Connor's Scale

It's a test for ADHD - that label won't hold her back, but it is a label. The Connor's scale will be used with other input to determine whether or not her focus issues are consistent with ADHD.

Be aware that for many people in a school or medical setting, the first suggestion will be to put her on medication if indeed her issues are consistent with ADHD. So that's something that you probably want to mull over first so that you are not blindsided by the question.

Secondly, if her behaviors are consistent with ADHD and she gets an official diagnosis, that will open her up to being eligible for a 504 accommodation plan that school can follow to help best set her up for success.

Yes, my youngest daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD-Combined (she has both hyperactivity and inattention), so we did complete the Connor's assessments. I think you need to understand that ADHD is not some kind of death knell. Basically, people with ADHD are wired a bit differently than the average person. Think of them as the "hunters" of our society - they are always alert, always processing information, always able to sense any new bit of information. If they had lived thousands of years ago, they'd have been in the jungle chasing prey, hearing the slightest noise behind them and turning just in time to see an animal ready to pounce - so they'd take immediate action. That's how they're wired. Up to 15% of the population is like this, all across the world. It's not unique to America or the developed world. The reason this trait persists is that there is an evolutionary need for people like this. In today's society, they tend to gravitate toward certain jobs - police officers, ER doctors, firefighters, construction workers - where they can be extremely successful.

Now, the other 85% of us are the "farmers" in society. We plant our crops in orderly rows, we remember to water them every day, we know that what we are doing is really boring right now, but in a few months, it will all pay off. We patiently weed the crops. We fertilize the crops. Every day, we have a pattern that we follow. That's how we are wired. If we were out in the jungle hunting prey, we would be dead inside of 10 minutes. Likewise, if an ADHD "hunter" had to tend the crops, the crops would surely die.

Understanding that this is not a "disorder," but rather just a difference in the way a child is wired, can really help. The biggest issue for ADHD kids is that they really have a hard time fitting in with what they're expected to do in school. They tend to be hands-on learners in what is increasingly a cut-and-dry, multiple-choice test world. They need to be able to learn kinesthetically. In a classroom of 30 kids, that's unlikely to happen, and so their natural antsy behavior is perceived as "bad." It's not bad, it's just different.

Anyhow, go ahead and have your daughter tested. Knowing if she has ADHD or not is not a label, it's a start to understanding why she acts the way she does. (And for the record, if the child has ADHD, one of the parents usually is, too, so you may notice as you fill out the assessment that you're recognizing either yourself or her father in a lot of the questions!)

Being able to give a name to something identifies the issue so that it can be properly dealt with. Having a label/tag doesn't hold kids back; people who focus on the label instead of the solution hold them back. You need to make sure you're not going to be that kind of person. I know how it is, I've been there and the reactions of some older relatives were incredibly non-supportive. If your child is screened, tested, and eventually diagnosed embrace that label without fear or shame because it will open doors for her.

Yes, my children have been evaluated by the Connor's Scale. But you need to know that this scale is not a full physical and behavioral evaluation, which your child needs in order to rule out possible causes for her inability to maintain attention and focus.

It's also important to remember, labels or "tags" don't hold a child back, not being properly diagnosed and treated does. Having the test or not doesn't change the fact that she does have something going on.

My mom has ADD. She didn't get a diagnosis until adulthood and because of her ADD she has struggled to finish ANY task through her entire life.

I have ADD. I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 8, after 4 awful years of struggle in preschool and grade school. My first grade teacher called me stupid. I was bullied. I couldn't learn math. It took me a LONG time to catch up once I was being treated. I did graduate with a 3.8 GPA, and I am certain that is because I was diagnosed and treated.

My boys both have a diagnosis. One with ADHD and one with ADD and SPD. I recognized the signs before they even started school and worked with their doctor to determine what kind of behavioral and medical treatment support they needed to be successful.

Today my boys are 11 and 12, in 5th and 7th grades, and bring home straight A's. They do their homework without my help or nagging and do great in class. They can do pretty much any task I ask them to do, and are extremely responsible. Without that label, they'd be struggling to process a world that doesn't work the way they think.

It's very important that you recognize that whatever your child does have, you have to parent her in such a way that she can learn to cope with her issues and become more and more self sufficient. Your child doesn't need to be coddled and babied, she needs to be taught that she is capable and a hardworking person who doesn't give up. She isn't "broken," she just processes the world around her differently.

Yes, we've done the Connor's Scale. It's just one step in the ADHD evaluation process.

There are only positives that can come out of an evaluation. You can learn that the focus issues aren't as bad as you think and maybe you're not faced with ADHD (although it doesn't sound like that's the case). Or you can start talking with the specialists about what the score means and have more in-depth discussions about what's going on.

A tag that will hold her back? I hate to break it to you, but she already has that. She's either been labeled a "troublemaker" or "difficult child" for not paying attention in class. A diagnosis isn't a tag or label ... it's just a medical diagnosis. Knowledge is power. If you know what medical condition she's facing, you can come up with a plan to help her, in the same way you would if she was diagnosed with strep throat or an ear infection. A medical diagnosis leads to a medical plan of action. That's a very good thing.

If you're facing ADHD, join CHADD and subscribe to ADDitude magazine. Both will give you reliable information on daily life with the condition. Also get her a 504 plan or IEP to give her accommodations in school.

Don't stress this. You're on the right track to helping your daughter.

Doing nothing, will hold her back.
Having a proper assessment and behavior plan will help her. Helping a child is not holding them back. It is helping them, grow and gain more skills etc.

I work at a school.
There is a boy there, that OBVIOUSLY has issues & learning issues. Even other parents see it. Including the teacher and school staff. BUT, the parent of the boy, the Mom... will not do anything about it, to get her son help. She is in denial and she just keeps saying "he's fine..."
Meanwhile, every day that passes, her son is not being properly helped because she is not wanting to get him assessed or anything.
She will not take that step.
So then, in his case, SHE is holding him, back.
Because she has no expectations for her son. Per helping him.

Jill K that was beautiful!! I would love to have those words inscribed on granite somewhere.

I simply Can NOT understand people who think a proper diagnosis is going to hurt anyone, being unlabeled and having every one think you are an out of control crazy beast will hold you back, getting treatment will not. maybe people just need to have more faith that there are ways to deal with the symptoms. not picking on you Mommy of 1 I think your point about the positive outcomes is excellent. IF you can focus on that you'll be a great advocate for what ever your child needs.

I wish I could give you first hand info on this test but I 'm not familiar with it.

Hi,As others have mentioned, the Conners is basically a rating scale, which asks the parents and teacher several questions regarding attention, hyperactivity, executive functioning ( how well she can start tasks and finish them), and peer relations. I'm a school psychologist so I use it very frequently. It's not supposed to be used as a sole measure of identifying a diagnosis of ADHD, but combined with observations, parent interview, etc. can be very helpful in getting to a diagnosis. Are they doing this at the school as part of an evaluation or did your pediatrician have you fill it out? If it's a school evaluation, it probably is only one piece of the evaluation and they should be doing other things as well. But yes, it should be used to create a behavior plan for her that will only help her.

Love, love, love what Jill said!!!

I said something similar to my husband when I wanted our son evaluated. My MIL tends to be afraid of anything that would label a child as not "normal." But I'm very fortunate that my husband does see that his mother is too afraid and he is very committed to doing what is best for our children. Our son is already receiving speech and has an IEP (for speech), but the possible ADHD label did concern my husband. He was afraid that it would be a detriment at school.

But like Jill said, a diagnosis is a good thing. Naming whatever it is about a child that is causing them frustration and/or holding them back is the beginning of answers and possible solutions. By having our son evaluated, we were able to really narrow down what it was that was concerning us. To sit there and hear the doctor describe his diagnosis to us almost made me cry. It was the first time anyone else had understood what we were saying. He nailed it! He described our son to a tee!

Now that we have a diagnosis, we can begin to formulate a plan. Our son was diagnosed with Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder, and our doctor was able to work with our son's speech teacher to address most of the concerns with her. It's only been 6 months, and we have seen amazing progress.

Work with your doctor, the teacher, maybe a specialist in the school. If you are all working together, this will be a good thing!