| a.
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder? |
| b.
Is there a simple test to diagnose ADHD? |
| c.
I'm an adult; doesn't AD/HD only affect
children? |
| d.
The school says my child has AD/HD; now
what do I do? |
| e.
If my child has an IEP or gets special education,
does she have to be in a different classroom?
|
| f.
What is LRE? |
| g.
My child started taking medication and has
developed tics. What do I do? |
| h.
ADD, AD/HD, hyperkinesis? It gets confusing,
doesn't it? |
| i.
Why the change? |
| What
is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD) ? |
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD) are diagnoses applied to children
and adults who consistently display
certain characteristic behaviors over
a period of time. The most common
behaviors fall into three categories:
inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity
. People who are inattentive have
a hard time keeping their mind on
any one thing and may get bored with
a task after only a few minutes. People
who are hyperactive always seem to
be in motion. They can't sit still
and may feel constantly restless.
People who are overly impulsive seem
unable to curb their immediate reactions
or think before they act.
|
|
| Is
there a simple test to diagnose ADHD? |
No; unfortunately, there is no simple test
(like a blood test or a short written test)
to determine whether someone has AD/HD.
This is true of many medical conditions
(for example, there is no "test"
for a simple headache, yet anyone who has
had a headache knows it's real!).
Accurate
diagnosis is made only by a trained clinician
after an extensive evaluation. This evaluation
should include ruling out other possible
causes for the symptoms involved, a thorough
physical examination, and a series of
interviews with the individual (child
or adult) and other key persons in the
individual's life (for example, parents,
spouse, teachers, and others).
|
| I'm
an adult; doesn't AD/HD only affect children? |
No. Although it is most often diagnosed
in children, AD/HD is a lifespan disorder
that affects individuals at all ages. Although
there are limited data on the prevalence
of AD/HD in adults, it is currently believed
that the condition is found in 2-4% of the
adult population.
|
| The
school says my child has AD/HD; now what
do I do? |
AD/HD is a medical condition and the educational
staff of a school are not qualified to diagnose
AD/HD. If you or other adults in your child's
life (e.g. teachers, grandparents, other
caregivers) believe your child may have
symptoms of AD/HD, then you should consult
with your family doctor, your child's pediatrician,
or other licensed medical/mental health
professional who is trained in the diagnosis
and treatment of AD/HD (for more detailed
information on how a diagnosis is made,
see the section on Diagnosis & Treatment).
Teachers
and other school personnel can play an
important role by evaluating your child's
learning ability and determine educational
deficits. This information should be part
of the comprehensive evaluation done by
the medical/mental health professional.
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Source:
CHADD
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