Thanks everyone. So I think my real question now is whether I need to be looking at a regular neuropsych who tests for things like adhd (and depression, etc.), or would a therapist who works with adolescents with adhd do this?
Here's the really long version -- DS13 is a quirky kid. He was diagnosed as having sensory processing issues at 8yo, and had a year of OT which didn't seem to make any difference. He has been on an IEP since then, but is resistant to any services in school.
At the end of last year (6th grade) DS had an eval done at school. Shortly after, the principal pulled me in to ask if we'd looked at ASD. But folks I know who work with a lot of ASD kids who know him don't necessarily think he is on the spectrum, along with our own experience of him not jiving with ASD checklists, so we didn't pursue it. This year I had a little extra testing done (VECHI, hoping he'd reach DYS numbers, but due to one score - the social comprehension one - he did not), and he fell apart during testing. We were called back in for another conversation with the principal and school psych that they were concerned about him being depressed.
HOWEVER, DS is very very resistant to any kind of therapy (we tried several years ago, he did see a therapist at age 9 or 10 for a brief time; in hindsight, she wasn't a good fit), and therapists in general. So in discussions about what to do with him, we (DH and I, and the school psych) thought it would be great if we could get him to see someone for testing for adhd (which, notably, DS thinks he has and would like to be tested for) who also does therapy so it could be 'snuck' in and the relationship could be started while DS was doing something he actually wants to do. Because we were looking for a certain kind of therapist to start, time passed while I waited for recommendations from the school psych and principal. Neither of which panned out. But that process left me concerned that it is really hard to find someone who does both.
Long story short - we need to do *something* here, but I'm just not sure what the best route is long term. The only thing I *do* know is that every day I wait, is another day we aren't getting his needs met. So I'm suddenly panicked as I've let time slip by...
I guess I'm looking for recommendations of the best path, and thoughts on whether it would be better (timeline-wise) to find a neuropsych to test and then convince DS to see a therapist if needed, or whether it is reasonably common to find therapists who test as well (and I just need to keep searching). Also should I be hoping to find someone who has some knowledge of giftedness in all this too?
