Daughter ADHD? Pursue neuropsych?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to figure out whether to pursue a neuropsych evaluation for my high school aged daughter.

I'm wondering if there's some inattentive ADHD going on. She's a smart girl who gets mostly As at the end of the marking period. But she finds school very stressful. It takes her a long time to get her homework done (and there really doesnt seem to be that much of it). She does well in most of her classes but struggles with the teacher that mostly lectures to the class where she has to take notes (there doesn't seem to be a lot of that going on in her other classes).
We do have tears sometimes over work that seems insurmountable but really aren't. And even though she's pretty smart, it takes her longer to pick up concepts.

She's been diagnosed with anxiety and has trouble making friends (although she has a small-but not very healthy friend group). She's in therapy for these issues, but I also wonder if there's something else going on?

[Anonymous]

That does sound like a possible inattentive ADHD profile. You should get her evaluated.

[Anonymous]

Anxiety and ADHD can look a lot alike. Who diagnosed her with anxiety and how long has she been in therapy? Has she considered medication for the anxiety?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety and ADHD can look a lot alike. Who diagnosed her with anxiety and how long has she been in therapy? Has she considered medication for the anxiety?

She's been in therapy for a LONG time and we are discussing an SSRI now.

[Anonymous]

That sounds like anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety and ADHD can look a lot alike. Who diagnosed her with anxiety and how long has she been in therapy? Has she considered medication for the anxiety?

She's been in therapy for a LONG time and we are discussing an SSRI now.

I'd get the anxiety under control with the SSRI and see if the other issues improve. Inability to focus / taking a long time can be due to perfectionism (anxiety) or ADHD. She has made it through high school with mostly As so it doesn't sound like it's a crisis right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety and ADHD can look a lot alike. Who diagnosed her with anxiety and how long has she been in therapy? Has she considered medication for the anxiety?

She's been in therapy for a LONG time and we are discussing an SSRI now.

I'd get the anxiety under control with the SSRI and see if the other issues improve. Inability to focus / taking a long time can be due to perfectionism (anxiety) or ADHD. She has made it through high school with mostly As so it doesn't sound like it's a crisis right now.

She definitely is a perfectionist and that is something we've been working on. But sometimes it's like she just can't start her homework, not just complete it.

And to clarify, she's in high school, but just beginning.

[Anonymous]

If you have the resources (some insurance companies will cover the cost of testing so check with them on which providers they cover) I would do the neuropsyc testing. If your child has ADHD and her needs are not being met, that equals a lot of stress on the child. The neuropsyc evaluation would also help to provide a road map for school accommodations and services your child needs including provide supports you can provide at home.

Getting support now would help her develop coping skills and strategies as she goes through high school and eventually transitions to adulthood / college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety and ADHD can look a lot alike. Who diagnosed her with anxiety and how long has she been in therapy? Has she considered medication for the anxiety?

She's been in therapy for a LONG time and we are discussing an SSRI now.

I'd get the anxiety under control with the SSRI and see if the other issues improve. Inability to focus / taking a long time can be due to perfectionism (anxiety) or ADHD. She has made it through high school with mostly As so it doesn't sound like it's a crisis right now.

She definitely is a perfectionist and that is something we've been working on. But sometimes it's like she just can't start her homework, not just complete it.

And to clarify, she's in high school, but just beginning.

My 10th grader has both ADHD and anxiety. Will put off schoolwork / procrastinate because he is anxious about getting it all done. And then has trouble maintaining focus to finish it up.

We did a neuropsych and DC is on medication now which helps some. Maintains a B average with a lot of work. But the evaluation showed the anxiety to be much more of an issue than the ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Inattentive ADD and anxiety are very often comorbid with one another. My husband and my son suffer from both at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That does sound like a possible inattentive ADHD profile. You should get her evaluated.

I am the above poster, and I would NOT pursue anxiety treatment any further until the presence of ADHD has been confirmed or infirmed.

Two reasons:

1. Often ADHD is the prime factor behind the anxiety.

2. Medications for anxiety as a group tend to have more serious side-effects and work less well than the stimulant class of meds for ADHD. If you treat the ADHD, you might not have to medicate for anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to figure out whether to pursue a neuropsych evaluation for my high school aged daughter.

I'm wondering if there's some inattentive ADHD going on. She's a smart girl who gets mostly As at the end of the marking period. But she finds school very stressful. It takes her a long time to get her homework done (and there really doesnt seem to be that much of it). She does well in most of her classes but struggles with the teacher that mostly lectures to the class where she has to take notes (there doesn't seem to be a lot of that going on in her other classes).
We do have tears sometimes over work that seems insurmountable but really aren't. And even though she's pretty smart, it takes her longer to pick up concepts.

She's been diagnosed with anxiety and has trouble making friends (although she has a small-but not very healthy friend group). She's in therapy for these issues, but I also wonder if there's something else going on?

Does someone else in the family have ADHD? If not, I'd try to see if other methods might work, because high school is a time when students find school to be stressful and older, inefficient methods of studying to not work with the increased workload.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to figure out whether to pursue a neuropsych evaluation for my high school aged daughter.

I'm wondering if there's some inattentive ADHD going on. She's a smart girl who gets mostly As at the end of the marking period. But she finds school very stressful. It takes her a long time to get her homework done (and there really doesnt seem to be that much of it). She does well in most of her classes but struggles with the teacher that mostly lectures to the class where she has to take notes (there doesn't seem to be a lot of that going on in her other classes).
We do have tears sometimes over work that seems insurmountable but really aren't. And even though she's pretty smart, it takes her longer to pick up concepts.

She's been diagnosed with anxiety and has trouble making friends (although she has a small-but not very healthy friend group). She's in therapy for these issues, but I also wonder if there's something else going on?

Does someone else in the family have ADHD? If not, I'd try to see if other methods might work, because high school is a time when students find school to be stressful and older, inefficient methods of studying to not work with the increased workload.

Yes! Her brother has ADHD but he presents like a classic example. Was not surprised at all when he was diagnosed.

[Anonymous]

You're very intuitive to want to check this out.

Sounds like our daughter, age 8, who was diagnosed with anxiety but lo and behold it's inattentive ADD...no anxiety.

On meds now and social skills/life have improved...

If you can afford to do a neuropsych, do one. Catch her before she's in college...and also, you need it documented if she'll need more time on the SATs or whatever college prep tests she'll take.

good luck!

[Anonymous]

Knowledge is power. If you can swing it, I'd do it.