| A child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | | | | problem while a psychologist may be limited to |
| (ADHD) usually shows symptoms of the problem even | | | | providing therapy sessions. A neurologist, on the other |
| before he or she enters pre-school. The parent, or | | | | hand, can prescribe medications but is not qualified to |
| another adult who primarily acts as a caregiver, may | | | | deal with the emotional aspect of the condition. |
| notice signs of hyperactivity, inattentiveness and | | | | In the course of diagnosing the problem, the specialist |
| impulsiveness in the child during his or her toddler years. | | | | may follow these stringent steps to carefully identify |
| Warning signs such as suddenly losing interest in a | | | | the root cause of the observed deviant behavior: |
| game or in watching a TV show after just a short | | | | . First, he gathers information to rule out other possible |
| time or excessively fidgety or uncontrollable behavior | | | | reasons for the child's behavior. Usually, a child will |
| may indicate the onset of the problem. | | | | exhibit ADHD-like symptoms when an extremely |
| However, at this very early stage, it is difficult for the | | | | stressful event occurred in the family. Undetected |
| parent to ascertain whether the child has a problem | | | | seizures, middle ear infections, medical disorders that |
| with ADHD or is just being extremely energetic or | | | | may have affected the brain, learning disabilities and |
| painfully immature. Different children have different | | | | anxiety or depression may likewise cause ADHD-like |
| personalities and mature at different rates. If you | | | | symptoms to appear. |
| suspect your child has ADHD, it is therefore imperative | | | | . Next, the specialist will gather information on the child's |
| that you confer with your family pediatrician or a child | | | | behavior for comparison with the criteria for ADHD |
| psychologist or psychiatrist immediately to determine | | | | listed in the DSM-IV-TR (The Diagnostic and Statistical |
| whether or not the child has ADHD. | | | | Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Ed.). This may also |
| ADHD is strongly manifested in school settings. So | | | | entail having conversations with the child and actual |
| when the child reaches school age, the teacher is the | | | | observation in different settings. Parents, teachers and |
| one who primarily notices the deviant behaviors of the | | | | other adults who know of the child extensively may |
| child (his or her hyperactivity or inattentiveness) and | | | | likewise be interviewed to get their observations of the |
| reports it to the parents or the school psychologist. | | | | child. |
| Since teachers work primarily with a lot of children, | | | | . The child may be given tests to identify whether or |
| they know how an "average" child would normally act | | | | not he or she has a learning disability and if the learning |
| under normal learning situations requiring attention and | | | | disabilities persist in one or more areas. Evaluation of |
| self-control. | | | | the child's social adjustment and mental health may |
| Diagnosing ADHD should best be referred to a | | | | likewise be taken into account. |
| qualified professional. The family pediatrician or | | | | . After this exhaustive evaluation, the specialist will then |
| physician can be a good starting point. At times, some | | | | create the profile of the child's behavior to rule out or |
| pediatricians can assess the condition themselves or | | | | establish the presence of ADHD. |
| they will refer you to a credible mental health specialist. | | | | A complete and accurate diagnosis of the problem is |
| There are several specialists who can diagnose the | | | | just the first step towards helping the child in his |
| problem but you must choose one whom will best fit | | | | probably life-long battle with this condition. Help, |
| your needs. A child psychiatrist, psychologist or | | | | guidance and understanding from his parents, teachers |
| neurologist can all diagnose the presence of ADHD. | | | | and the community will be needed for the child to be |
| Child psychiatrists have the ability to provide therapy | | | | able to develop his full potential. |
| and prescribe any needed medications relative to the | | | | |