Introduction: The American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013) defines attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. ADHD is separated into three subtypes: predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, predominantly inattentive, and combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive (subtypes will be described in more detail in the following section). ADHD is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders found in children throughout the world, affecting of children from various ethnic, cultural, and social backgrounds. Children with this disorder have significant difficulties in academic, social and family live. While some children …show more content…
In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, children must have six or more of the nine characteristics and older teens or adults must have at least five of the nine symptoms in either or both of the DSM-5 categories listed below (APA, 2013). The symptoms must be more frequent or severe compared to the typical behavior of other children the same age. In addition, the behaviors must create significant difficulty in at least two areas of life, such as home, social settings, school, or work. These are the subtypes with the symptom criteria: “Inattention: Six or more symptoms of inattention for children up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults; symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months, and they are inappropriate for developmental …show more content…
The SNAP- IV (Swanson, Sandman, Deutsch, & Baren, 1983) was developed to assess ADHD symptoms according to the DSM-III and has been updated with the revisions of the DSM (Bussing et al., 2008). The Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) version of the SNAP- IV was used to examine the psychometric properties of the scale. This scale was reduced to 26 items including 18 ADHD symptoms and 8 ODD symptoms listed in the DSM-IV and were rated on a four point scale. Higher numbers indicate higher frequency of symptoms. There are six subscales and the scores range from 0 to 3. The scale is completed by teachers and parents. Bussing et al. (2008) found an overall high reliability, alpha of .94, in their study of 1,613 parent respondents. (Ask: what number for
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a syndrome that is comprised of a variety of behaviors that often arises in early childhood and is characterized by extremely high levels of motor activity, difficulties with attention span and concentrating, and/or impulsive behaviors (Cook & Cash, 2011). It has been estimated in the United States that approximately 20% of children and adolescents display signs of a psychological or behavioral disorder according to Luthy, David, Macintosh, Eden, and Beckstrand (2015). ADHD is considered one of the more prevalent psychological disorders in children, with approximately 3-7% of school-age children with an ADHD diagnosis as mentioned by Luthy et al. (2015).
Analysis of parent-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2011–2013 found that 10% of children ages 4–17 years were diagnosed with ADHD (Pastor et al. 2015) Boys (13.3%) are twice more affected by ADHD than girls (5.6%)(Pastor et al. 2015). A similar study found that the prevalence rate of ADHD diagnosis increased from 7.0% in 1997–1999 to 10.2% in 2012–2014(ADHD General Prevalence. (2014).
Combined. The most common type in the U.S., this is a mix of inattentive symptoms and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.
There are a couple of reasons why it is more difficult to diagnose an adult with ADHD than it is to identify a child with the same problem. One of the problems is that there is no real test for ADHD. Instead there are a series of evaluations that must be done that rule out other problems (2). The American Psychiatric Association describes the symptoms and criteria for diagnosing mental disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Information used to diagnose the condition includes: an interview with the person, medical history, to include asking about the social, emotional, educational, and behavioral history of the person, physical exam, behavior rating scales or checklists for ADHD to evaluate the person's symptoms.
and conduct and learning disorders” (Jackson 2725). Testing for ADHD for a child is a long, difficult, and frustrating process. The caregivers go through a battery of questionnaires, insurance hurdles, and serious behavior battles. ADHD is becoming more recognized as a legitimate issue and testing of treatments have gone underway, but do vary from physician to physician. Research shows that “ There is a growing professional acknowledgment that ADHD is a neurophysiologically based self-control disorder, However, the diagnostic and treatment approaches are controversial and vary considerably across professionals” (Magyary 554). There is a plethora of information about ADHD, and the treatments available. Studies agree that it is a fast growing epidemic, that has received the most funding for research for psychiatric
In the psychiatric medical field, there is a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) that provides very specific guidelines on how to recognize, diagnose, and treat mental disorders. ADHD was first introduced to the DSM in 1980 when the DSM-II was published. Since then, three more DSM’s were published, making DSM-V the most up-to-date published manual. In the DSM-V, it describes “people with ADHD [must] show a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development” and a detailed list of criteria for either inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity follows (“Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)”). Also, everyone potential patient must present four specific conditions: they had to present the inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms prior to age twelve, the symptoms must be present in at least two different settings, the symptoms must impair the individual or evidently interfere with life, and the symptoms must not better fit any other mental disorder (“Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)”). Also, only professionals trained to diagnose ADHD are able to diagnose patients, therefore, eliminating any diagnostic errors attributed to a lack of
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly referred to as simply ADHD, is the most commonly diagnosed disorder among American children today. According to the National Institute on Mental Health an estimated 3 to 5 percent of school age children are affected by this disorder. (1) There are more diagnosed cases of ADHD of in the United States than there are anywhere in the world. The main symptoms of ADHD include "developmentally inappropriate levels of attention, concentration, activity, distractibility, and impulsivity." (1) While the number of people diagnosed with ADHD increases dramatically every year, there is still much about the disorder that is not
Diagnosis of ADHD is based on the number of sub characteristics listed under each main characteristic that actually applies to the individual. Failure to meet the criteria can lead to a diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder NOS (not otherwise specified). This diagnosis means that there are definite characteristics of inattentiveness, hyperactivity,
These treatment guidelines are helpful for clinicians to determine which treatments parents are likely to initiate for their children (Robert, 2013). The primary care physician should initiate an evaluation for ADHD for any child 4 through 18 years of age, who presents with academic or behavioral problems and symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. To make a diagnosis of ADHD, the primary care clinician should establish that the DSM-5 criteria have been met; information should be obtained from reports from parents, teachers, and other school or mental health clinicians involved in the caretaking of the child (Robert, 2013). During the evaluation for ADHD, the primary care doctor should include assessment for other co-existing conditions, including emotional, developmental, behavioral, and physical problems. The primary care physician should inform the parents or guardian that ADHD is a chronic condition because it does not typically go away. If a child is diagnosed with ADHD, they will more than likely experience it in adulthood as well. However, it is possible for children to “out-grow” some of the behaviors. As children mature, symptoms usually become less prominent. By late childhood and early adolescence, signs of excessive activity are less common, and hyperactivity symptoms may be confined to jitteriness or an inner feeling of restlessness (John M.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a neurobehavioral development disorder diagnosed by a number of symptoms. ADHD cannot be diagnosed until seen by a doctor. There is no simple test for ADHD, however there is a standardize way that ADHD is diagnosed. For someone to be diagnosed with ADHD the person must have six inattention and six hyperactive impulsive behavior for it least six months. To a degree where it’s inconsistent with development level and that negatively impacts directly on social, academic and occupational activities. There is a number of symptoms such as fidgetiness individuals with ADHD have. Unfinished
Psychologists and Psychiatrists have recognized several different types of ADHD. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a tool commonly used by professionals to diagnose mental disorders, illustrates three patterns of behavior to note when
Most adolescents that have ADHD have been diagnosed earlier in life. For those who present symptoms in adolescence, it is a little more difficult to diagnose. Clinicians have to distinguish normal adolescent behavior with ADHD behavior. These two can be surprisingly similar, but an adolescent with ADHD usually takes the behavior to a more extreme level. An adolescent without ADHD might forget to do his/her homework once or twice a month. The adolescent with ADHD frequently forgets to do homework several times a week. An adolescent without ADHD might delay taking out the garbage when asked to do so. The adolescent with ADHD rarely takes out the garbage, if ever, even after being repeatedly asked (Young 117).
The increase of ADHD diagnosis has raised many concerns among doctors in the United States. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported new data that showed the number of children diagnosed with ADHD grew by 22 percent in a four-year period Brown University, (2013). The information from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) raised questions and concerns about the growth of ADHD diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stated that the percentage of children with a diagnosis of ADHD continue to increase in the United States. This information was provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to inform the public and raise awareness for ADHD. Researching the growth of
ADHD is a brain disorder which is seen in both children and adults and is manifested by difficulties in attention, and hyper-active impulsive tendencies. Previously, DSM-IV used a 18-item list to determine presence of symptoms with the presence of 6 or more, having persisted at least 6 months being the criteria for diagnosis (DSM-IV, 1994). DSM-V has retained this 18-item list, but has lowered the threshold for requirement in those over the age of 17 from 6 to 5 (DSM-V, 2013). The new changes are also reflected in an increase of age-of-onset criteria from 7 years to 12 years (DSM-V, 2013). In addition, for DSM-V, requirements of symptom effects on daily life has been relaxed, making it easier for patients to meet a full-diagnostic criteria
According to www.CHADD.org, the three main symptoms of ADHD are developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. www.adhd-institute.com states that inattention in children can include making careless mistakes, failing to finish schoolwork, and being disorganized or losing things. Adolescents often have trouble staying focused during lectures. Hyperactivity and impulsivity in children often includes interrupting or intruding on others, inability to play quietly, running or climbing about in situations where inappropriate, and always being "on the go." In adolescents, they can feel an inner restlessness or impatience and are often fidgety. Www.chadd.org states that in the vast majority of cases, ADHD persists