The school shouldn’t be able to force you to do this. If you are curious you could ask your doctor. You know your child and if you and they are happy then leave things the way they are. Your child is just that, your child. The school have no say.

Can you seek a GP – one that bulk bills for their medical opinion?

I wouldn’t do it. I never wanted to label my daughter, so I didn’t do it. She now, as an adult, has gotten her self assessed and yes she has ADHD, but I am still happy that I didn’t get her assessed. We coped, we understand each other. I have had a recent revelation that I too have ADHD, although mine is somewhat different to the way she manifested.

Do not let the school bully you into something you’re not comfortable with. It will absolutely be all about funding for them. Go with your gut. As his Mum, you do know best.

I don’t know how they can force such a thing! I would be looking into the legalities and maybe considering a different school.

Go see your paediatrician and get a letter of no diagnosis if you believe it to be true, your paediatrician can give an official diagnosis if there is one and most only charge Medicare and health care card no out of pocket. But you need to know your rights, your school cannot force you to do anything you don’t want to put your child through. You can just say no.

I work in the NDIS industry and we always hear stories about this situation. The schools push for a diagnosis because they will get extra funding. Some parents get frustrated because the childs therapist won’t sign off on them for funding. When you see what some packages are worth, you can see why people don’t hesitate to sign up for NDIS.

I believe ADHD is being thrown around too much when it comes to our children. I believe if the school wants it and is bullying or forcing you, then tell them they will have to pay for it because you cannot afford it. Most of the time children are just full of energy, but people seem to want to stick a label on children who seem a little different from others. It’s rubbish and not necessary. My advice is don’t be bullied or pushed into anything. If you are happy with your child and don’t think their progress is being hindered in any way, then don’t put your child through any tests.

I would be talking to the teachers first asking them why, teachers are around the children alot so they would have an understanding the traits of other children that are diagnosed
Then I would talk to the gp next time you take your child to one and bring it up, then go from there. Your child might need to be tested or you might be telling the teacher your gp doesn’t think so. It’s better to be sure and get into the system earlier then not

If your child’s school strongly believe that ADHD is a possibility, I would highly recommend you figure out a way to look into it. Early intervention is so important for children. There are services who can provide you support if you were to take that avenue, but you need to make those first steps as a parent. Start by approaching the school, ask them for their concerns (you can even request a letter) and then head to your family GP to discuss next steps.
Yes it can be expensive, but think of the expense between now and a POSSIBLE diagnosis if you child needed extra help such as tutoring, therapies etc. They’re much more expensive than for example being eligible for some funding through NDIS.
My daughter is 4 and is diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. The support we have received has been so worth the time, stress and money. I promise it will be for you too if it came to it.

I would be asking why they believe your child has adhd. Also having ADHD does not necessarily mean that you are slower than your peers… you have people high on the spectrum and low on the spectrum. In fact this may mean that your child maybe quite gifted when it comes to learning things of special interests. Outside of IQ your child may display other characteristics that are in line with an Autism diagnoses. Sometimes as parents we actually do not see these signs ourselves as it has become normalised within our family homes and or settings. If your child does have the assessment and is diagnosed yes costly but in the long run better off for you and your child. You can then access ndis funding for further support when or if it is ever needed as you never know later on down the track. You can than also apply for a carers allowance with Centrelink which is not income tested and is non-taxable it is only roughly $116 a fortnight but this is ongoing whilst the child is an dependent within your care and will help you out just that little bit more and it will supply your child with their own healthcare card for cheaper pharmaceuticals and healthcare if you don’t have one yourself. Have the chat with your school then have a visit to your gp and see what they recommend. All the best.

Talk to them and listen. Kids are different at school, the environment, the work, social situations, and academic levels are things we don’t see at home. Teachers spend a lot of time with our kids, they see things we may not. At the end of the day whats best for your child might well be getting some evaluations done, and getting the help they need in school to help them thrive. And you could be right, it may not be ADHD at all.

Maybe discuss their concerns and talk to your own gp who you feel comfortable with as well.

Talk to them. Maybe consider why they think what they think and see if there are other issues that need dealing with and if the school is a good fit for the child/family.

I would always go for a second opinion if something feels not quite right