Terry Mauro from www.about.com has written one of the best
articles that I've found regarding trying to decide if there is or
isn't a problem with your child.

Getting a Diagnosis: The First Step Toward
Helping Your Child

A diagnosis doesn't change your child, it explains
your child. It may be scary or hard to accept, but
the right diagnosis can lead you to information,
therapy, technology and services that can greatly
improve the quality of life for your child and your
family. Here's how to find the answers you need.

1. Step 1: Take Notes
2. Step 2: Talk to Your Pediatrician
3. Step 3: Do Your Research
4. Step 4: Consult With Specialists
5. Step 5: Keep Seeking Answers

Step 1: Take Notes

Become the foremost researcher on your child,
examining your subject in a variety of different
environments and documenting all irregularities. If
your child has recurring odd actions that alarm
you, keep a diary of what, when and how long. If
your child has emotional breakdowns or
explosions, keep a chart to see if you can identify
what sets them off. You want to be able to
specifically document your concerns so that
doctors have the most accurate idea of what's
going on and can make the most assured steps
toward a diagnosis.


Step 2: Talk to Your Pediatrician

Chances are, your health insurer will require you
to go through your pediatrician before tests and
specialist visits anyway. But it's just as well,
because your child's regular doctor will likely have
useful insights and advice to give you. While
you're the ultimate expert in your child, the
pediatrician is probably the medical professional
who knows your child best -- certainly better than
the specialists who will pop in for a short time,
look at one aspect of your child's life, and see you
again in a year. A good pediatrician with whom
you have a comfortable rapport is a helpful
person to have filtering all those reports and test
results and guiding you as to what to do about
them.

Step 3: Do Your Research

If your pediatrician shares your concerns, you
may be referred on to a specialist for further
questioning, examining, and testing. You'll want to
do that immediately, but the specialist's schedule
may not cooperate; months-long waits are not
uncommon. Fill the time by doing some research
about your own and your pediatrician's
suspicions. You may have done a little research
before, but now instead of looking for general
possibilities, you'll want to look into the specific
diagnosis or diagnoses being investigated. This
flurry of fact-digging has two good effects: It
makes you more prepared to speak to the
specialist, and it passes all that interminable time.

Step 4: Consult With Specialists

You've talked with the pediatrician. You've taken
your notes and done your research, and now
you're meeting with the big kahuna who can
actually give you answers as to what's going on
with your child. That's what you hope for, anyway.
Specialists may do detailed examinations, order
extensive and expensive tests, and present you
with a diagnosis and a prognosis. Or they may
give your child a cursory look, make some vague
pronouncements, and send you scurrying to the
next intimidating professional. If you're prepared
-- with research and questions and specific
observations about your child -- you may be able
to get enough of an answer to run with, even if a
specific diagnosis is elusive.

Step 5: Keep Seeking Answers

A diagnosis is in many ways the start of the story.
It may get fine-tuned as your child grows and
develops. It may turn out to be inexact or flat-out
inaccurate. Doctors may wind up re-classifying
children like yours, eliminating one diagnosis or
moving a block of children over to another one.
Seek a diagnosis now, but don't stop seeking
information. With your focus on one child and one
disability, you may be able to keep up on current
research and practices better than your doctor.
Read the news, surf the Net, network with other
parents, and collaborate with the professionals in
your child's life. Be your own specialist.
GETTING STARTED
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