How do I go about getting my child diagnosed for ADHD/ODD?

[Adventure4ever]

Hi, I have a 7yo son and we would like to get him diagnosed. I'm still trying to understand how this process works since I prefer to get a comprehensive evaluation done (vs one that is based on a questionnaire filled out by the parents and the teacher). His pediatrician directed us to a couple of places that can do a comprehensive testing but none of them work with insurance and you pay a couple of thousand out of pocket. Are there any other options that are covered by the insurance? We live in the Seattle area and any guidance on this process will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[kdali]

We are going through the process now.

Our pediatrician had 3 recommendations, so maybe you could call back and ask for another one. Your insurance company should be able to tell you who they cover. I also gathered names of local testing providers from a friend and from our school's psychologist.

The location we chose to test at was the same one that covered psychologist visits, but testing is only covered because our deductible is met. The price for was shocking! We had to repeat the parent/teacher questionnaire for the testing process.

I hope this helps!

[Adventure4ever in reply to kdali]

Thank you! I'll make sure to check with our insurance company.

[Aspen797]

Neuropsych testing is the most comprehensive but is often not covered by insurance. If you have a large university hospital nearby, you might want to try getting in with a developmental behavioral pediatrician. They are usually covered by insurance and can refer you to other providers for additional assessments. More here on the difference between regular pediatricians and dev-behavioral peds: healthychildren.org/English....

[Adventure4ever in reply to Aspen797]

Thank you, this is very helpful!

[ELucas13]

Our pediatrician was able to diagnose our child. I know it feels comprehensive to go the whole battery, but to be honest, the Vanderbilt questionnaire is pretty good a diagnosing ADHD or giving you a starting point. Your school system may also be able to test your child. It's free but takes time. Start with your child's teacher and then you will work your way up to the proper channels.

[Adventure4ever in reply to ELucas13]

Thank you! Our school unfortunately doesn’t do testing but good to know that that’s even an option at some schools.