Although ADHD may be over diagnosed in some circumstances, misinformation about ADHD still keeps a lot of kids from getting help.
Remember, kids with ADHD typically:
- are easily distracted and have a short attention span, and/or
- can be impulsive and hyperactive
They also have these symptoms in multiple places, like both at home and school, started having symptoms at an early age, and typically have other family members with similar problems.
And, most importantly, these ADHD symptoms are causing some kind of disability – like poor grades, trouble learning, getting in trouble, or social problems, etc.
Unfortunately, there is no simple blood test or xray that can diagnose ADHD. Instead, we use checklists to see if a child has the symptoms of ADHD, assess if other things could be causing those symptoms, and look at other aspects of your child’s history and physical exam to come up with a diagnosis and plan.
Do you think that your child has ADHD? Does your child’s school?
Make an appointment so that we can talk about it.
- Choosing the Best ADHD Medication for Your Child
- Treating Hard to Control ADHD
- What to Do About the Quillivant XR Shortage?
- Warning – Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Extended Release Tablets (generic Concerta) made by Mallinckrodt and Kudco
More about ADHD
- NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales
- ADHD and Sleep in Kids: Unraveling the Connections
- CDC – Learn More About ADHD
- Behavior Therapy for Children with ADHD
- Treatment & Target Outcomes for Children with ADHD
- Understanding ADHD: Information for Parents
- CDC – Behavior therapy for young children with ADHD
- FDA – Dealing with ADHD: What You Need to Know
- CDC – My Child Has Been Diagnosed with ADHD – Now What?
- FDA – Information about Medications Used to Treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- NIMH – ADHD
- CHADD – Myths and Misunderstandings
- Classroom Accommodations for ADHD
- Attention Deficit Disorder Accommodations within School
- List of appropriate school-based accommodations and interventions
for a 504 plan or for adaptations and modifications section of an IEP - Advocating for a Child with ADHD – 504 or IEP?
- Are Children with ADD/ADHD Eligible for Special Education Services Under IDEA?
- IEP FAQs Resolving Parent-School Disputes
- When is it okay to stop taking ADHD medication?
- AAP – ADHD Medications Do Not Stunt Child’s Growth, Study Finds
- FDA – Safety Review Update of Medications used to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and young adults
- Poison Control and ADHD Medications
- New Psychiatric DNA Testing Is Unproven Ground
