Anonymous wrote: I agree with PP, get this child a full neuropysch. Find out exactly what is going on. Delaying isn't going to help any. This child is 5, so by the time it occurs the kid will be close to or already 6, old enough to dx ADHD and other things.

OP, in the meanwhile, OT can be really helpful with self regulation. Not saying it's a cure all, but it can help and kids often enjoy it (dd thought it was fun!). It's something to do while you figure out what's going on and where he's going to go to school.

+1 also having a provider that sees your child regularly can help with the evaluation. Our evaluator found that speaking with our OT was extremely helpful.

I agree with PP, get this child a full neuropysch. Find out exactly what is going on. Delaying isn't going to help any. This child is 5, so by the time it occurs the kid will be close to or already 6, old enough to dx ADHD and other things.

OP, in the meanwhile, OT can be really helpful with self regulation. Not saying it's a cure all, but it can help and kids often enjoy it (dd thought it was fun!). It's something to do while you figure out what's going on and where he's going to go to school.

I haven’t read the whole thread but I’ll add a few things. When my son started K he went from a very structured prek daycare where he’d been for years and through Covid and he had a terrible time in K at first. He was undiagnosed and would elope, have major meltdowns, was sent home from school several times for aggressive/violent behavior, had to be restrained sometimes, and it was generally hell for all of us. We got him in by a miracle for a neuropsych assessment in Dec/ January and he was diagnosed by February with Autism, ADHD. The level of services with the autism diagnosis helped immediately. He’s been on meds with a monthly ped psychiatrist since then. We begged and pleaded with the school to let him repeat K. He has a summer birthday and needed the time. We were able to get the psychiatrist and neuropsychologist write letters recommending repeating K. We were exploring how to have him repeat K privately if needed. The school agreed and it was the best decision. We got him in ABA 3x a week which really helped with the behavior regulation. We spent a lot of time collaborating between the school BCBA (behavior specialist), ABA BCBA and the psychiatrist. My son is in 3rd now and it’s not a picnic but every year gets better. He’s doing well in school (still have challenges with aggression, disruptive behavior and occasional elopement) and has remained mainstreamed.

My advice. Do not delay on a neuropsych evaluation. I know so many parents delay this. Get it now. Get the info. My insurance covered it and I’ve done it 3x now (my daughter has had one twice). ADHD is often comorbid with something else. Find out the something else. Don’t delay on meds. My child unmedicated is a completely different and farrrrr more challenging kid than medicated.

Sure you can bounce around to another school but you will just start over again with a new team and cause more disruption to your kid. I would get to the root of the issues and then deal with those. Partner with the people who are helping your kid day in and day out.

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Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, it's unlikely that any private school will take him. There just aren't any private schools that serve this population.

My kid is similar but much older now. My advice:
1. Medicate. He can't learn skills (or academics) when dysregulated.
2. Get him OT out of school.
3. Fight for accommodations in public.

Give it some time. For my kid, the beginning of the year is a CF. Then it gets better for 2nd & 3rd quarter. Then kid burns out towards the end of the year. Rinse and repeat. But each year does get a little easier, on average.

The extra year of preschool is not a bad idea. Do a TON of OT during that year.

OT would not be beneficial for a child like this.

False. OT can help teach skills to address dysregulation.

OT are not trained in behavior management. Find someone qualified.

Huh? OTs help kids learn skills to self regulate.

Exactly why they’d be a terrible choice in this case. This child’s needs exceed that of an OT. You might use them for supplemental therapy but you’re kidding yourself and doing your child a huge disservice if you treat a case like this by just “getting lots of OT” and putting them in another school.

You seem unfamiliar with OTs.

Out of all of the therapies that my similar kid had, OT was the most beneficial for dysregulation. It had immediate therapeutic effects and kid learned skills over time.

Excellent, but this child clearly needs more than that.

Yes, it does take a village.

Psychologist for full neuropsych
Psychiatrist (meds?)
Parent training coach
SPED advocate

And OT for frequent sessions to address dysregulation.

Had you been paying any attention at all, instead of just bashing opinions, you’d see my original comment was in response to someone that said something along the lines of just get them lots of OT. Frankly I don’t care what you think about OT, don’t care about what worked for your child. I was trying to save OPs kid from making those same mistakes. At the end of the day though do whatever you want. Don’t care.

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theflash1985 wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Was preschool okay? What accommodations did he need there?

OP doesn't want to answer this. Wonder why.

LOL. I was playing video games with my son and getting him ready for bed.

We confirmed his ADHD in preschool after his private Christian school admitted he’d been covering his ears, hiding under desks, and not responding to questions and being mute. At home, he started showing anxiety and physical aggression on us from holding it all in all day. We got him diagnosed that week with ADHD and severe anxiety, did PCIT therapy over the summer which helped tremendously, and had an IEP ready for fall. (Fun Fact: The first IEP they gave us was literally blank — we had to tell them every single accommodation and service a kid with ADHD and Anxiety needs. PGCPS is insane - won't be here too much longer.)

Diagnosed within a week? Have you actually had a neuropsych evaluation?

It usually takes months to get a diagnosis. When you have a child like this a) you want the best and most experienced provider - a developmental pediatrician or a highly recommended psychologist to do a full neuropsych. You must have one.

Also, is your kid in therapy? He needs to be. If he spent any time in an orphanage or with bio parents, I would be concerned that there are other issues at play. (This is also why you need a neuropsych evaluation). I say this from experience with an adopted child with intense emotional dysregulation (only at home, great in school). They were later diagnosed with autism as a teen and have struggled with school refusal. You need to stop being so defensive while simultaneously being in denial. There isn’t a magic solution here - no magic school, no magic OT program. Just hard work.

Also, a FIVE YEAR OLD with ADHD should not be playing video games. And playing video games (or any screen time) before bed is absolutely moronic. You need to take a parenting class for kids with special needs pronto.

It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5.

Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked.

This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all.

I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services.

When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now.

Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here.

A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement.

Stop providing misinformation. A neuropsych diagnoses ADHD, using the TOVA, questionnaires, and other tests of attention. The evaluation lasts between 4-8 hours and will also help determine whether behaviors are due to learning disabilities, mental illness and other conditions. In the case of this adopted child, is important to figure out which behaviors are driven by anxiety, FASD/in útero drug exposure, reactive attachment disorder, learning disabilities, or neurodivergence. A pediatrician or school psychologist doesn’t have the expertise for this.

Not only that, everyone on this thread agrees that the school SPED departments are overworked and aren’t always 100% operating in the best interest in the child, and yet you are recommending that their evaluation and recommendations are all that’s needed?

You are not describing a “neuropsych.” You are describing a different type of evaluation. We had a “neuropsych” that included none of what you listed. Sounds like you feel like you got adequate testing which is great. But in general a “neuropsych” means a battery of cognitive testing not everything else you listed.

Lady, I don't know what your deal is or why you are so intent on showing your ignorance. I don't even think your kid had a neuropsych, which is hilarious. You most likely had what is called a diagnostic evaluation. And on the off chance they did have a neuropsych, you do understand that neuropsych tests are tailored to each child's individual concerns? They will all be different.

Now, what are the differences between diagnostic evaluations and neuropsychological evaluations?
The biggest differences are the cost, time it takes, specificity of the tests and who assesses the tests.

Neuropsychological evaluations take anywhere from ten to twelve hours and is usually completed over two or three sessions, while diagnostic evaluations take between two and four hours and are usually completed in one or two sessions. Here is a link for you since you are struggling so much with understanding what a neuropsych is: https://www.thrivingwellnesscenter.com/blog/neuropsycheval

Nothing that you wrote supports that a “neuropsych” (which as your source says is not actually a single test) is necessary or sufficient for everything. In particular it is not generally considered adequate for ADHD which requires clinical assessment and collateral, not standardized tests. A neuropsychologist might be able to administer instruments like the ADOS but you don’t need a “full neuropsych” for that (ie 12 hours of testing including all the cognitive tests).

My objection is that stressed parents are being marketed a very expensive nonspecific packages of tests labeled the “full neuropsych” that may not even include the diagnostic assessment needed on the one had, and may be overkill on the other hand.

This is a good discussion of the issue with respect to ADHD and younger kids: https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/17if67i/adhd_testing_referrals_for_preschool_age_children/

You’re very clearly misinformed.

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theflash1985 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was preschool okay? What accommodations did he need there?

OP doesn't want to answer this. Wonder why.

LOL. I was playing video games with my son and getting him ready for bed.

We confirmed his ADHD in preschool after his private Christian school admitted he’d been covering his ears, hiding under desks, and not responding to questions and being mute. At home, he started showing anxiety and physical aggression on us from holding it all in all day. We got him diagnosed that week with ADHD and severe anxiety, did PCIT therapy over the summer which helped tremendously, and had an IEP ready for fall. (Fun Fact: The first IEP they gave us was literally blank — we had to tell them every single accommodation and service a kid with ADHD and Anxiety needs. PGCPS is insane - won't be here too much longer.)

Diagnosed within a week? Have you actually had a neuropsych evaluation?

It usually takes months to get a diagnosis. When you have a child like this a) you want the best and most experienced provider - a developmental pediatrician or a highly recommended psychologist to do a full neuropsych. You must have one.

Also, is your kid in therapy? He needs to be. If he spent any time in an orphanage or with bio parents, I would be concerned that there are other issues at play. (This is also why you need a neuropsych evaluation). I say this from experience with an adopted child with intense emotional dysregulation (only at home, great in school). They were later diagnosed with autism as a teen and have struggled with school refusal. You need to stop being so defensive while simultaneously being in denial. There isn’t a magic solution here - no magic school, no magic OT program. Just hard work.

Also, a FIVE YEAR OLD with ADHD should not be playing video games. And playing video games (or any screen time) before bed is absolutely moronic. You need to take a parenting class for kids with special needs pronto.

It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5.

Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked.

This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all.

I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services.

When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now.

Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here.

A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement.

Stop providing misinformation. A neuropsych diagnoses ADHD, using the TOVA, questionnaires, and other tests of attention. The evaluation lasts between 4-8 hours and will also help determine whether behaviors are due to learning disabilities, mental illness and other conditions. In the case of this adopted child, is important to figure out which behaviors are driven by anxiety, FASD/in útero drug exposure, reactive attachment disorder, learning disabilities, or neurodivergence. A pediatrician or school psychologist doesn’t have the expertise for this.

Not only that, everyone on this thread agrees that the school SPED departments are overworked and aren’t always 100% operating in the best interest in the child, and yet you are recommending that their evaluation and recommendations are all that’s needed?

You are not describing a “neuropsych.” You are describing a different type of evaluation. We had a “neuropsych” that included none of what you listed. Sounds like you feel like you got adequate testing which is great. But in general a “neuropsych” means a battery of cognitive testing not everything else you listed.

Lady, I don't know what your deal is or why you are so intent on showing your ignorance. I don't even think your kid had a neuropsych, which is hilarious. You most likely had what is called a diagnostic evaluation. And on the off chance they did have a neuropsych, you do understand that neuropsych tests are tailored to each child's individual concerns? They will all be different.

Now, what are the differences between diagnostic evaluations and neuropsychological evaluations?
The biggest differences are the cost, time it takes, specificity of the tests and who assesses the tests.

Neuropsychological evaluations take anywhere from ten to twelve hours and is usually completed over two or three sessions, while diagnostic evaluations take between two and four hours and are usually completed in one or two sessions. Here is a link for you since you are struggling so much with understanding what a neuropsych is: https://www.thrivingwellnesscenter.com/blog/neuropsycheval

Nothing that you wrote supports that a “neuropsych” (which as your source says is not actually a single test) is necessary or sufficient for everything. In particular it is not generally considered adequate for ADHD which requires clinical assessment and collateral, not standardized tests. A neuropsychologist might be able to administer instruments like the ADOS but you don’t need a “full neuropsych” for that (ie 12 hours of testing including all the cognitive tests).

My objection is that stressed parents are being marketed a very expensive nonspecific packages of tests labeled the “full neuropsych” that may not even include the diagnostic assessment needed on the one had, and may be overkill on the other hand.

This is a good discussion of the issue with respect to ADHD and younger kids: https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/17if67i/adhd_testing_referrals_for_preschool_age_children/

Anonymous wrote:My kid's private school would only grant accomodations if we submitted a neuropsych evaluation.

Do you mean an ADHD diagnosis?

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theflash1985 wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Was preschool okay? What accommodations did he need there?

OP doesn't want to answer this. Wonder why.

LOL. I was playing video games with my son and getting him ready for bed.

We confirmed his ADHD in preschool after his private Christian school admitted he’d been covering his ears, hiding under desks, and not responding to questions and being mute. At home, he started showing anxiety and physical aggression on us from holding it all in all day. We got him diagnosed that week with ADHD and severe anxiety, did PCIT therapy over the summer which helped tremendously, and had an IEP ready for fall. (Fun Fact: The first IEP they gave us was literally blank — we had to tell them every single accommodation and service a kid with ADHD and Anxiety needs. PGCPS is insane - won't be here too much longer.)

Diagnosed within a week? Have you actually had a neuropsych evaluation?

It usually takes months to get a diagnosis. When you have a child like this a) you want the best and most experienced provider - a developmental pediatrician or a highly recommended psychologist to do a full neuropsych. You must have one.

Also, is your kid in therapy? He needs to be. If he spent any time in an orphanage or with bio parents, I would be concerned that there are other issues at play. (This is also why you need a neuropsych evaluation). I say this from experience with an adopted child with intense emotional dysregulation (only at home, great in school). They were later diagnosed with autism as a teen and have struggled with school refusal. You need to stop being so defensive while simultaneously being in denial. There isn’t a magic solution here - no magic school, no magic OT program. Just hard work.

Also, a FIVE YEAR OLD with ADHD should not be playing video games. And playing video games (or any screen time) before bed is absolutely moronic. You need to take a parenting class for kids with special needs pronto.

It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5.

Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked.

This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all.

I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services.

When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now.

Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here.

A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement.

Stop providing misinformation. A neuropsych diagnoses ADHD, using the TOVA, questionnaires, and other tests of attention. The evaluation lasts between 4-8 hours and will also help determine whether behaviors are due to learning disabilities, mental illness and other conditions. In the case of this adopted child, is important to figure out which behaviors are driven by anxiety, FASD/in útero drug exposure, reactive attachment disorder, learning disabilities, or neurodivergence. A pediatrician or school psychologist doesn’t have the expertise for this.

Not only that, everyone on this thread agrees that the school SPED departments are overworked and aren’t always 100% operating in the best interest in the child, and yet you are recommending that their evaluation and recommendations are all that’s needed?

You are not describing a “neuropsych.” You are describing a different type of evaluation. We had a “neuropsych” that included none of what you listed. Sounds like you feel like you got adequate testing which is great. But in general a “neuropsych” means a battery of cognitive testing not everything else you listed.

NP but my child got a “neuropsych” which was a neuropsychological evaluation from a child psychologist and it was 6 hours split over 2 days and he was officially diagnosed with adhd, anxiety disorder, and a coordination disorder. The evaluation was in addition to a 1 hour parent interview and Vanderbilt assessments from both parents and teachers. The eval showed tons of data such as that his visual spatial skills were like, 0% and that his poor fine motor skills were not a result of weak musculature but a result of him not being able to send messages from his brain to his fingers to complete complex tasks such as tying his shoes despite having an overall IQ of 130. It was incredibly detailed and helpful both for school and for general knowledge of how to parent him and what type of OT would actually be helpful, since handwriting focused OT had done nothing for him.

And the bulk of that testing likely had nothing to do with ADHD. The ADHD testing was not part of the “neuropsych.”

A kid like OP’s needs a careful differential diagnosis considering of things not covered by the standardized tests that are part of a neuropsychological battery.

moreover OP probably needs to triage efforts to get behavioral experts on board and an advocate to address the IEP, neither of which requires a diagnosis at this point unless the school is saying kid is not eligible.

The PP is correct and you are incorrect. A neuropsychology assessment is one of the best ways to identify and diagnose ADHD

You are totally wrong.

My kid's private school would only grant accomodations if we submitted a neuropsych evaluation.

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Anonymous wrote:

theflash1985 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was preschool okay? What accommodations did he need there?

OP doesn't want to answer this. Wonder why.

LOL. I was playing video games with my son and getting him ready for bed.

We confirmed his ADHD in preschool after his private Christian school admitted he’d been covering his ears, hiding under desks, and not responding to questions and being mute. At home, he started showing anxiety and physical aggression on us from holding it all in all day. We got him diagnosed that week with ADHD and severe anxiety, did PCIT therapy over the summer which helped tremendously, and had an IEP ready for fall. (Fun Fact: The first IEP they gave us was literally blank — we had to tell them every single accommodation and service a kid with ADHD and Anxiety needs. PGCPS is insane - won't be here too much longer.)

Diagnosed within a week? Have you actually had a neuropsych evaluation?

It usually takes months to get a diagnosis. When you have a child like this a) you want the best and most experienced provider - a developmental pediatrician or a highly recommended psychologist to do a full neuropsych. You must have one.

Also, is your kid in therapy? He needs to be. If he spent any time in an orphanage or with bio parents, I would be concerned that there are other issues at play. (This is also why you need a neuropsych evaluation). I say this from experience with an adopted child with intense emotional dysregulation (only at home, great in school). They were later diagnosed with autism as a teen and have struggled with school refusal. You need to stop being so defensive while simultaneously being in denial. There isn’t a magic solution here - no magic school, no magic OT program. Just hard work.

Also, a FIVE YEAR OLD with ADHD should not be playing video games. And playing video games (or any screen time) before bed is absolutely moronic. You need to take a parenting class for kids with special needs pronto.

It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5.

Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked.

This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all.

I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services.

When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now.

Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here.

A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement.

Stop providing misinformation. A neuropsych diagnoses ADHD, using the TOVA, questionnaires, and other tests of attention. The evaluation lasts between 4-8 hours and will also help determine whether behaviors are due to learning disabilities, mental illness and other conditions. In the case of this adopted child, is important to figure out which behaviors are driven by anxiety, FASD/in útero drug exposure, reactive attachment disorder, learning disabilities, or neurodivergence. A pediatrician or school psychologist doesn’t have the expertise for this.

Not only that, everyone on this thread agrees that the school SPED departments are overworked and aren’t always 100% operating in the best interest in the child, and yet you are recommending that their evaluation and recommendations are all that’s needed?

You are not describing a “neuropsych.” You are describing a different type of evaluation. We had a “neuropsych” that included none of what you listed. Sounds like you feel like you got adequate testing which is great. But in general a “neuropsych” means a battery of cognitive testing not everything else you listed.

Lady, I don't know what your deal is or why you are so intent on showing your ignorance. I don't even think your kid had a neuropsych, which is hilarious. You most likely had what is called a diagnostic evaluation. And on the off chance they did have a neuropsych, you do understand that neuropsych tests are tailored to each child's individual concerns? They will all be different.

Now, what are the differences between diagnostic evaluations and neuropsychological evaluations?
The biggest differences are the cost, time it takes, specificity of the tests and who assesses the tests.

Neuropsychological evaluations take anywhere from ten to twelve hours and is usually completed over two or three sessions, while diagnostic evaluations take between two and four hours and are usually completed in one or two sessions. Here is a link for you since you are struggling so much with understanding what a neuropsych is: https://www.thrivingwellnesscenter.com/blog/neuropsycheval

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

theflash1985 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was preschool okay? What accommodations did he need there?

OP doesn't want to answer this. Wonder why.

LOL. I was playing video games with my son and getting him ready for bed.

We confirmed his ADHD in preschool after his private Christian school admitted he’d been covering his ears, hiding under desks, and not responding to questions and being mute. At home, he started showing anxiety and physical aggression on us from holding it all in all day. We got him diagnosed that week with ADHD and severe anxiety, did PCIT therapy over the summer which helped tremendously, and had an IEP ready for fall. (Fun Fact: The first IEP they gave us was literally blank — we had to tell them every single accommodation and service a kid with ADHD and Anxiety needs. PGCPS is insane - won't be here too much longer.)

Diagnosed within a week? Have you actually had a neuropsych evaluation?

It usually takes months to get a diagnosis. When you have a child like this a) you want the best and most experienced provider - a developmental pediatrician or a highly recommended psychologist to do a full neuropsych. You must have one.

Also, is your kid in therapy? He needs to be. If he spent any time in an orphanage or with bio parents, I would be concerned that there are other issues at play. (This is also why you need a neuropsych evaluation). I say this from experience with an adopted child with intense emotional dysregulation (only at home, great in school). They were later diagnosed with autism as a teen and have struggled with school refusal. You need to stop being so defensive while simultaneously being in denial. There isn’t a magic solution here - no magic school, no magic OT program. Just hard work.

Also, a FIVE YEAR OLD with ADHD should not be playing video games. And playing video games (or any screen time) before bed is absolutely moronic. You need to take a parenting class for kids with special needs pronto.

It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5.

Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked.

This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all.

I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services.

When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now.

Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here.

A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement.

Stop providing misinformation. A neuropsych diagnoses ADHD, using the TOVA, questionnaires, and other tests of attention. The evaluation lasts between 4-8 hours and will also help determine whether behaviors are due to learning disabilities, mental illness and other conditions. In the case of this adopted child, is important to figure out which behaviors are driven by anxiety, FASD/in útero drug exposure, reactive attachment disorder, learning disabilities, or neurodivergence. A pediatrician or school psychologist doesn’t have the expertise for this.

Not only that, everyone on this thread agrees that the school SPED departments are overworked and aren’t always 100% operating in the best interest in the child, and yet you are recommending that their evaluation and recommendations are all that’s needed?

You are not describing a “neuropsych.” You are describing a different type of evaluation. We had a “neuropsych” that included none of what you listed. Sounds like you feel like you got adequate testing which is great. But in general a “neuropsych” means a battery of cognitive testing not everything else you listed.

NP but my child got a “neuropsych” which was a neuropsychological evaluation from a child psychologist and it was 6 hours split over 2 days and he was officially diagnosed with adhd, anxiety disorder, and a coordination disorder. The evaluation was in addition to a 1 hour parent interview and Vanderbilt assessments from both parents and teachers. The eval showed tons of data such as that his visual spatial skills were like, 0% and that his poor fine motor skills were not a result of weak musculature but a result of him not being able to send messages from his brain to his fingers to complete complex tasks such as tying his shoes despite having an overall IQ of 130. It was incredibly detailed and helpful both for school and for general knowledge of how to parent him and what type of OT would actually be helpful, since handwriting focused OT had done nothing for him.

And the bulk of that testing likely had nothing to do with ADHD. The ADHD testing was not part of the “neuropsych.”

A kid like OP’s needs a careful differential diagnosis considering of things not covered by the standardized tests that are part of a neuropsychological battery.

moreover OP probably needs to triage efforts to get behavioral experts on board and an advocate to address the IEP, neither of which requires a diagnosis at this point unless the school is saying kid is not eligible.

The PP is correct and you are incorrect. A neuropsychology assessment is one of the best ways to identify and diagnose ADHD

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, it's unlikely that any private school will take him. There just aren't any private schools that serve this population.

My kid is similar but much older now. My advice:
1. Medicate. He can't learn skills (or academics) when dysregulated.
2. Get him OT out of school.
3. Fight for accommodations in public.

Give it some time. For my kid, the beginning of the year is a CF. Then it gets better for 2nd & 3rd quarter. Then kid burns out towards the end of the year. Rinse and repeat. But each year does get a little easier, on average.

The extra year of preschool is not a bad idea. Do a TON of OT during that year.

OT would not be beneficial for a child like this.

False. OT can help teach skills to address dysregulation.

OT are not trained in behavior management. Find someone qualified.

Huh? OTs help kids learn skills to self regulate.

Exactly why they’d be a terrible choice in this case. This child’s needs exceed that of an OT. You might use them for supplemental therapy but you’re kidding yourself and doing your child a huge disservice if you treat a case like this by just “getting lots of OT” and putting them in another school.

You seem unfamiliar with OTs.

Out of all of the therapies that my similar kid had, OT was the most beneficial for dysregulation. It had immediate therapeutic effects and kid learned skills over time.

Excellent, but this child clearly needs more than that.

Yes, it does take a village.

Psychologist for full neuropsych
Psychiatrist (meds?)
Parent training coach
SPED advocate

And OT for frequent sessions to address dysregulation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, it's unlikely that any private school will take him. There just aren't any private schools that serve this population.

My kid is similar but much older now. My advice:
1. Medicate. He can't learn skills (or academics) when dysregulated.
2. Get him OT out of school.
3. Fight for accommodations in public.

Give it some time. For my kid, the beginning of the year is a CF. Then it gets better for 2nd & 3rd quarter. Then kid burns out towards the end of the year. Rinse and repeat. But each year does get a little easier, on average.

The extra year of preschool is not a bad idea. Do a TON of OT during that year.

OT would not be beneficial for a child like this.

False. OT can help teach skills to address dysregulation.

OT are not trained in behavior management. Find someone qualified.

Huh? OTs help kids learn skills to self regulate.

Exactly why they’d be a terrible choice in this case. This child’s needs exceed that of an OT. You might use them for supplemental therapy but you’re kidding yourself and doing your child a huge disservice if you treat a case like this by just “getting lots of OT” and putting them in another school.

You seem unfamiliar with OTs.

Out of all of the therapies that my similar kid had, OT was the most beneficial for dysregulation. It had immediate therapeutic effects and kid learned skills over time.

Excellent, but this child clearly needs more than that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, it's unlikely that any private school will take him. There just aren't any private schools that serve this population.

My kid is similar but much older now. My advice:
1. Medicate. He can't learn skills (or academics) when dysregulated.
2. Get him OT out of school.
3. Fight for accommodations in public.

Give it some time. For my kid, the beginning of the year is a CF. Then it gets better for 2nd & 3rd quarter. Then kid burns out towards the end of the year. Rinse and repeat. But each year does get a little easier, on average.

The extra year of preschool is not a bad idea. Do a TON of OT during that year.

OT would not be beneficial for a child like this.

False. OT can help teach skills to address dysregulation.

OT are not trained in behavior management. Find someone qualified.

Huh? OTs help kids learn skills to self regulate.

Exactly why they’d be a terrible choice in this case. This child’s needs exceed that of an OT. You might use them for supplemental therapy but you’re kidding yourself and doing your child a huge disservice if you treat a case like this by just “getting lots of OT” and putting them in another school.

You seem unfamiliar with OTs.

Out of all of the therapies that my similar kid had, OT was the most beneficial for dysregulation. It had immediate therapeutic effects and kid learned skills over time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

theflash1985 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was preschool okay? What accommodations did he need there?

OP doesn't want to answer this. Wonder why.

LOL. I was playing video games with my son and getting him ready for bed.

We confirmed his ADHD in preschool after his private Christian school admitted he’d been covering his ears, hiding under desks, and not responding to questions and being mute. At home, he started showing anxiety and physical aggression on us from holding it all in all day. We got him diagnosed that week with ADHD and severe anxiety, did PCIT therapy over the summer which helped tremendously, and had an IEP ready for fall. (Fun Fact: The first IEP they gave us was literally blank — we had to tell them every single accommodation and service a kid with ADHD and Anxiety needs. PGCPS is insane - won't be here too much longer.)

Diagnosed within a week? Have you actually had a neuropsych evaluation?

It usually takes months to get a diagnosis. When you have a child like this a) you want the best and most experienced provider - a developmental pediatrician or a highly recommended psychologist to do a full neuropsych. You must have one.

Also, is your kid in therapy? He needs to be. If he spent any time in an orphanage or with bio parents, I would be concerned that there are other issues at play. (This is also why you need a neuropsych evaluation). I say this from experience with an adopted child with intense emotional dysregulation (only at home, great in school). They were later diagnosed with autism as a teen and have struggled with school refusal. You need to stop being so defensive while simultaneously being in denial. There isn’t a magic solution here - no magic school, no magic OT program. Just hard work.

Also, a FIVE YEAR OLD with ADHD should not be playing video games. And playing video games (or any screen time) before bed is absolutely moronic. You need to take a parenting class for kids with special needs pronto.

It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5.

Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked.

This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all.

I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services.

When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now.

Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here.

A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement.

Stop providing misinformation. A neuropsych diagnoses ADHD, using the TOVA, questionnaires, and other tests of attention. The evaluation lasts between 4-8 hours and will also help determine whether behaviors are due to learning disabilities, mental illness and other conditions. In the case of this adopted child, is important to figure out which behaviors are driven by anxiety, FASD/in útero drug exposure, reactive attachment disorder, learning disabilities, or neurodivergence. A pediatrician or school psychologist doesn’t have the expertise for this.

Not only that, everyone on this thread agrees that the school SPED departments are overworked and aren’t always 100% operating in the best interest in the child, and yet you are recommending that their evaluation and recommendations are all that’s needed?

+1

+1 to figuring out what behaviors are driven by ADHD and what behaviors may be a result of trauma, FASD, etc. There is also probably interplay between the various issues and untangling everything is going to be challenging.

The eloping, the kicking, etc. really speaks to the disregulation. I would be shocked if this poor child was able to learn anything.

Assuming this child was not adopted at a few days old and there is no FASD, I would recommend exploring body work like trauma sensitive yoga and reading about trauma.