Accommodations range from desks designed for standing, to talking calculators and office location.

School means seven classes with seven different teachers. Work means all day, five days a week, in a pressure-filled, deadline-oriented office. In either setting, there are assignments to juggle, time to manage, and priorities to organize. For someone with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, success in school or the workplace is a moving and elusive target.

"People with ADHD can't make it out the door on time. They have trouble finishing projects, problems with paperwork, and usually, a disaster of an office," says psychotherapist Terry Matlen, author of Survival Tips for Women with ADHD. "When you take the symptoms of ADHD and put them into a work or school setting, there's more than likely going to be a struggle."

Struggling at Work? If It's ADHD, There's Help

About 4 percent of adults and children are believed to have ADHD. They are forgetful and hyperactive, have trouble staying focused and paying attention, and understand or follow instructions with difficulty—all symptoms that can wreak havoc on educational and professional success. Up to a third of students with ADHD drop out of high school, and they're also less likely to attend and graduate from college.

It's no better in the workplace: Adults with ADHD lose an average of three weeks a year of productivity, according to the World Health Organization. They earn less than their coworkers, take more sick days, have more on-the-job accidents, and are more likely to be fired. They also don't get the support that students do. To succeed, they must take the lead by developing coping strategies themselves.

What is “Continuous Performance Testing” (CPT)?
Specialized computer testing programs are now available to assess attention, concentration, and impulsivity. Research strongly supports the diagnostic ability of these programs that use sight and sound to check how a child responds to a variety of challenges. Following each 30-minute test, a preliminary score is generated, determining the presence and severity of inattentiveness and impulsivity. Researchers now say that, without CPT, ADHD-treatment is not up-to-date. There are a few different CPT programs, and Portrait Health Centers uses the program with the most research behind it.

Why use CPT?
When ADHD-like symptoms are present, the use of CPT is a quick, non-invasive, effective, and reliable way to establish a
“baseline”. CPT can then be used to test medications for effectiveness. Since there is no “practice effect,” and patients can do CPT several times, the impact of different dosages and medications can be measured. This means that you no longer need to wonder if a prescribed drug is appropriate and effective. Upon completion of a CPT test, results are immediately analyzed and a complete interpretation and graphical report is provided to you and explained through a personal consultation. With your consent, CPT reports are shared with the prescribing physician.

When the Treatment Path is Idenitifed
The side effects of ADHD medications are well documented, but can be effectively managed by working with the team of specialists at The Portrait Health Centers. Studies have shown that patients treated for ADHD benefit most from a combination of therapies, including nutritional and psychological counseling. Also, throughout the course of treatment, CPT can be periodically administered to monitor your child’s progress to provide you and your doctor with reassurance,
or as necessary, to identify the need for adjustments in therapies. Since dosages are likely to change your child grows, this kind of continual assessment is critical.