New Jersey ADHD Specialist Discusses the Complexities of Diagnosing True ADHD

Feb. 27, 2011 - PRLog -- PRINCETON, NJ — Every parent fears that their child has a problem focusing or sitting still and concentrating. Unfortunately, inattentiveness can be a symptom of a vast array of conditions, but attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has caught most of the blame. But, while a child may act like he or she has ADHD, it is far harder to diagnose ADHD than noticing a short attention span in an adolescent.

In truth, hyperactivity and a lack of focus or interest can derive from depression, anxiety, or a handful of other clinical conditions. A doctor that can differentiate the difference between ADHD and other conditions that cause similar symptoms makes all the difference in creating a better life for the child.

“Diagnosing ADHD is a slippery slope,” says Dr. Yithak Shnaps, a Princeton, NJ psychiatrist. “Often patients go misdiagnosed or parents presume the root cause is ADHD without thorough evaluation. This leads to ineffective treatment which can compound the true root condition or even spur new issues in the patient.”

Dr. Shnaps finds that the best method to evaluate the presence of ADHD starts by talking with parents and teachers to collect a thorough, comprehensive background in addition to the child’s medical history. Reviewing all the data, a “differential diagnosis” is determined, which sheds light on all the variables that contribute to the child’s root conditions.

“Differential diagnosis is much like detective work,” says the NJ ADHD expert. “Knowing the past is key to determining the child’s future treatment. With a complete understanding of the patient’s history, I can move onto psychological and psychiatric evaluation. An average child psychiatrist or child psychologist conducting an evaluation would stop here, but we go further.""

Perhaps the most important part of ADHD examinations, Quotient ADHD System. After the differential diagnosis reveals ADHD as the true disorder afflicting a child, the Quotient ADHD System serves as an adjunct to ADHD treatment (which can include psychological therapy sessions and prescription medication depending on the patient).

New Jersey psychiatrist Dr. Shnaps states, “The Quotient ADHD System keeps a doctor’s treatment true. The tests evaluate three key factors: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.” Continuing, Dr. Shnaps says, “The tests don’t take long, but the data reveals the extent of a patients condition, which tells me how to properly treat the child, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Dr. Shnaps is a top NJ psychiatrist in New Jersey who is one of the few doctors qualified to perform Intensive Combined Therapy. This allows Dr. Shnaps to both prescribe medication and hold therapy sessions--a true convenience for patients and optimal method for treatment.

“Many people think that ADHD is the easiest thing in the world to identify,” says Dr. Shnaps. “In reality it’s one of the hardest because the symptoms are ubiquitous. But, with the help of an experienced psychiatrist, the road to a happier child is just around the corner.”

Learn More
To learn more about New Jersey psychiatrist Dr. Yitzhak Shnaps’ various psychiatric treatments, visit Dr. Shnaps’ Web site: www.princetonpsyiatrist.com or call (609) 921-7878 for more information.

About Dr. Yitzhak Shnaps, MD
Yitzhak Shnaps, MD provides integrated psychiatric treatment and psychological counseling for individuals along the lifespan. He specializes in psychiatry, with expertise in Mood Disorders, Learning and Behavioral Disorders, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, and other mental health issues in individual, family, and school settings.
Dr. Shnaps is a graduate of the Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel and performed his Psychiatric Residency and Psychiatric Chief Residency at Albert Einstein Medical College, Bronx, New York. His academic and administrative appointments have included Chief, Dual Diagnosis Services – Carrier Foundation, Belle Mead, New Jersey; Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey; and Courtesy Medical Staff, University Medical Center at Princeton, New Jersey.
He is board certified (an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Diplomate), is licensed to practice medicine in the State of New Jersey, and has DEA (US Drug Enforcement Agency) certification. He has received the Sandoz Award for Excellence in Psychiatry from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and has been named one of the Best Doctors in America, first selected in 1996. Dr. Shnaps is a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and an affiliate member with both the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the International Society for the Research of Aggression (ISRA) and has authored and co-authored clinical and research publications in peer reviewed medical journals.

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Yitzhak Shnaps, M.D. is a Princeton, New Jersey psychiatrist. Treating patients of all ages, Dr. Shnaps provides both psychiatric treatment and psychological counseling. His psychiatric specialties include: Mood Disorders, Learning and Behavioral Disorders, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, and a wide variety of other mental health conditions. He helps children in school settings and provides individual and family treatment.