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Diagnosing ADHD

When to Seek Help

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It may be difficult to know when to make that first call for help with your child’s behavior. You may wonder if his/her behavior is just a phase, whether it is normal for a child of his/her age, or if his/her inattention is severe enough to warrant a diagnosis. If any of the following 6 situations sound similar to your experiences, you may want to consider getting help for your child’s potential ADHD.

  1. You have noticed that your child displays greater activity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity than other children for the past 6 months or longer.
  2. You expend more energy and time than other parents in keeping your child out of trouble and under control.
  3. For the past 6 months (or more) other parents have told you that your child is less controlled, more impulsive, and less attentive when with his/her peers.
  4. You have painstakingly viewed or have been informed that other children do not want to play with your child due to his/her active, impulsive, or aggressive behavior.
  5. You lose your temper often with your child or feel exhausted or depressed due to the time and energy that your parenting involves. You may also feel as though you’re on the verge of harming your child with physical discipline.
  6. A teacher or daycare staff member has told you that your child has behavioral issues.

You may be wondering where to seek help for your child. The first step is to make the phone call to begin a diagnosis process and, eventually, a treatment process. Contact Dr. Gordon, a neuropsychologist, for a comprehensive ADHD assessment.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Barkley, R. (2013). Taking charge of ADHD: The complete, authoritative guide for parents (Third ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Picture retrieved from: http://www.zenlifesolutions.com/do-you-know-what-you-want/question-mark/ on Sept. 24, 2015

adhd diagnosis

“Growing Out” of ADHD?

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About 10-15% of children with ADHD continue to have ADHD as an adult. Previously, it was believed that most of these children “grow out” of ADHD as their brains further develop into adulthood. As adults, these people who used to have ADHD no longer meet the criteria for adult ADHD.
New research finds that, although adults who had ADHD as children no longer have symptoms that meet the criteria for ADHD, they still have differences in brain structure. A study examined the memory function and brain size of 20-24 year olds who had been diagnosed with ADHD by the age of 16. Some of these participants still experienced symptoms of ADHD, while some were free from symptoms. Even those participants who no longer met the criteria for ADHD had lower brain volume and poorer memory function than a control group of young adults who had never received an ADHD diagnosis.
This study suggests that a diagnosis of ADHD may go beyond the criteria listed in the DSM-V. Even when a person has “grown out” of ADHD and does not have readily noticeable symptoms, ADHD may affect various cognitive functions and memory. The extent to which lower memory functioning affects the lives of those who have (or had) ADHD is still in question and is next for researchers to tackle.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Differences in brain structure and memory suggest adolescents may not ‘grow out of’ ADHD | University of Cambridge. (2015, August 27). Retrieved from http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/differences-in-brain-structure-and-memory-suggest-adolescents-may-not-grow-out-of-adhd on 3 September 2015.

Photo retrieved from: http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/4ib/KLp/4ibKLpebT.svg on 4 Sept. 2015.

ADHD diagnosis

Types of ADD/ADHD

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ADD may have either a predominantly inattentive presentation, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation, or a combined presentation.

Inattention Symptoms:

  1. Makes careless mistakes in work; fails to give attention to details
  2. Difficulty paying attention during tasks
  3. Does not appear to listen when spoken to
  4. Does not follow instructions; fails to finish tasks
  5. Difficulty keeping things in order (including managing time)
  6. Avoids, dislikes, or hesitates to engage in tasks that demand extensive mental effort (writing essays, homework)
  7. Loses things needed for tasks (losing pencils, keys, glasses)
  8. Easily distracted (both by external events and unrelated thoughts)
  9. Forgetful (forgetting chores, bills, returning calls)

Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Symptoms:

  1. Fidgets with hands, taps feet, squirms in seat
  2. Leaves his/her seat often when sitting is expected
  3. Runs or climbs in inappropriate settings (or feeling restless in adults)
  4. Unable to remain quiet during activities
  5. Acts as if “driven by a motor”
  6. Talks excessively
  7. Answering before the question was finished or not waiting turn in conversation
  8. Difficulty waiting for turn
  9. Interrupts or intrudes on others

At least 6 (or 5 for those 17 and older) symptoms of inattention must be present for at least 6 months in order for ADD to be predominantly inattentive.

At least 6 (or 5 for those 17 and older) symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity must be present for at least 6 months in order for ADHD to be predominantly hyperactive/impulsive.

If enough symptoms from both categories are present, a combined presentation may exist.
Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Barlow, D., & Durand, V. (2015). Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (7th ed., pp. 515-516). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

ADHD diagnosis

ADHD: How Young is Too Young?

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An issue arises when considering pre-school aged children for an ADHD diagnosis.

On one hand, a diagnosis is best made as early as possible in order to implement treatment at a young age. Early identification and treatment of ADHD could prevent significant impairment. For example, utilizing behavioral techniques early in school can prevent learning difficulties. But how young is too young for a diagnosis?

When so many children display inattentiveness and hyperactivity, it is sometimes hard to make the distinction between what is typical and what is not. Therefore, a careful assessment of your child is needed. If a child is falsely diagnosed with ADHD, there is a risk of effects from labeling and a risk of giving the child unneeded medication.

According to some professional opinions, it is better to over-diagnose ADHD in order to prevent potential future impairment. With this over-diagnosis, it is also necessary to keep in mind that about half of preschoolers who meet the criteria for ADHD will continue to meet these criteria at the end of elementary school.

Contact Dr. Gordon for a professional assessment of your child:

 Contact Dr. Gordon for a professional assessment of your child. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by: 
Brianna Malinowski , 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Hinshaw, S., & Scheffler, R. (2014). The ADHD Explosion. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.