When you see a child bouncing off the walls when he’s supposed to be learning, what do you think? If you’re like most people, some doctors included, you jump straight to ADHD. And unfortunately, that’s how so many kids get misdiagnosed with ADHD when they actually have another underlying disorder.
Symptoms of ADHD
Symptoms of ADHD are largely behavioral. In order to receive a diagnosis, children need to exhibit at least 6 out of 9 symptoms in at least two settings for six months or more.
The requirements for the diagnosis help ensure that the children being diagnosed are actually have an issue rather than going through a phase. But the problem comes in when we look at the symptoms that can be similar to symptoms of other disorders.
The symptoms include things like fidgeting, leaving their seat in class, running and climbing at inappropriate times, often forgetful and dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort. There are two types of ADHD, so there are two lists of 9 symptoms to review. Click here to view both lists.
How ADHD is misdiagnosed
A child with ADHD has trouble focusing, and the symptoms all reflect that. But here’s the thing: Children can behave this way for a variety of reasons.
If a child is exhibiting 6 out of 9 symptoms for six months or more, it’s a sign of a problem
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