Research abstract

Draining the Car Battery – #ADHD

There is no definitive test to say yes, your child has ADHD. ADHD diagnosis is largely based on the opinion of the provider. There may be many other things contributing to a child’s inability to pay attention. Find out more in this article. By Dr. Richard Selznick

Laura Lurns Last updated March 24, 2017 · 1 min read

A brief, but engaging glimpse into the complications involved with diagnosing ADD/ADHD and the possibility of misdiagnosis of this learning obstacle in today’s youth. A discussion revolving around the use of electrodes and bar graphs that seem to lack definitive results indicates that doctors might be missing a piece of the puzzle when making diagnoses.

Even when some doctors trot out fancy (very expensive, I might add) electrode type of testing with the semblance of objectivity (“See it says here on this bar graph based on the electrode neuro- testing that we did that your child has this thing called ADD or ADHD.

By comparing the operation of children’s brains to the operations of a car battery, the author points out that ADD or ADHD might not, in fact, be the cause behind children’s behaviors. Other factors such as social struggles, stress, and other variations in a child’s personal life can drastically affect a child’s ability to learn and retain information. The author of this article encourages readers to consider all the possible factors behind children’s learning difficulties, instead of immediately assuming ADD or ADHD is the root cause.

Key takeaways

There are twenty or more reasons a child does not pay attention that has nothing to do with ADHD.
The journey of growing up, alone, is stressful and exhausting but has nothing to do with ADHD.
A student’s social life may have far more to do with their behavior than a diagnosis of ADHD.

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A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.

Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert Writes about the learning brain for parents who want plain answers. Every article is grounded in current neuroscience and classroom practice.

Even when some doctors trot out fancy (very expensive, I might add) electrode type of testing with the semblance of objectivity (“See it says here on this bar graph based on the electrode neuro- testing that we did that your child has this thing called ADD or ADHD.

Key takeaways

Is your child struggling in school?

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