Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders
Documentation Guidelines

The following guidelines are taken from the Consortium on ADHD, copyright 1998.

Evaluator’s Qualifications:

Professionals conducting assessments and rendering diagnoses of ADHD must have training in differential diagnosis and the full range of psychiatric disorders.  The following professionals would generally be considered qualified to evaluate and diagnose ADHD provided they have comprehensive training in the differential diagnosis of ADHD and direct experience with an adolescent or adult ADHD population:

• Clinical psychologists
• Neuropsychologists
• Psychiatrists

It is not considered appropriate for professionals to evaluate members of their families.  Documentation from a family member will not be accepted.

Reports from a professional should be submitted on letterhead and include the following:

• Name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator
• Information about license or certification as well as the area of specialization
• Number of years employed in current field
• State/province in which the individual practices

Documentation:

The provision of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon assessment of the impact of the student’s disabilities on his or her academic performance at a given time in the student’s life.  Therefore, it is in the student’s best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation relevant to the student’s learning environment.  Documentation should be recent-within the last three years.

A.    Evidence of Early Impairment

Because ADHD is, by definition, first exhibited in childhood and manifests itself in more than one setting, historical and academic information must be gathered from the evaluator.

B.    Evidence of Current Impairment

Diagnostic assessment should consist of more than a self-report; history of attentional symptoms, including evidence of ongoing impulsive/hyperactive or inattentive behavior that has significantly impaired functioning over time is critical in the diagnosis of ADHD.

C.    Alternative Diagnoses and/or Explanations

Diagnostic assessment should examine the possibility of co-existing diagnoses.  This process should explore possible alternative diagnoses including medical and psychiatric disorders as

well as educational and cultural factors, which impact the individual and may result in behaviors mimicking ADHD.

D.    Diagnostic Testing

Neuropsychological or psychoeducational assessment is critical in determining the current impact of the disorder on the individual’s ability to function in a school setting.  Assessment must include standardized measures for inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity as delineated in the DSM-IV.

E.    Diagnostic Report & Summary

The diagnostic report must be a comprehensive interpretive summary synthesizing the evaluator’s judgment for the diagnosis of ADHD.  The report must include the following:

• All quantitative information in standard scores and/or percentiles; all relevant developmental, medical, psychosocial, behavioral, academic, and medication information.
• A specific diagnosis of ADHD based on the DSM-IV criteria.  The report must identify the substantial limitation of a major life function presented by the ADHD.
• Specific recommendations for accommodations.  Accommodations must be based on significant functional limitations and must be supported by the diagnostic assessment.