It may help if you: Develop consistent routines at home and at school. Keep rules clear and simple, and give reminders calmly.
Give your child only one or two instructions at a time. Ask them to repeat the instruction to be sure that they have understood. Praise your child when they are behaving appropriately, and acknowledge their achievements. Be clear about discipline for behaviour you find unacceptable.
These include: medication — ADHD medications are most commonly stimulant medications. They can reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve a child's ability to focus, work, and learn psychotherapies — such as behaviour therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy counselling — for your child and other family members. Parents and carers of children with ADHD may find that they benefit from: parenting skills training that helps them learn how to encourage and reward positive behaviours in their child learning some stress management techniques joining a support group.
International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems , 11th revision ICD , version for , World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD? Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all brain and nerves. Related information. Examples of impairment include losing a job because of ADHD symptoms, experiencing excessive conflict and distress in a marriage, getting into financial trouble because of impulsive spending, failure to pay bills in a timely manner or being put on academic probation in college due to failing grades.
There are many Internet sites about ADHD that offer various types of questionnaires and lists of symptoms. Most of these questionnaires are not standardized or scientifically validated and should not be used to self-diagnose or to diagnose others with ADHD.
A valid diagnosis can only be provided by a qualified, licensed professional. For adults, an ADHD diagnostic evaluation should be conducted by a licensed mental health professional or a physician. These professionals include clinical psychologists, physicians psychiatrist, neurologist, family doctor or other type of physician or clinical social workers. Whichever type of professional is chosen, it is important to ask about their training and experience in working with adults with ADHD. Qualified professionals are usually willing to provide information about their training and experience with adults with ADHD.
Reluctance to provide such information in response to reasonable requests should be regarded with suspicion and may be an indicator that the individual should seek out a different professional. Ask your personal physician for a referral to a health care professional in your community who is qualified to perform ADHD evaluations for adults. It may also be helpful to call a local university-based hospital, a medical school or a graduate school in psychology for recommendations.
If there is an ADHD support group in your area, it may be very helpful to go there and talk with the people attending the group. Chances are that many of them have worked with one or more professionals in your community and can provide information about them. Most insurance plans list professionals by specialty and can assist those who participate in their plans to find a health care professional. Most adults who seek an evaluation for ADHD experience significant problems in one or more areas of living.
The following are some of the most common problems:. A qualified professional can determine if these problems are due to ADHD, some other cause or a combination of causes. Although some ADHD symptoms are evident since early childhood, some individuals may not experience significant problems until later in life.
Some very bright and talented individuals, for example, are able to compensate for their ADHD symptoms and do not experience significant problems until high school, college or in pursuit of their career.
In other cases, parents may have provided a highly protective, structured and supportive environment, minimizing the impact of ADHD symptoms until the individual has begun to live independently as a young adult. Most people are a little nervous and apprehensive about being evaluated for any type of condition such as ADHD.
Many professionals find it helpful to review old report cards and other school records dating back to kindergarten or even the preschool years. If such records are available, they should be brought to the first appointment. Copies of reports from any previous psychological testing should also be brought to the appointment. For adults who experience problems in the workplace, job evaluations should be brought for review if available. Many professionals will ask the individual to complete and return questionnaires before the evaluation and to identify a spouse or other family member who can also participate in parts of the evaluation.
Timely completion and return of the questionnaires will expedite the evaluation. Although different clinicians will vary somewhat in their procedures and testing materials, certain protocols are considered essential for a comprehensive evaluation. These include a thorough diagnostic interview, information from independent sources such as the spouse or other family members, DSM-5 symptom checklists, standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD and other types of psychometric testing as deemed necessary by the clinician.
These are discussed in more detail below. View More. I agree. Symptoms and Diagnosis Symptoms and Diagnosis Many ADHD symptoms, such as high activity levels, difficulty remaining still for long periods of time and limited attention spans, are common to young children in general.
Has problems staying focused on tasks or activities, such as during lectures, conversations or long reading. Does not seem to listen when spoken to i. Has problems organizing tasks and work for instance, does not manage time well; has messy, disorganized work; misses deadlines.
Avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort, such as preparing reports and completing forms. Often loses things needed for tasks or daily life, such as school papers, books, keys, wallet, cell phone and eyeglasses. Is easily distracted. Forgets daily tasks, such as doing chores and running errands. Older teens and adults may forget to return phone calls, pay bills and keep appointments.
Not able to stay seated in classroom, workplace. Runs about or climbs where it is inappropriate. Unable to play or do leisure activities quietly. Talks too much. Has difficulty waiting his or her turn, such as while waiting in line. Older teens and adults may take over what others are doing. To diagnose ADHD in adults and adolescents age 17 years or older, only 5 symptoms are needed instead of the 6 needed for younger children.
Symptoms might look different at older ages. For example, in adults, hyperactivity may appear as extreme restlessness or wearing others out with their activity. For more information about diagnosis and treatment throughout the lifespan, please visit the websites of the National Resource Center on ADHD external icon and the National Institutes of Mental Health external icon.
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