ADHD or just being an active kid?

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Dear Melissa,

My daughter’s kindergarten teacher is concerned that she has ADHD. How do I know if she has ADHD or not? If she does have ADHD, what are the best treatment options?

I frequently get this question from parents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated that 11% of children in the U.S. had an ADHD diagnosis in 2011. That was up from 7.8% in 2003. Among all children in the U.S., 6.1% were taking an ADHD medication in 2011, such as Adderall and Ritalin, up from 4.8% in 2007. With rates this high, ADHD is a challenge that many families and every classroom teacher will have to face.

What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood brain disorders and can continue through adolescence and into adulthood. Kids with ADHD struggle with focus and attention, have difficulty controlling behavior, and exhibit hyperactivity. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is similar to ADHD in terms of deficits in focus and attention, but hyperactivity is not a problem.

ADHD or not?
Many young children have difficulty attending to classroom instruction. But does that mean they have ADHD? Certainly not! According to Dr. George Depaul, a psychology specialist in the field of ADHD research, upwards of 40% of elementary students are reported by their teachers to be easily distracted or lacking in focus (Metcalf, 2012). Considering the rise of academic demands in younger grades, combined with the decline in recess and other extracurricular time, no wonder there are problems! Other explanations for inattentiveness could be classroom chaos, boredom, a family crisis at home, or anxiety and depression problems. By working with your child's pediatrician, psychiatrist and/or psychologist, hopefully the right diagnosis (or non-diagnosis) is reached.

How is ADHD diagnosed?
If your child's teacher raises a concern or you suspect ADHD, a good first step is to talk to your child’s pediatrician. Some pediatricians perform ADHD assessments themselves. However, many will refer the family to a mental health specialist (such as a psychiatrist or psychologist) with a specialty in childhood mental health disorders such as ADHD. The pediatrician and mental health professional will also rule out other possible causes for the inattentive behaviors such as deficits in vision or hearing, seizures, insomnia, anxiety, Autism, depression, and learning disabilities.

Generally, the processes of diagnosis for ADHD include interviews with the parents and the child, as well as various standardized tests and questionnaires. In order to qualify for a diagnosis for ADHD, symptoms need to occur in more than one setting (such as both home and school), and they should also demonstrate a negative impact on an individual’s daily life.

What are Treatment Options?
There are MANY treatments for ADHD available. Stay tuned...I will discuss treatment options on my next post. 

Has your child been diagnosed with ADHD? How did you discover your child's diagnosis?
Please share! share@childrenstherapyteam.com

Resources:

What is ADHD, National Institutes of Health
ADHD or Not? Why a Diagnosis Matters, Web MD, Eric Metcalf (2012)

ADHD, Center for Disease Control & Prevention

ADHD: Clinical Practice Guideline for theDiagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/ HyperactivityDisorder in Children and Adolescents, American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics Volume 128, Number 5 (November 2011)

Diagnosing ADHD in Children: Guidelines & Information for Parents, American Academy of Pediatrics, (updated January 2015) 
ADHD, Stimulant Treatment, and Growth: A Longitudinal Study, E. Hardstand, Weaver, Katusic, Colligan, Kumar, Chan, Voigt, Barbaresi, American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Volume 134, (October 2014) 
Stimulant Treatment of ADHD and Cigarette Smoking: A Meta-Analysis, E. Schoenfelder, Faraone, Kollins, American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics Volume 133, Number 6 (June, 2014)

ADHD Resource Center, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (updated October, 2014)