.pdf