Places to Get Children Tested for ADHD in Chicago

By Susie McGee

There are numerous places to get children tested for ADHD in Chicago. We're here to help you find a place that will provide the best services for your child and you.

ADHD Testing

What do you need to know about ADHD testing? Testing for ADHD is often controversial. There are those who believe that ADHD can't be diagnosed by a simple test, and instead many look at ways to treat individual symptoms. Treatment doesn't always mean drugs, and in fact, many families have found success in various parenting techniques.

Checklists and scales are often used to help professionals as they seek to diagnose those who exhibit ADHD symptoms. These checklists usually involve gathering information about the child from those who interact with him on a day to day basis, such as parents, teachers, and other adults. The checklists and scales also take into account the various settings, such as home, school, church, and recreational areas, and how the child responds in each of these situations. In many cases, symptoms must be exhibited in more than one setting, such as home and school, before a child will be considered as possibly having ADHD. Evaluations typically consist of medical exams, interviews, and testing. The scales that are most commonly used to diagnose ADHD, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, include the following:

ADD-H: Comprehensive Teacher Rating Scale (ACTeRS)
Barkley Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ)
Barkley School Situations Questionnaire (SSQ) )
Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales (see below)
Parent-completed Child Behavior Checklist
Teacher Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behavior Checklist

Getting Help

As you search for places to get children tested for ADHD in Chicago, keep in mind that you'll also want your child to be medically evaluated. There is a possibility that other conditions are causing your child to exhibit ADHD symptoms. These could be neurological or psychological in nature, and an experienced clinician or psychologist will be able to tell the difference. When searching for a reputable testing facility, keep the following points in mind:

The facility should have caring professionals who take time to communicate with you and your child.
The professionals should be focused on helping you and your child understand the procedures during the testing process.
Ask for recommendations from other parents, school guidance counselors and administrators, therapists, and doctors.
Contact your insurance company to find out what tests, if any, will be covered, and if they have preferred testing facilities as well.
Look for professional certification and academic degrees of those administering the testing.
Discuss beforehand how comprehensive the testing will be. How long will it take? When will you and your child get the results of the tests? Can you be in the room with your child?
Find out what each test costs. Ask for a breakdown of pricing, codes, and descriptions of each test that is to be administered and billed.

Places to Get Children Tested for ADHD in Chicago

It is important that you do your own research on each of the places listed before you make a decision. Places to get children tested for ADHD in Chicago include the following:

Associates in Therapy and Assessment- Dr. David Hanson is a clinical psychologist who has extensive experience in working with children, adolescents, and adults and in the diagnosis of ADHD and can be reached at (847) 295-6141.
Cognitive Solutions Learning Center (CSLC)- This center provides a variety of services for children and adults, including ADD/ADHD assessments and can be reached at (773) 755-1775.
Learning Diagnostics-Their team of professionals includes a clinical psychologist, language pathologist, and disabilities specialists. The facility can be reached at (312) 266-9412.
Creative Learning- This facility offers formal and informal assessments of child's current academic level and can be reached at (773) 472-1075.