Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder of childhood.  It is estimated to affect 3 to 5 percent of school-age children and includes the following core symptoms:

• Developmentally inappropriate level of attention & concentration
  

• Developmentally inappropriate levels of activity
  

• Distractibility
  

• Impulsivity

Scientific Evidence for Diagnosis

The diagnosis of ADHD can be made reliably using well-normed diagnostic testing, interview and observation methods.  However, there is no one independent, valid test for ADHD (National Institutes of Health, November 1998).

Although pediatricians generally have experience treating children with ADHD and can describe the disorder's core symptoms, a "snapshot" of a child's behavior in a brief pediatric office visit is unlikely to provide a sufficient basis for assessing the presence or absence of the disorder..

• The optimal assessment battery for identifying ADHD includes data that are gathered from multiple sources and across situations.
  

• Assessment with parents should include a comprehensive developmental history, a diagnostic interview following DSM-IV criteria & norm-referenced behavior checklists.
  

• School information should include direct observations and behavior checklists completed by teachers.
  

• The child component of a comprehensive assessment should entail testing of academic achievement, cognitive capabilities, executive function, information processing characteristics and attentional factors.
  

Margaret J. Kay, Ed.D., has been evaluating and serving the needs
of ADHD children & adults for over 30 years.

Information & Resources

Support Organizations

• Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
  CHADD works to improve the lives of people with ADHD through education, advocacy and support.
  
  

• National Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
  Serves the needs of children and adults with ADHD and their families.
   

• MyADHD.com
  MyADHD.com contains several Assessment Tools designed to obtain important current and past information about the child or adult undergoing an assessment. The Assessment Tools section contains child and adolescent history forms for parents to complete and history forms for adults to complete, rating scales for parents and teachers to evaluate the presence of ADHD symptoms, self-rating scales for adults and observer rating scales for adults. These scales can help in determining whether the child or adult being assessed exhibits signs of ADHD and other disorders such as anxiety, depression, learning disorders, and behavior disorders.
   

• National Institute of Mental Health
  This booklet is provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Federal agency that supports research nationwide on the brain, mental illnesses, and mental health. Scientists supported by NIMH are dedicated to understanding the workings and interrelationships of the various regions of the brain, and to developing preventive measures and new treatments to overcome brain disorders that handicap people in school, work, and play. The booklet offers up-to-date information on attention deficit disorders and the role of NIMH-sponsored research in discovering underlying causes and effective treatments. It describes treatment options, strategies for coping, and sources of information and support. You'll find out what it's like to have ADHD from the stories of Mark, Lisa, and Henry. You'll see their early frustrations, their steps toward getting help, and their hopes for the future.

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  Find an ADHD Coach

• Casey Dixon - Life Coach
   

• Beth Prosser - ADHD & Life Coach
   

• International Coach Federation

This site was designed by Margaret J. Kay, Ed.D.  Its contents are presented for informational and educational purposes only and are not to be construed as professional advice on medical, legal, technical or therapeutic matters.  By using and accessing the information on this site, you agree to waive any rights to hold the site developer, or any individual and/or group associated with this site, liable for any damage that may result from the use of the information presented here.

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Last modified: January 03, 2008