There has been a lot of criticism about the way ADHD is diagnosed. While various questionnaires and interviews of parents and teachers are used, there is still no reliable diagnostic test to diagnose ADD and ADHD. Many parents refuse to accept that a test for ADHD exists which will pinpoint a brain defect. That is the rather simplistic definition which the drug industry likes and will immediately offer a ADHD medication solution once the test for ADHD has been ‘confirmed’.

Now the classical procedure to test for ADHD is set out in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The actual exam or doctor’s visit will consist of a physical examination of the child and there will be clinical interviews with the parents and the child. This is mainly to exclude other conditions such as depression hallucinations and so on. The child’s teacher will be asked to fill out an assessment form. The TOVA (Test of Variables of Attention) is also filled out. None of these tools as a test for ADHD are very accurate in a clinical sense because they are subjective.

Following the DSM guidelines, the doctor or paediatrician will then try to establish from the results of the test for ADHD whether there is any impairment or hindrance in the child’s development. That is key. If there is no impairment then there is no disorder. A child may have lots of symptoms of ADHD but if his physical and social development is on a par with his peers, then he does NOT have ADHD.

In assessing all the information from the tests and questionnaires, the doctor will be assessing how long the symptoms have been present and from what age. Are they periodic or chronic by now ? What is the functional disorder present due to, or caused by these symptoms ? Is the child falling behind at school and are the relationships with his peers causing tensions and other problems?

The answers to these questions following the DSM will usually help the doctor to make a diagnosis.

To medicate or not to medicate ? This is the burning question parents have to face once the test for ADHD is over and a diagnosis for ADHD has been confirmed. As the standard conventional ADHD medications are addictive – about 20% of teenagers with ADHD are or will become substance abusers- parents have to make a choice. Certainly natural ADHD treatments are not addictive at all and there are no worrying side effects. Time to take a long hard look at these AHD alternative therapies which will be effective and do not cause withdrawal symptoms. The site below will answer any questions you may have.

What kind of Dr do I need to visit to be diagnosed with ADHD attention deficit hyper activity disorder or ADD ?
What exactly is Attention deficit hyper activity disorder ? ADHD and ADD?
What are Symptoms of ADHD ( Attention deficit hyper activity disorder ) diagnosis or diagnose ?
Which is the best medication against Attention deficit hyper activity disorder ? ADHD and ADD?
What is ADD?
Adderall 5mg, 10mg, 15mg, 20mg
Retalin HCI 5mg
Concerta 27mg
Or what other be as detailed as possible

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The firstt doctor to visit for an ADHD diagnosis is your own family doctor. Some family doctors have enough knowledge and experience to diagnose ADHD themselves and if they dont they will refer you to a specialist doctor or psychiatrist.
What ADHD actually is is in the part of your brain that is responsible for focusing attention, inhibiting behaviour and controlling activity level and basically self control has not enough chemical/electrical activity. This is an inborn coondition and it is genetic but it is ressesive.
The three major symptoms of ADHD are 1. attention deficit, 2 hypercativity and 3 poor impulse control.
Attention deficit is a difficulty with concentratiing, easy distracibility, short attention span, gets bored very quickly. trouble staying oin task, trouble completing tasks, underachievement for potential, struggles to pay attention and listen.
Hyperactivity – being very very active all the time, runs about amd climbs a lot, feels restless all the time, talks constantly, always moving and making noise, needs very little sleep, cant sit still or stay seated, fidgets contanstly,
Poor impulse control – inability to consider the consequences of your actions, impatient, intrudes on others, in trouble all the time without really meaning to be, no inhibitions, limited self control.
For it to be diagnosed as ADHD the following three things must also apply
1. It must have been a problem for your whole life
2. it must effect you everywhere in your life, every day of your life
3. It must be very severe and have caused significant dysfunction in your life.
There is no ‘best’ medication. Each medication works differently for each person. What works well for one may not nessesaril;y work well for another. You often need to experiment and try a few before you know which one is the best for you.
ADD stands for attention deficit disorder and it is the OLD name for ADHD, This condition was called ADD in the 1980’s and there were two different types. They were ADD with hyoerqactivity and ADD without hyperactivity. the name was changed to ADHD in the 1990’s and now there are three types of ADHD. They are ADHD predominatly innatentive type, ADHD predominatly hypoeractive/impulsive type and ADHD combined type.
Some people still use the old name ADD to describe those who have ADHD predominalty innatentive type because they feel the term ADHD can be misleading when these people are not hyperactive at all. But ADD is not actually a real name for anything anymore. ADHD predominalty innatentive type is when you have all the problems of attention deficit but not the problems with hyperactivity and behaviour.

Just wondering what the official tests are that doctors give patients to diagnose ADD/ADHD, not the self tests etc.. sources would be appreciated

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It depends on the doctor and if he is going to administer any psych testing. My psychiatrist just listened to my symptoms and diagnosed according to the DSM-IV TR. That is primarily how psychiatric disorders are diagnosed.