There is no single test for ADHD. It is diagnosed after a child
has shown some or all of 18 symptoms of ADHD on a regular basis for
more than six months.
Health care providers can diagnose ADHD with the help of
standard guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The
diagnosis of ADHD involves the gathering of information from
several sources, including school, caregivers, and parents. The
health care provider will consider how a child's behavior compares
with that of other children the same age.
Children with ADHD show signs of inattention, hyperactivity,
and/or impulsivity in a variety of ways. Many children with
ADHD:
- Are in constant motion
- Squirm and fidget
- Do not seem to listen
- Are easily distracted
- Do not finish tasks.
In addition, the doctor will do a physical examination. A full
medical history will screen for other conditions that might affect
a child's behavior. Among the possible causes of ADHD-like behavior
are:
- A sudden life change (such as divorce, a death in the family,
or moving)
- Undetected seizures
- Thyroid disorders
- Lead toxicity
- Sleep dysfunction
- Medical disorders affecting brain function
- Anxiety
- Depression
The medical history also will help put a child's behavior in
context. In addition, sharing the family history can offer
important clues about a child's condition. The doctor will ask what
symptoms a child is showing, how long the symptoms have occurred,
and how the behavior affects a child and his/her family.
Types of ADHD
Doctors might classify symptoms as the
following types of ADHD:
- Combined inattentive/hyperactive/impulsive --
Children with this type of ADHD show all three symptoms. This is
the most common form of ADHD.
- Hyperactive/impulsive -- Children show both
hyperactive and impulsive behavior, but usually do not have
problems paying attention.
- Inattentive only (formerly known as attention deficit
disorder) -- These children are not overly active. They do
not disrupt the classroom or engage in other disruptive activities,
so their symptoms might not be noticed.
Diagnosing ADHD in adults
It is not easy for a
doctor to diagnose adult ADHD. Sometimes, an adult will recognize
the symptoms of ADHD in himself or herself when a son or daughter
is diagnosed. Other times, adults will seek professional help for
themselves and find that their depression or anxiety is related to
ADHD. In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, an adult must have
childhood-onset and persistent, current symptoms. For an accurate
diagnosis, the following are recommended:
- A history of the adult's behavior as a child
- An interview with the adult's life partner, parent, close
friend, or other close associate
- A physical examination
- Psychological tests
ADHD symptoms continue as problems into adulthood for more than
60 percent of children with ADHD. The following behaviors and
problems might stem directly from ADHD, or might be the result of
related adjustment difficulties:
- Chronic lateness and forgetfulness
- Anxiety
- Lack of organizational skills
- Low self-esteem
- Employment problems
- Difficulty controlling anger
- Impulsiveness
If these difficulties are not managed appropriately, they can
cause emotional, social, occupational, and academic problems in
adults.