| Your child is a little too spacey and hyperactive than | | | | 9) Is often forgetful in daily activities |
| normal, and it's starting to affect his or her schoolwork | | | | If your child meets six or more out of the |
| and family life. Like any concerned parent, you would | | | | hyperactive-impulsive criteria, he or she will probably be |
| want to know if he or she may be suffering from | | | | diagnosed with ADHD impulsive-hyperactive type. |
| ADHD or attention deficit hyperactive disorder. But | | | | 1) Often fidgets with feet or hands, or squirms in seat |
| before you bring your child to see a doctor, it would be | | | | 2) Often leaves seat in the classroom or other |
| helpful if you find out how the diagnosis for ADHD is | | | | situations where the child is expected to stay seated |
| made. | | | | 3) Often climbs about or runs about excessively in |
| ADHD is diagnosed much like the way any other | | | | situations where it is inappropriate |
| medical problem is identified. The doctor will list down all | | | | 4) Often has difficulty engaging in leisure activities |
| the child's symptoms and see if these symptoms | | | | quietly |
| match the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. What makes | | | | 5) Is usually "on the go" or behaves as if "driven by a |
| diagnosing ADHD different from diagnosing diabetes or | | | | motor" |
| other chronic disorders is that there are no laboratory | | | | 6) Often talks excessively |
| tests that can confirm the condition. In other words, the | | | | 7) Often blurts out answers before the question is |
| diagnosis of ADHD entirely depends on how the | | | | completed |
| doctor interprets your child's symptoms. | | | | 8) Often has difficulty awaiting turn |
| Essentially, there are three core symptoms of ADHD: | | | | 9) Often interrupts others or intrudes in conversations |
| inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In the | | | | or games |
| Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV revised, | | | | If your child meets twelve criteria from both lists, he or |
| there are eighteen diagnostic criteria divided between | | | | she will probably be diagnosed with ADHD combined |
| the three core symptoms. | | | | type. The problem with the way medical doctors |
| If your child meets six or more out of the inattention | | | | diagnose ADHD is that they limit treatment to |
| criteria, he or she will probably be diagnosed with | | | | suppressing these symptoms through medication. They |
| ADHD-Inattentive Type: | | | | do not bother doing other tests to find out what |
| 1) Often fails to give close attention to details or makes | | | | exactly is causing the symptoms. This is why you |
| careless mistakes in schoolwork | | | | should consider seeking a holistic health practitioner like |
| 2) Often has difficulty sustaining attention in play or | | | | chiropractor or a doctor specializing in nutrition. |
| tasks | | | | Chiropractors specializing in neurology will do more |
| 3) Often does not seem to listen when spoken to | | | | than just check if your child's symptoms match the |
| directly | | | | diagnostic criteria: he or she will try to identify factors in |
| 4) Often fails to follow through on instructions and fails | | | | the environment that may have triggered the disorder. |
| to do homework or chores (not due to any failure to | | | | This will be done through a series of advanced lab |
| understand instructions or oppositional behavior) | | | | tests, blood tests, and neurological exams. An in-depth |
| 5) Often has difficulty organizing activities and tasks | | | | interview with the family will also take place. While all |
| 6) Often avoids or dislikes engaging in tasks that | | | | these testing and interviews might seem |
| require sustained mental effort, such as homework | | | | time-consuming at first, you'll discover in the long run |
| 7) Often loses things necessary for activities and | | | | that treating the cause instead of just the symptoms |
| tasks | | | | will help your child overcome ADHD naturally. |
| 8) Is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli | | | | |