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Misdiagnosis of ADHD in Children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects many children; however, it is possible that some children who have been diagnosed with ADHD may actually have other medical conditions causing their symptoms. A diagnosis of ADHD should rule out other medical conditions.

  1. Significance

    • According to Safer Child organization, about 3 to 5 percent of all children in the United States have ADHD. However, in some classrooms about 10 percent of the children take medications to treat ADHD. Thus, it appears many children may be misdiagnosed with ADHD.

    Types

    • ADHD is classified into the different categories. The hyperactive type of ADHD is characterized by high activity levels and lack of impulse control and the inattentive type of ADHD is characterized by an inability to sustain attention on a given task. The combined type is a combination of the hyperactive and inattentive types.

    Identification

    • ADHD may be difficult to properly diagnose. Children may incorrectly receive a diagnosis of ADHD when they actually have other conditions such as bipolar disorder, restless legs syndrome, petit mal seizures, learning disabilities, hearing problems, auditory processing disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, depression, allergies, anxiety or emotional problems.

    Considerations

    • Parents may want to have their child evaluated for ADHD if he is displaying symptoms characteristic of ADHD for more than six months. Also, symptoms should occur in multiple settings and should be significant enough to cause problems with school and peer relationships.

    Treatment

    • ADHD is typically treated with a combination of medications and behavioral therapy. If medications and therapy fail to correct the behaviors, other possible diagnoses should be investigated.

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