Diagnosis
27 Jan 2020
Neither blood analyses nor instrumental methods сan reveal ADHD. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition and the International Classification of Diseases, edition 11 define ADHD according to behavioral criteria, based on observation and on informant reports.

Remember!! In order for the diagnosis to be made, the following criteria also must be met:

1. Several inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years.

2. Several symptoms are present in 2 or more settings (such as at home, school, or work; with friends or relatives; in other activities).

3. There is clear evidence that the symptoms interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or work functioning.

4. The symptoms are not better explained by another mental disorder (such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, dissociative disorder, or a personality disorder). The symptoms do not happen only during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.

Thus all forms of attention deficit disorder are officially called "Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder", regardless of whether the individual has symptoms of hyperactivity or not.

There are 3 forms of ADHD's severity. They are:
  • Mild: Few, if any, symptoms in excess of those required to make the diagnosis are present, and symptoms result in only minor functional impairments.
  • Moderate: Symptoms or functional impairment between "mild" and "severe" are present.
  • Severe: Many symptoms in excess of those required to make the diagnosis, or several symptoms that are particularly severe, are present, or the symptoms result in marked impairment in social or occupational functioning.
ADHD symptoms and their impact may also vary across an individual's lifespan!


Recourse:
1) American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013


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