| Many people are curious about how ADHD is | | | | intelligence and learning achievement to screen for |
| diagnosed. How do doctors know it's really ADHD and | | | | learning disabilities.What the specialist is doing is piecing |
| not just normal behavior?ADHD diagnosis is a | | | | together a jigsaw puzzle that is the child's behavior. |
| complicated procedure.First, the physician, psychologist | | | | Which ADHD-like behaviors listed in the most recent |
| or social worker will look for other causes of the child's | | | | DSM-IV does the child show? How often? In what |
| behavior, besides ADHD.These causes can include:- A | | | | situations? How long has the ADHD-possible child been |
| sudden change in the child's life, such as a death in the | | | | exhibiting these behaviors? How old was the child |
| family, parents' divorce, or parent's job loss- | | | | when the ADHD-like behaviors started? Are the |
| Undetected seizures- A middle ear infection that | | | | behavior problems relatively chronic or periodic in |
| causes intermittent hearing problems- Learning disability | | | | nature? Are the behaviors seriously interfering with the |
| causing underachievement- Anxiety or depressionThe | | | | child's life? Does the child have any other related |
| practitioner will take into account school and medical | | | | problems?The answers to all of these questions will |
| records that show ADHD-like behavior and other | | | | figure into a diagnosis of ADHD (or not).This is just a |
| information, and will try to determine whether the home | | | | brief sketch of what goes into an ADHD diagnosis. |
| and/or school environments are chaotic and causing | | | | Your child's pediatrician can give you more information |
| stress.The specialist will ask the parents and teachers | | | | on ADHD diagnostic criteria.Information from this article |
| to fill out a special ADHD rating scale which helps with | | | | comes from the National Institute of Mental Health |
| diagnosis, and may interview teachers and others | | | | Report "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."Angie |
| close to the child.In most cases, the possibly ADHD | | | | Dixon is a writer and ADHD mom of an ADHD son, |
| child will be screened for general mental health and | | | | Jack. For a free report on helping your ADHD son, see |
| social adjustment, and will probably have tests of | | | | Angie's site "That's My Son! |