Initial Assessment and Diagnosis
NICHQ Vanderbilt ADHD Primary Care Initial Evaluation Form
Intended for use by the clinician, this tool helps organize the various pieces of information needed to make a diagnosis of ADHD—patient history of presenting symptoms; relevant past and family medical history; a pertinent review of systems to consider other conditions that can look like or coexist with ADHD; physical examination, including vision, hearing, and neurologic; and a review of validated assessment scales, including a comorbidity screen. This form also can serve to organize the child’s treatment plan, including making appropriate referrals, identifying target symptoms, and scheduling appropriate follow-up and parent education.
NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale: Parent Informant
This tool is a validated, parent-completed questionnaire that obtains information needed for diagnosis from a parent about core symptoms of ADHD and areas of functional impairment. It includes a screen for comorbidities including externalizing disorders (oppositional-defiant and conduct) and internalizing disorders (depressive and anxiety).
Sample Scored NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale: Parent Informant
This tool, intended for the clinician and parent,
illustrates how the scale is completed and scored.
NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale: Teacher Informant
This tool is a teacher-completed, validated questionnaire that obtains information needed for diagnosis from a teacher about core symptoms of ADHD and areas of functional impairment. It includes a screen for comorbidities including externalizing disorders (oppositional-defiant and conduct) and internalizing disorders (depressive and anxiety). The review of functional impairments can be used to help identify children who require additional screening for learning disabilities.
Scoring Instructions for NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales
This tool reviews for the clinician how to score and interpret the NICHQ Vanderbilt parent and teacher assessment and follow-up scales.
Sample Cover Letter to Teachers From Clinicians PDF | Word
Intended for use by the clinician, this letter serves as an introduction that may accompany the assessment scale requested from a teacher. It is suggested that a Release of Information Form, signed by the parent, accompany the letter. This sample is provided as a template; clinicians can adapt it to fit their own practice approach.
Assessment and Diagnosis With Comorbidities
Clinician Tool for Screening
Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 English | Scoring Instructions
A parent-completed questionnaire that screens children for behavioral disorders, this tool has internalizing, externalizing, and attention subscales. The screening may be used as part of an annual evaluation of children with ADHD to identify those who may have significant comorbidity. The screen and its attention subscale can also be used to identify children from the general population for further evaluation of possible ADHD.
Clinician Tools for Further Evaluation
PHQ-9 English | Scoring and Instructions
Depression can complicate ADHD or present with similar symptoms. The PHQ-9 is a patient-completed questionnaire that screens for depressive disorders. It can be used to identify or follow patients with comorbid depressive disorders.
CRAFFT Provider Guide
This guide outlines a clinician approach to evaluating and treating adolescents for substance abuse concerns.
The CRAFFT Screening Questionnaire
Substance abuse can complicate ADHD or present with similar symptoms. CRAFFT can be given as a written questionnaire or asked of patients to screen for substance abuse disorders.
Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) Child Version
Anxiety disorders can present with inattention and can also be comorbid with ADHD. This questionnaire can be used to identify patients who require further evaluation or treatment for anxiety disorders.
Guidance for Primary Care Clinicians: Managing Common Mental Health Symptoms in Children and Adolescents: Background
This tool from the AAP Addressing Mental Health Concerns in Primary Care: A Clinician’s Toolkit provides information on a general approach to addressing mental health symptoms in a primary care setting. It includes suggestions on building a therapeutic alliance, and the role of primary care clinicians in the evaluation of children younger than 5 years and in the treatment of children who present with more severe problems.
Recommendations for Cardiovascular Evaluation and Monitoring of Children and Adolescents Receiving Medications for ADHD
This tool reviews recommendations for cardiovascular screening and monitoring during medication treatment of ADHD. These recommendations are based on a joint statement by the AAP and American Heart Association (AHA) following the AHA scientific statement of April 21, 2008.
Parent Tools
The following parent-directed handouts from Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) discuss approach to treatment of ADHD and other comorbidities:
ADHD and Coexisting Disorders (Overview)
ADHD and Depression
ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders
ADHD and Sleep Disorders
ADHD and Tics and Tourette Syndrome |