Not ADD? then it could be ODD!

[Cyrinne]

Oh, I absolutely agree! The reason I suggested discussing options with a pediatrician is because that is the FIRST step. Most insurance companies will require a referal from a pediatrician in order to cover any visits to a child psychiatrist for ADHD evaluations. And anyone who is going to want to consider medication as an option at any point, does want a psychiatrist and not a psychologist, because they will have the ability to write prescriptions for. Otherwise working parents could find themselves managing several different doctor appointments, some for therapies and some for medications, and that can be a real nightmare.

A good psychiatrist will spend a long time with a child before making any diagnosis like ADHD. He'll use the Connor's scales as only -part- of that diagnosis, but also likely do some diagnostic testing in his office, as well as just general therapy sessions. There are many who are specialists in this area and know about alternative strategies for working with children whose parents want to explore them before using medication. Good peditricians will probably be able to refer a parent to the best in their area.