ADHD Test: Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scale

ADHD is a tricky disorder to diagnose. While it's easy to assume that a hyperactive little boy or an inattentive student might be suffering from ADHD, these symptoms can also point to a number of unrelated disorders - autism, sensory integration problems, learning disorders, and even hearing problems. When these disorders occur with ADHD, they are called "co-morbid" disorders and should be addressed by a child's treatment plan.

One way specialists screen co-morbid learning disorders is through a reliable tool called the Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scale (VARS). This scale was specifically designed to identify if a child diagnosed with ADHD might also be suffering from learning disorders, particularly in spelling or reading.

VARS is not actually used on the child per se; rather, the scale is answered by parents and teachers. After all, they are the ones who see how the child behaves on a regular basis. Items on the scale include behavioral descriptions, such as "Leaves seat when he is supposed to stay in seat" or "Is afraid to try new things for fear of making mistakes." The test-taker has to rate the following behaviors on a scale of 0 to 3 where 0 stands for "never" and 3 stands for "very often."

It's important to note that this rating scale is not designed to identify or diagnose the specific co-morbid disorder a child might have. Rather, it will help you find out if your child has any learning difficulties that need to be addressed by the right specialist. Then your child can undergo certain treatments to overcome these problems along with the symptoms of ADHD.

Additionally, VARS cannot identify math learning disorders. Despite these limitations, however, researchers have found the VARS to be a reliable screening tool for children with ADHD. A recent study on the reliability of the VARS involved the participation of 128 unmedicated children with ADHD between the ages 7 to 11 years. After the parents and teachers took the test, it was discovered that 38% of the children met the criteria for spelling and reading learning disorders.

So when you have your child evaluated for ADHD, make sure that the doctor uses of the VARS or similar assessment tools designed to rule out co-morbid disorders. Aside from treating the core symptoms of ADHD, it's important that you uncover all the problems your child may be experiencing so that he or she can recover completely.

Dr. Yannick Pauli is an expert on natural approaches to ADHD and the author of the popular self-help home-program The Unritalin Solution. He is Director of the Centre Neurofit in Lausanne, Switzerland and has a passion taking care of children with ADHD. Click on the link for more great information about what is adhd.

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