Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Is It Really ADHD?

Source: National Institute of Mental Health; NIH Publication No. 3572 (extract)

Not everyone who is overly hyperactive, inattentive, or impulsive has ADHD. Since most people sometimes blurt out things they didn't mean to say, or jump from one task to another, or become disorganized and forgetful, how can specialists tell if the problem is ADHD?

Because everyone shows some of these behaviors at times, the diagnosis requires that such behavior be demonstrated to a degree that is inappropriate for the person's age.

The diagnostic guidelines also contain specific requirements for determining when the symptoms indicate ADHD. The behaviors must appear early in life, before age 7, and continue for at least 6 months.

Above all, the behaviors must create a real handicap in at least two areas of a person's life such as in the schoolroom, on the playground, at home, in the community, or in social settings. So someone who shows some symptoms but whose schoolwork or friendships are not impaired by these behaviors would not be diagnosed with ADHD.

Nor would a child who seems overly active on the playground but functions well elsewhere receive an ADHD diagnosis.

To assess whether a child has ADHD, specialists consider several critical questions: Are these behaviors excessive, long-term, and pervasive? That is, do they occur more often than in other children the same age? Are they a continuous problem, not just a response to a temporary situation? Do the behaviors occur in several settings or only in one specific place like the playground or in the schoolroom?

The person's pattern of behavior is compared against a set of criteria and characteristics of the disorder as listed in the DSM-IV-TR.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health; NIH Publication No. 3572 (extract)
Added: 29th June 2007

Looking for help with a problem your child is having with ADHD?

If your child is suffering from an emotional or psychological health problem, then be assured... help is available.

Children with psychological or emotional difficulties such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often respond really well to the therapies available today that use the power of your child's imagination.

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often respond really well to things like hypnotherapy, where they get to enjoy using the power of their imagination. They often come away from hypnotherapy sessions feeling 'lighter'.

Avon Hypnotherapy's Paul Douglass describes the hypnotherapy sessions for children...

"They feel comfortable with a non-judgemental therapist, and can often allow themselves to express feelings of embarrasment, guilt or shame for example, that they can't 'offload' anywhere else.

The children often really enjoy the sessions, and indeed, the mums and dads that get involved often gain a lot from the session too!"

Read the full article: Hypnotherapy for Children, by Paul Douglass MIAPH Acc.

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