Some Doctors Shy Away From Diagnosing ADHD

( I have been called a liar, by Mark Probert for saying many kids in my day
care were NOT diagnosed.See below)

http://www.wtnh.com/global/story.asp?s=3900883&ClientType=Printable

Some doctors shy away from diagnosing ADHD

(WTNH, Sept. 26, 2005 5:20 PM) _ More and more
pediatricians are reluctant in diagnosing children with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder.

ADHD is the most common psychiatric condition
affecting children.

As many as 50 percent are never diagnosed.

a.. by Dr. Mike Rosen
Charlie Torsiello knew he was struggling in school.

Charlie Torsiello, 14 year old, says,"I was
constantly distracted with other things. Looking around the room, not paying
attention."

Charlie has ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder.

His mom Susan knew, from a previous child, exactly
what was wrong but her pediatrician wouldn't treat either Charlie or his
brother.

Susan Torsiello says,"When we suspected my older son
had ADHD, he sent us to Schneider's directly to be evaluated because they
have the lengthy interview process. He did not feel at that time that he
felt comfortable."

Charlie's story is a common one. According to a new
survey of pediatricians, many parents are told by their doctors they have to
see a specialist to get help for their children's ADHD problems.

Andrew Adesman, M.D., ADHD expert, Schneider
Children's Hospital, says,"It may be uncertainty about which is the right
medicine, it may be concern about making the decision about whether
medication is really indicated."

To change this, five years ago the American academy
of pediatrics published guidelines to help primary care pediatricians
properly diagnose and treat ADHD.

But still new research shows primary care
pediatricians still don't want to deal with ADHD.

82 percent of the pediatricians surveyed say they
generally refer their patients on to specialists but 14 percent said they
absolutely refuse to initiate medications and they refuse to follow the
medications after they've been started.

Andrew Adesman says,"The American Academy of
Pediatrics believes primary care pediatricians can and should assume
responsibility for diagnosis and treatment."

Fortunately for Charlie, his mom got him to a
specialist and got him on the medication he needs.

Torsiello says,"I started concentrating better,
started getting higher grades and everything."

Not all pediatricians have received the ADHD toolkit
and only half of the doctors in the study say they don't use parent or
teacher rating scales of the child's behavior.

This scales helps in diagnosis and treatment of
ADHD.






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