Hello, debster-ga,
First of all, I admire you for pursuing a diagnostic evaluation for
your son. My own son was diagnosed with mild ADD at the same age, but
I wish I had pursued an evaluation sooner. It was not until one of his
teachers recognized the symptoms of ADD and suggested I get my son
evaluated, that I sought help. What a difference it made!
I have found some avenues for you to pursue. Unfortunately, you may
have to do some traveling within the state.
The first suggestion is The National Association for Child
Development, which has an evaluation clinic in Chattsworth,
California. The home page for the Association is at
http://www.nacd.org/ . An overview of the Association’s purpose reads
as follows:
“The National Association for Child Development, Inc. is an
international organization of parents and professionals dedicated to
helping children and adults reach their full potential. Founded in
1979 by internationally recognized educator and lecturer Robert J.
Doman, Jr., NACD designs very specific home Neurodevelopmental
programs for infants, children, and adults. The over 15,000 clients
served by NACD have come to us with labels including: Learning
Disabled, Dyslexic, Distractible, ADD, ADHD, Hyperactive, Down
Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Tourettes
Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Fragile X, Developmentally Delayed, PDD,
Autistic, Cerebral Palsy, Brain Injured, Comatose, Retarded, Minimal
Brain Dysfunction, Normal, Accelerated and Gifted. The families served
by NACD have traveled to our centers from all 50 states, Europe, Asia,
Africa, South America, Australia, and Canada.” Refer to
http://www.nacd.org/who.html#1001 for information on the Board of
Directors and Advisory Board, and links to various services and
regional evaluation offices. A map of centers around the United
States, including contact information for the Chattsworth, California
office, is available at http://www.nacd.org/officelocations.html .
A description of the evaluation process and links to articles and
research can be found at http://www.nacd.org/programs.html. I was
curious about the evaluation process, so I clicked on the link for
“Level 1” evaluations. The link brought me to
http://www.nacd.org/programs3.html#1002A and I have included an
excerpt about what the Level 1 and Level II Evaluations entail:
Level I: children and adults who are seen by NACD who are
considered "normal", accelerated, gifted, or who have learning or
attention problems.
Level II: children and adults with more significant needs such as
those with brain injuries, various syndromes, developmental delays,
autism, PDD, etc.
Please notice that both Level I and Level II evaluations are
offered at the Chattsworth clinic!
Refer to http://www.nacd.org/programs2.html for the description and
approach to evaluation. The link for appointment scheduling may be
found at http://www.nacd.org/programs2.html . Information about fees
may be found at http://www.nacd.org/programs5.html
Have you tried the Melvin Smith Learning Center in Sacramento? The
Centeris "a nonprofit corporation that provides assistance for
children and adults with dyslexia, attention deficit, learning
handicaps, or reading challenges through a wide range of services,
publications, and training programs." For more information and to
contact the clinic, please go to http://www.iser.com/MSLC-CA.html.
The Diablo Behavioral Health Care and Education Center in Danville,
California offers “comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and medical
evaluation for children and adults with ADD and co-occuring
conditions..” Contact information for the Center can be found at
http://forms2100.com/OneADDPlace/services/servform910852086165.html
The ADD Medical Treatment Center of Santa Clara Valley is worth
contacting. I must admit I was a bit skeptical when I came to the
homepage at http://www.addmtc.com/index.html . However, I became more
comfortable when I read the link about Dr. Gross from the Table of
Contents. A short description of his background can be read at
http://www.addmtc.com/surprise.html . If, after perusing the website
and it’s wealth of articles, you feel that you might want to consider
making an appointment, the contact information is at
http://www.addmtc.com/contacts.html?20,16
The Amen Clinic in Newport Beach and Fairfield, California, is
another possibility. I have to say, the fees seem exorbitant! However,
it is worth researching. The home page is at
http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/about/default.asp There is an online ADD
evaluation that you can take for “fun”, but I have read they are not
particularly accurate. The link to the test is
http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/addtests/ A complete list of doctors in
other areas of California who have been trained in the AMEN method can
be found at http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/referrals.asp
Further reading on ADD, which you may have already discovered, is
available below:
The “SNAP IV Scale for Diagnosing ADD/ADHD in Children,” developed by
a psychologist at the University of California, can be found at
http://www.add-biofeedback.com/snap.html
For an excellent resource on Attention Deficit Disorder with a lot of
interesting information and many links, refer to “ADD and Challenged
Individuals” at http://www.concentric.net/~skiplac/challeng.html
I hope these resources are a start. If you feel they are too far from
Sacramento, they are still worth contacting as a source for diagnostic
clinics closer to your area. Let me know if I can be of further help.
Good luck, and enjoy your son, along with all the wonderful qualities
I am sure he possesses!
umiat-ga
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