Diagnosing ADD / ADHD: How Doctors Assess Children and Adults

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There is no single test used to diagnose ADHD. Experts diagnose ADHD after a person has shown some or all of the symptoms on a regular basis for more than 6 months and in more than one setting.

Diagnosing ADHD in Children

health care professional should take a complete medical history to check for other conditions that may affect a child’s behavior. Certain conditions that could mimic ADHD or cause the ADHD-like behaviors are:

  • Recent major life changes (such as divorce, a death in the family, or a recent move)
  • Undetected seizures
  • Thyroid problems
  • Sleep problems
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Lead toxicity

Though many children show some of the behaviors for ADHD, they do not necessarily have the disorder. An ADHD diagnosis requires that these behaviors have been persistent for at least 6 months, that some symptoms began before age 12, that symptoms are present in two or more settings (such as school and home), and that they significantly affect the child in at least two places (social life, school, etc.).

Diagnosing ADHD in Adults

It is not easy for a health care professional to diagnose ADHD in an adult. Sometimes, an adult will recognize the symptoms of ADHD in themselves when their child is diagnosed. Other times, they will seek professional help for themselves and find that their depression, anxiety, or other symptoms are related to ADHD.

In addition to symptoms of inattention and impulsiveness, adults with ADHD may have other problems, including:

  • Chronic lateness and forgetfulness
  • Anxiety
  • Poor organizational skills
  • Low self-esteem
  • Employment problems
  • Short temper
  • Hard time finishing a task
  • Unthinking and immediate response; hard time controlling behavior
  • Restlessness

If these difficulties are not managed appropriately, they can cause emotional, social, occupational and academic problems in adults.

In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, an adult must have persistent, current symptoms that date to childhood. ADHD symptoms continue as problems into adulthood for up to half of children with ADHD. 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 thorough physical exam that may include neurological testing
  • Psychological testing