Child ADHD Test (Self-Assessment)

There is no specific physical test or written test that can make the diagnosis of ADHD. It is a diagnosis based on the child’s history of behavioral symptoms at home and at school.

There are specific behavioral criteria for the diagnosis, which are summarized below. If you are a parent and are concerned that your child exhibits some of these qualities, your next step should be to consult with a professional, who can perform a thorough review of your child’s history and your concerns.

Many children with ADHD have problems with concentration. They may be easily distracted; may avoid or have trouble finishing tasks that are not interesting to them; may make careless errors on homework or tests; are often forgetful; and may have trouble organizing or keeping track of their things, including losing things.

Many children with ADHD have problems with behavioral control. They may say or do things impulsively; be very fidgety; run about or climb in situations where it is not appropriate; may have trouble staying seated; may seem to be “on the go” as if “driven by a motor”; may interrupt or have trouble waiting their turn.

A child may have only attention/concentration symptoms, or only behavioral symptoms, or both. A professional may order written tests by a psychologist to help confirm a diagnosis or look for other learning or cognitive issues that may cause symptoms.

This topic covers a lot of ground. Perhaps think of helping your child in different domains, such as the following:

• Compassion and acceptance: We all do better when we, and others around us, accept who we are today, even if we’d like to change or improve. So, try to be kind when addressing your child’s impulsivity or distractibility. These are biologically rooted tendencies, which can be shaped and mastered to some degree by your child, with help from you, their teachers, and therapists or coaches. However, it is much harder to make changes when one is overwhelmed with shame or criticism. Finding humor and lightness, too, will really help your child with ADHD.
• Providing effective parenting: Along with your tone of compassion, it’s important to provide consistent parenting strategies that are tailored to your child’s temperament and needs. Some kids need routines and structure. Others need more playfulness and the flexibility to stay out of control struggles. There are many books, articles, webinars, and clinicians who can help you hone your parenting skills.
• Providing appropriate learning opportunities: Provide coaching or classroom assistance with organization. Provide meaningful consequences for behavior, so that your child can learn from their mistakes. Help to coach your child in social skills. When we provide appropriate challenges for growth, along with instruction to help them learn new skills, kids don’t feel overwhelmed, and they are more willing to strive for improvement.
• Providing for your child’s physical needs: Provide good nutrition, exercise, and activities to help address your child’s bodily needs. Provide effective medication, when it’s indicated, too. After all, ADHD is at heart a biological condition, so addressing your child’s biology is essential.
• Supporting other needs, such as anxiety, depression, or specific learning disabilities: Many children with ADHD have what we sometimes call “comorbidities,” which means conditions that co-exist with the ADHD. These may need special diagnosis or treatment, alongside the ADHD. When treated coherently, they can make the ADHD seem much more manageable.

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopment disorders in childhood. According to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)¹, more than 6 million children (9.4%) between the ages of 2 and 17 in the U.S. have an ADHD/ADD diagnosis.

Of that number, 2.4 million (nearly 10%) of school-age children ages 6 to 11 have the diagnosis, and in older kids (ages 12 to 17) the number is 3.3 million, or a little more than 13%. In children between the ages of 2 and 5, the diagnosis is 2.4%, but some experts believe ADHD symptoms can be seen in toddlers.

In the past, many more boys were diagnosed than girls, but recently it’s been discovered that ADHD is also quite prevalent in girls. Girls may tend to show more issues with inattention/distractibility. Because their hyperactivity is often less noticeable and troublesome to others it is believed the diagnosis is frequently missed.²

ADHD is considered a medical disability when symptoms interfere with academic or social functioning. Federal and state laws recognize the need for accommodations for disabilities, as well as for providing additional educational services for certain types of disabilities.

Children with a diagnosis of ADHD are eligible for a “504 Plan,” which outlines reasonable accommodations in the school setting. These accommodations include extended time for testing, preferential seating, or certain ways a teacher responds to a child.

Accommodations do not change the material that a child is being taught, nor the performance expectations. They are ways to adjust the environment so that a child with a physical or mental disability can fully participate in mainstream education.

Modifications in a school program usually require an IEP, or Individualized Educational Plan, which provides funding for special services (such as Special Education classes in a resource room) or for institution of modified expectations or learning materials. If a child with ADHD has significant fine motor problems, or behavioral issues, or associated learning or executive function disabilities, they may qualify for modifications and special services.