This article provides a detailed overview of how ADHD is diagnosed, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive assessments, symptom duration, and multi-setting observations. It explains the roles of healthcare professionals and the criteria for confirming ADHD in children and adults, helping readers understand the evaluation process better.

Diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is complex because no single test can confirm it. Conditions such as learning difficulties, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems can mimic ADHD symptoms. If you or your child notice behaviors consistent with ADHD, consulting a healthcare provider is essential. Diagnosis typically involves seeing if more than six symptoms persist for over six months and are evident in at least two different environments since age 12.

Based on symptom patterns, individuals can be categorized into Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, or Combined ADHD types. Professionals like doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists use diagnostic criteria from the DSM or pediatric guidelines. They collect information from parents and caregivers, including medical history, family background, and recent life events like divorce or loss.

Discussion centers on the duration and impact of symptoms on daily life, social interactions, school, or work. A monitoring phase of approximately ten weeks may be recommended to observe symptom trends. Specialized assessments by occupational therapists, pediatricians, or psychiatrists—incorporating interviews, reports from teachers or family, and physical examinations—aid in ruling out other causes. For children, ADHD diagnosis involves symptoms that are developmentally inappropriate, cause significant academic or social challenges, appear in multiple settings, start before age 12, and persist for over six months. A formal diagnosis generally requires at least six of these symptoms.