Child & Family Psychological Associates
(CFPA LLC)
Akron Area Office
822 Portage Trail
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
330-923-9344
To schedule an ADHD Evaluation- email
ADHD Evaluations: Information and Frequently Asked Questions.
Below is some brief information related to our ADHD assessments. If, after reading this information you have further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us by clicking on the ADHD Evaluations email above.
We will conduct assessments with children and adults, ages 7 and up.
We have two levels of assessment.
Level I Assessment:
The first is comprised of a Clinical Interview; a computer-based assessment of attention, vigilance, and impulsivity; and Rating Scales. These measures are norm-referenced and criterion-referenced which makes them much more reliable diagnostically than the measures used in primary care. The appointment takes approximately one hour.
Once we have all the rating scales completed/scored, we compile the results into a summary report that will be send to you electronically as a PDF. This report can be given to/shared with your PCP for discussion of medications if warranted.
Level II Assessment:
The second level of assessment includes all of the measures described above as well as a cognitive/intellectual assessment and some academic/achievement testing. This level is recommended if there are processing speed concerns, working memory difficulties, verbal comprehension difficulties, or difficulties in an academic setting.
Most insurance plans accepted. Multiple payment options are available at the time of service.
Initial appointments can generally be offered within 2-4 weeks based on volumes and time of year. Appointments are often scheduled in the late afternoon or evenings to minimize disruption to school and work schedules.
Informational Slides from the World's Foremost Authority on ADHD
(Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
In April of 2008 Dr. Russell Barkley, the world's foremost authority on ADHD, was brought to Northeast Ohio by Dr. Putt and his colleagues to speak on topics related to the diagnosis. As part of that visit, Dr. Barkley conducted a day-long professional workshop for area physicians, psychologists, school professionals, and mental health practitioners. Below are the actual slides from that presentation. We would again like to sincerely thank Dr. Barkley for graciously agreeing to allow these slides to be posted free of charge for parents and professionals to view.
Please keep in mind that these slides were designed for professionals. Please feel free to contact our staff if you desire further information, services, or clarification. Any views, conclusions, and data presented in the slides are the intellectual property of Dr. Russell Barkley and may not be reproduced or professionally distributed without his expressed written permission.
Diagnosis & Etiology
This presentation focuses on the background of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Diagnostic criteria are reviewed as well as information about different subtypes, genetic advances, neuroimaging and more.
To view this presentation, click on the link below
Theory of ADHD
This presentation presents a thorough understanding of one theory of ADHD. It explains Executive Functioning and how it is involved with this diagnosis. It also addressed inhibition. The presentation discusses how these factors effect functioning.
To view this presentation, click on the link below
ADHD Over the Lifespan and Treatment Impact
This presentation talks about ADHD and how it affects functioning. It focuses on how ADHD individuals are different from "controls" and what the disorder looks like over time in terms of educational functioning, employment, job functioning, and a host of other areas. It also discusses studies of these and other variables over time.
To view this presentation, click on the link below
ADHD Life Course and TX Impact
ADHD Home and School Management
Practical, research-based suggestions are offered on how to manage ADHD both at home and at school.
To view this presentation, click on the link below
ADHD Home and School Management
Useful Rating Scales
Vanderbilt Rating Scale- Parent
This rating scale is both offered and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ). It is a fairly basic rating scale but does a nice job of covering the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and some conduct problems. This is a good document to print out and bring with you to your next pediatrician's appointment (if you suspect a behavior problem) or to your first psychological testing appointment. If there is more than one adult who is familiar with the child's behavior, it is generally recommended that they each fill out a form (e.g., each parent, a grandparent who provides a great deal of childcare, etc.). We use much more sophisticated rating scales in our assessments, but this tool is an extremely useful "first step" in the assessment process.
Vanderbilt Rating Scale- Parent
Vanderbilt Rating Scale- Teacher
This rating scale is also a product of both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ). It is a fairly basic rating scale but does a nice job of covering the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and some conduct problems. This is a good document to give to each of your child's primary teachers. That is, their math and English teachers (if older). The more teachers who fill out the form (one per teacher), the better since children often behave differently in different settings.
Vanderbilt Rating Scale- Teacher
Additional Resources
Does My Child Have ADHD?
This form, also from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) gives you a format to organize your thoughts and questions related to whether or not your child has ADHD. After reading/completing this form and completing the above rating scales, you should have enough information to determine if a more thorough evaluation is needed or not.
Daily Report Card
One really useful tool for determining what is going on with your child, is a Daily Report Card. This document is designed to efficiently and effectively gather information. It explains what a daily report card is, helps come up with goals, gives sample forms, helps with the trouble shooting process, suggests rewards, and even gives samples. This may be a fairly long document (6 pages), but it does a really nice job of giving you all of the tools that you need to establish this extremely useful tool.
Working With Your Child's School
Here are some things to think about that might help when trying to work with your child's school.
ADHD and Sleep
Sleep is often a problem for children with ADHD. This form offers some initial/basic tips to consider if your child is having sleep problems. If your child is taking a stimulant medication, consider changing the time that the medication is taken. Discuss this with your prescribing physician. There are often fairly straightforward changes that can be made if medication, poor bedtime routine, or certain habits are the cause of the sleep problems.
Some Things To Think About
ADHD is "a disorder of rule-outs". That means that other things that look like ADHD must be ruled-out first before the diagnosis can be accurately made. The list of things that "look like" ADHD is enormous (e.g., Learning Disabilities, MR, giftedness, depression, lead poisoning, etc.). If efforts are not made to rule-out these common "look alikes", then it is impossible to have any confidence in the diagnosis.
Many professionals can make the diagnosis of ADHD, that does not mean they should. The person making the diagnosis should have gathered data before making a diagnosis. Good quality data and some experience go a long way when assessing for ADHD.
A child cannot be accurately diagnosed by sitting in an office and observing their behavior, attention, or level of activity for a few minutes. In fact, the research shows that the child's behavior in the office is basically irrelevant and not even an accurate predictor of diagnosis. This is because it is a new/novel situation, the person they are meeting with is an authority figure (in a white coat, or Dr. So-and-So), the situation is one-on-one, etc. Diagnoses should only be made after a thorough evaluation.
What is a thorough evaluation? In a nutshell, a thorough evaluation gathers information from many different people (multiple informants), from a variety of settings (across domains), and rules-out other things that look-like ADHD (comorbidities or alternate diagnoses).
There is a ton of research out there on everything from ADHD and driving, what treatments are the most effective, if stimulant medications are addictive, if red dyes cause ADHD, what classroom accommodations are helpful, if television watching causes ADHD, etc. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Knowledge is power. Be an advocate for your child and learn as much as you can about how to assess for ADHD, how to treat ADHD, and anything else that might help along the way.
ADHD & Adults
ADHD diagnosis in adults is very different than with children. The criteria is different, the tools are different, the impairments are different, etc. If you are an adult and suspect you might have ADHD, be sure to see someone who understands how to establish "a paper trail of impairment" and what the criteria are for adults. One size does not fit all when it comes to ADHD assessment.
To schedule an ADHD Evaluation- email