Attention deficit disorder, also called ADD, is a behavioral disorder common in children and adolescents. The cause remains unknown, although researchers believe it is genetic. Because it affects a child's attention level, kids with ADD may have trouble in school. Between 3 percent and 5 percent of school-age kids in the U.S. have ADD; it is diagnosed in boys more often than girls, according to MedlinePlus. Diagnosis is based on your child's behaviors and actions, so your input is often critical for diagnosis.
Step 1
Research the symptoms of attention deficit disorder. Your doctor can advise you of symptoms or you can check online or with parenting books in your local library.
Step 2
Observe your child's behaviors with the ADD symptoms in mind. Compare how your child behaves with behaviors typically associated with ADD. For example, notice whether your child has a short attention span, becomes easily distracted or has a difficult time staying organized.
Step 3
Document behaviors your child exhibits that you feel may be a sign of attention deficit disorder. Diagnosis of the condition is based on presentation of symptoms in multiple settings, including home and school, according to MedlinePlus. Because of this, information you provide about your child's behaviors can assist in a proper diagnosis.
Step 4
Schedule an appointment with your child's pediatrician to go over the symptoms that concern you. Your doctor may evaluate your child himself or refer him to a mental health professional or a doctor specializing in ADD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Step 5
Supply all the information you have gathered about your child's behaviors to the doctor and answer the questions the doctor asks you. This information is critical to the doctor's diagnosis of your child.
Tips and Warnings
- School records and medical records may be used to help diagnose your child with ADD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In addition to your input, a specialist may also seek input from your child's teachers or caretakers.
- ADD is often misdiagnosed or the diagnosis is missed, according to MedlinePlus. In some cases, kids will be diagnosed with ADD when they have another type of learning disorder. Some children are never diagnosed with ADD because they do not present typical symptoms.
