If Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is suspected, to whom can the family turn? What kinds of specialists do they need? Perfectly, the Diagnosis of Child Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder might be made by professional psychologists who are experts in ADHD or the diagnosis of mental disorders.
Child psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, developmental/behavioral pediatricians, or behavioral neurologists are preferably appropriate for child differential diagnosis. Clinical social workers may also have such training.
The family can start by talking with the child’s pediatrician or family doctor. Some pediatricians may assess themselves, but they often refer the family to an appropriate mental health specialist they know and trust.
There are also various state and local government agencies and volunteer organizations that can help identify specialists.
| Specialty | Can diagnose ADHD | Can prescribe medication, if needed | Can provide counseling or training |
| Psychiatrists | YES | YES | YES |
| Psychologists | YES | NO | YES |
| Pediatricians | YES | YES | NO |
| Neurologists | YES | YES | NO |
| Clinical Social Workers | YES | NO | YES |
The National Institute of Mental Health lists the following as possible causes of ADHD-like behavior:
- A sudden change in the child’s life may happen due to a parent or grandparent’s death, parents’ separation/divorce, a parent’s job loss, or other family crisis.
- Unnoticed seizures
- A center ear illness that causes hearing problems
- Medical disorders that may affect brain functioning
- Underachievement caused by a learning disability
- Anxiety or depression.
Ideally, specialists check school and medical records, particularly alert for school records of hearing or vision problems and home and classroom environments.
Next, the child is interviewed and observed to gather information on the child’s ongoing behavior. Teachers who have worked with many children often develop reliable, accurate judgments.
The child’s teachers, parents, babysitters, and others may be interviewed. Intelligence and learning achievement tests may be administered to discover any learning disabilities.
All of this information is put together to form a profile of the child’s behavior, which can, in turn, be used to make a diagnosis.
New Diagnosis of Child Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
The first Diagnosis of Child ADHD was announced in January 2005. Researchers claim the diagnosis, based on examination of eye movements, is more than 93% accurate. Giorgos Pavlidis led the study at the University of Brunel, UK, and said, “Children with ADHD show a large difference in eye movements than normal children.”
The short (ten-minute) test is relatively easy for AD/HD sufferers to sit through and benefit children as young as three. It is also thought that the test might indicate which patients will likely respond well to drugs.
Is It Really ADHD?
Remember that not everyone who is overly hyperactive, inattentive, or impulsive has Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. After all, most of us sometimes blurt out things we don’t mean to say, jump from one task to another, or become disorganized and forgetful. So how can specialists tell if the problem is ADHD?
It’s basically a matter of degree; the diagnosis requires that such behavior be demonstrated appropriately for the person’s age. The behaviors must appear early in life, before age seven, and continue for at least six months.
The behaviors must create a real handicap in at least two areas of a person’s life, like home and the classroom or the classroom and on the playground. Thus, an individual who exhibits some symptoms but whose academic performance or social life is not impaired would not be diagnosed with Child Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Looking at it another way, we’ve already discussed the specific symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Specialists also consider several critical questions regarding the quality of those symptoms when determining if a child needs help: Are these behaviors excessive, Long-term, and Pervasive?
In other words, do they occur more often than in other children the same age? Are they a recurrent problem, not just momentary condition? Do the behaviors take place in various settings? Professional psychologists can give the solution after the Diagnosis of a Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with the help of DSM-V-TR.
Recommended Book: ADHD: What Every Parent Needs to Know