How to Diagnose ADD versus ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has become a common diagnosis for children and adults who have problems focusing or staying on task. The There are three types of ADHD listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) used by the medical community. In addition to causing problems with concentration and productivity, ADHD can impede the development of relationships and self-esteem.

Instructions

• 1

  Enlist the help of a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker or a psychiatrist to make the final diagnosis with a battery of tests.

• 2

  Look for symptoms that separate ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Type, ADHD, Predominantly Hyperacitve-Impulse Type and ADHD-Combined Type, which is commonly referred to ADD. Understand that the three main types of the disorder may share some symptoms.

• 3

  Expect the individual with ADHD-Inattentive Type to have difficulty pay close attention to detail and difficulty sustaining attention, to make careless mistakes and to have difficulty with the organization of tasks, papers and personal belongings.

• 4

  Make note of a tendency to forget things, to frequently lose items and to be forgetful, especially of obligations that are date and time sensitive. Group these symptoms with those of ADHD-Inattentive Type.

• 5

  Evaluate the ADHD-Hyperactive Impulsive Type based on excessive talking, noise making, interrupting, fidgeting and an inability to remain seated for any length of time. Note great difficulty in a classroom setting; e.g. blurting out answers, being quiet or waiting for a turn.

• 6

  Consider ADHD-Combined Type is likely the diagnosis when symptoms in varying degrees of severity from both the Predominantly Inattentive Type and Predominantly Hyperactive Inattentive Type are present.

• 7

  Anticipate ADHD-Inattentive Type to be the more likely diagnosis in female children and most adults. Credit this phenomenon to societal conventions of behavior are not accepting of outbursts, fidgeting, interrupting or other impulsive behaviors in girls or adults.