The Difference Between a School Identification and a Clinical Diagnosis

A learning “disability” or health impairment (including ADHD) that’s identified after a school evaluation.

A medical condition (including ADHD) or learning “disorder.”

An IEP team at school.

A doctor, clinical child psychologist, pediatric neuropsychologist, speech-language pathologist, or other qualified clinical professionals.

• Schools identify conditions based on IDEA, the special education law.
• The law covers 13 categories of disability. For a child to be eligible for special education services, the school must identify learning and thinking differences that fall under one of those categories.
• Most learning differences fall under “specific learning disability.” ADHD often falls under “other health impairment.”
• Conditions must also affect the child’s ability to function in the classroom or elsewhere in school at that time they’re identified.
• Child must be reassessed, and issues formally identified, at least every three years.

• Clinical professionals diagnose conditions found in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
• Conditions don’t have to affect school performance in order for clinicians to diagnose them.
• Diagnoses that aren’t covered by IDEA might be used under Section 504.
• Conditions are considered ongoing unless symptoms change and the diagnosis is revised.

• Determines if a child is eligible for special education.
• Entitles eligible student to the supports and services he needs to get a free and appropriate public education through an IEP.
• The same information may be used by a 504 committee at the school to determine eligibility for a 504 plan.

To understand the cause of symptoms and to guide decisions on treatment. (May also provide information to help with the evaluation process at school.)

• Observation in classroom and other school settings.
• Review of developmental milestones, plus medical and family history.
• Standardized assessments of intellectual ability, speech and language skills, and more.
• Mental health screening.
• Parent or caregiver interviews.
• Teacher input.
• Review of educational history.

• Physical exam and other medical testing.
• Review of developmental milestones, plus medical and family history.
• Standardized assessments of intellectual ability, speech and language skills, and more.
• Mental health assessment.
• Parent or caregiver interviews.
• Teacher input.
• Review of educational history.

Free, if done through the public school special education process.

Parent pays; health insurance may provide some coverage.

An IEP team might consider any clinical information that’s available when it’s determining if a child is eligible for special education. That includes a clinical diagnosis.

A diagnosis alone doesn’t satisfy IDEA requirements for getting supports and services in school, however.

A clinician should consider how the diagnostic process could be helpful for educational planning.

A diagnosis doesn’t automatically qualify a child for special education. It might be enough to qualify him for 504 accommodations, however.