Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children

If you’re worried that your child may have ADHD, the first step is to make an appointment with their healthcare provider. Your child’s pediatrician or another specialist can determine if your child has ADHD using a set of guidelines developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The guidelines are specifically for children ages 4 to 17. It’s hard to diagnose ADHD in children younger than 4 because they can change very quickly, and many kids at this age are naturally overactive or inattentive. It may also be harder to diagnose ADHD in teenagers due to other conditions they may have, such as depression or anxiety.

There’s no ADHD test to help diagnose the condition. Your child’s provider will take several steps and gather lots of information to help them make a diagnosis. The key factor is multiple people observing the behaviors associated with ADHD in different settings, such as at school and at home. A number of people will be involved in assessing your child’s behavior, including:

• You.
• Your child.
• Your child’s healthcare provider.
• Your child’s teachers and other staff members.
• Your child’s other caregivers.

Based on this reported information, your child’s provider will look at how your child’s behavior compares to other children their age. Noting your child’s symptoms, they’ll also use guidelines found in the DSM-5-TR to help diagnose ADHD. The DSM-5-TR states that:

• Your child’s symptoms must occur in two or more settings (home, school and/or social situations) and cause dysfunction.
• Your child’s provider must identify the presence or absence of six or more symptoms.
• Your child’s symptoms must considerably impair their ability to function in daily activities.
• Their symptoms must have started before they turned 12 years old.
• They’ve had symptoms for at least six months.

After they’ve evaluated your child and their symptoms, they can make a diagnosis along with the type of ADHD. A thorough assessment of behavior is critical (not just neuropsychological testing of attention), as many children who are quite bright may perform well in school even while showing inattentive symptoms.