ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning that it is thought to be present from birth. Broadly, the symptoms of ADHD fall into two major categories.

People with this type often seem distracted, disorganized, or forgetful. They may:

1. Miss details or make careless mistakes (e.g., in homework or work).
2. Have trouble staying focused (e.g., during conversations or reading).
3. Seem not to listen even when spoken to directly.
4. Fail to follow through on tasks or instructions.
5. Struggle with organization (e.g., messy work, poor time management).
6. Avoid tasks that require mental effort (e.g., long assignments).
7. Lose things needed for tasks (e.g., keys, books, phones).
8. Get easily distracted by unrelated things.
9. Forget daily tasks (e.g., chores, appointments).

This type is more about constant movement and acting without thinking. People may:

1. Fidget or squirm in their seat.
2. Leave their seat when staying seated is expected.
3. Run or climb in inappropriate situations (or feel restless in adults).
4. Have trouble playing quietly or relaxing.
5. Seem “on the go” or act as if “driven by a motor.”
6. Talk excessively.
7. Blurt out answers before questions are finished.
8. Struggle to wait their turn (e.g., in lines or conversations).
9. Interrupt or intrude on others (e.g., butting into conversations or games).

If someone shows six or more symptoms from both categories (or five for teens/adults), they may be diagnosed with the Combined Presentation of ADHD.

While these can be signs of ADHD, many of these symptoms are also normal human experiences. So what makes these symptoms rise to the level of a diagnosis?

• Intensity – how difficult they are to manage.
• Duration and pervasiveness – how often they impact your life and how many different domains of life they occur in.
• Frequency – how often do you struggle with these issues?

Assessment

• To answer questions about whether or not your (or your child’s) symptoms of ADHD meet the criteria for a disorder, an assessment may be necessary.
• Using standardized and well-developed tests, we evaluate the following areas and compare your performance to a normative sample of others your same age in order to see if you fall in the typical range:
  • Cognition: attention, memory, focus, processing speed, planning, etc.
  • Behavior: impulsivity, self-regulation, hyperactivity, etc.
  • Emotion: emotional regulation, self-awareness, etc.
• An assessment of ADHD will provide an answer about your diagnosis, but also information about how you think and behave that will ultimately guide you toward steps that improve your life.