Possible ADHD? How Is It Diagnosed?

a quick way to tell... Give him some coffee. If he gets hyper, hes normal. If it works opposite and actually helps him be able to focus...hes probably ADHD.

There is aa ADHD support group in the Denver metro area. It might be good to contact them about folks who have a lot of experience with diagnosing ADHD. Children's Hospital has a team that diagnosis and helps with ADHD issues.
Date: 3rd Monday at 6:30 PM
Region(s): Denver Metro
Type: Support Group
Topic(s): Disability Specific
Location: Koelbel Library
5955 S. Holly Street (SW side of Holly and Orchard)
Centennial CO 80121
Phone: ###-###-####
Disability: ADD-ADHD
Contact: Kim and/or Eric Hornak
Email: ____@____.com
Web Site: www.chadd.net/334
Description: First meeting for Denver-Metro CHADD Chapter Education and Support Group for Parents, Caregivers and Teachers of a child/teen with ADHD. Speaker: Daniel Hettleman: Parent Guilt; How to Balance Anger and Understanding. Break out groups to follow for informal discussion between parents. See flyer on website. Please RSVP to ____@____.com

Backwards first: If he's actually ADHD, nope! Vitamins will help him with his ADHD the same way vitamins will help a Dyslexic with their reading issues, or a musician with their musical talent/gift. AKA, good nutrition helps everyone but it only "fixes" things for people who have nutritional deficiencies. ADHD isn't a nutritional deficiency (or allergy, or lack of sleep, or parenting) no matter how many people who have had kids with nutritional deficiencies, allergies, etc., have "fixed" the problems with supplements, parenting classes, removing allergens, etc.

The diagnostic process is fairly long, because it DOES have to rule out all the things that might be mimicking ADHD. Then it also rules out disorders SIMILAR to ADHD (like bipolar disorder, which is the closest, but still very different and is NEVER comorbid -aka a person NEVER has both disorders at the same time, they are mutually exclusive diagnosis, although they share a number of symptoms).

Also, in the diagnostic process which TYPE of ADHD is also clearly defined. It's pretty easy to spot, once you're sure of the ADHD diagnosis. There are 3 types (they've just changed the names for them, which most of us absolutely love and adore, to more accurately reflect the types. I'm going to put both the old and new names down for you.

ADHD-h (formerly ADHD). H stands for Hyperactive, and is only regarding the physical aspect of hyperactivity.

They HYPERfocus one looks for with ADHD-h is the *constant* movement. We're talking toddlers who don't need strollers and will be running/ jumping/ skipping for MILES. Take a 10 minute break, and then be at it again. Or swimming, or dancing, or, or, or, or. For HOURS. This is the type that usually becomes amateur or professional athletes, surgeons (standing for a 10-30 hour surgery is actually very 'easy' for adhd-h types), emergency workers, soldiers, etc. HIGHLY physically active people who will literally keep moving until they bleed, and beyond. It doesn't just need to be 'large' muscle movements, however. 'Small' muscle movements are just as much of a tell. Girls tend to catch on 'faster' to small muscle movements than boys, but both DO catch on. Wiggling your toes, bouncing your leg, making faces, changing the pattern in which they breath, keigles, burps. CONSTANT movement while they're awake, whether it's visible to others or not.

ADHD-i (formerly ADD). I stands for "inattentive", and means "hyperactive mental".

These types don't do constant physical movement, but their MINDS are always moving (the HYPERfocus one looks for), the hyperactivity is mental rather than physical. The 'daydreamers'. In fact, they can be dead still, because they have whole universes spinning behind their eyes. This type of ADHD usually has at least 5-6 TOTALLY DISPARATE thoughts held at the same time, and are actively being thought about At. The. Same. Time. Imagine holding 5 different conversations with 5 diffferent people all at once. Not taking turns. But somehow having 5 mouths and just talking constantly to all 5 people, and keeping track of each conversation in minute detail. Or having a rolodex in your head constantly flipping, or a reading the BEST book, the kind where you're one of the characters. That's normal, everyday, "what's going on" with adhd-i folk. It's VERY distracting having those things going on, and then also trying to listen to the person in front of you. It becomes a juggling act. ADHD-i folk tend to be the scientists, inventors, artists. VERY creative people.

ADHD-c (formerly ADD/ADHD). C stands for "combined" and means that the person has qualities from both.

Both ADHD-c and ADHD-i folk nearly always fall solidly into the gifted to profoundly gifted categories. By way of how their minds process and store information, the hyperfocus on any of that information that is interesting to them, and the ability to hold multiple thoughts simultaneously. One of the FASTEST ways to get a poorly preforming ADHD kiddo to 'preform' well in school is actually to lob them into gifted and AP classes. Gifted kids are *taught* differently from neurotypical kids (given more information faster, expected to make 'leaps', and given the time to go really in depth with it). Not all gifted kids are adhd, but most adhd kids are gifted.

ADHD-h kids are *sometimes* academically gifted, and nearly always physically gifted. All 3 versions of the disorder come along with NEAR eidetic memories (not true photographic memories, but similar). The ADHD-h kids/adults who are encouraged to play to their strengths become the "gifted" athletes, dancers, snipers, etc. Their minds synthesize hundreds of little bits of physics both specific to them AND their environments that puts them head and shoulders "above the competition". Which is one reason why so many go "pro", whether that's as a ballerina or ball player, race car driver, soldier.

It's also why (if you include physical giftedness) many of us simply say "Nearly all ADHD kids are gifted".

There's several other "nearly all" things in relation to ADHD. Sensory Issues (again, how our brains process and store information)...focusing on minutia/ (missing the forest for the trees)...emotional swings that are similar to, but not QUITE as severe as bipolar people (our highs and lows are not as extreme AND we can learn, over time, to moderate our reactions to our emotional swings... while bipolar people cannot)... Impulse control issues (the sudden synthesis of information from disparate sources happens FAST, and we often 'leap before we look', trusting those instincts only to have common sense go "Wait a sec!" as we're midair. Again, we learn through constant repetition how things *actually* work, and then we can just let our impulses run wild, but it takes years and years of tempering via experience ). It always makes me laugh when someone says ADHD & SPD, or ODD... those things are PART AND PARCEL of ADHD. ADHD-i folks might not *exhibit* the ODD tendencies outwardly, but that's usually just because they find it more satisfying to argue in their own minds than with other people. Other people tend to not have as many interesting arguments for/against)... A fluid sense of time (as in, time tends to not run in a straight line for us, but skip about)... etc.

((This, the above, is in NO WAY a complete list of aspects of ADHD, merely the tip of the iceberg / a taste to help understand the differences and similarities between the 3))

Because it's a disorder, the process looks for what is DIFFERENT from the general population. AKA when diagnosing toddlers, a person ***doesn't*** look for SHORT attention (hypofocus) with ADHD which is common for toddlers, but LONG attention (hyperfocus). Hypo and Hyper focus always always always come along with ADHD. In diagnosing older kids, one looks for the short attention span (hypofocus). But a single symptom isn't diagnostic. It's the whole collection of symptoms that piece together to form a cohesive whole. For those who are familiar with ADHD (in WHOLE) it's really, really, easy to spot as long as they aren't medicated, and often if they are, because medication just "blunts" the disorder, it doesn't take it away. Similar to how non-adhd gifted folk often use alcohol or other depressants to blunt the way their mind works so they can interact with others more easily.

The list of diagnostic criteria IS a list of "but everyone does that". The major differences though are they WAYS that ADHD folk "do that". To continue the 'gifted' parallel (because no one is silly enough to say vitamins or trying harder or turning off the tv can cure or create giftedness) ALL CHILDREN LEARN. But some kids learn differently. Some so much that it's actually a diagnosis; like Dyslexia, or Giftedness. BOTH require special help.

A very cool thing about ADHD is that stimulants calm and focus us. We have less a 'fight/flight' response, and more of a 'what do we need to do/ lets do it!' response. When we're at our "best" we're in HIGHLY stimulating environments where adrenaline and other natural stimulants (norepi, dopamine, etc.) are coursing through us (physical or mental, the surge of adrenaline just "cocks" us, and lines everything up in our minds). ((NOTE: This is the defining difference between ADHD and Bipolarity. Stimulants, natural or taken, tip Bipolar people into ***manias***, the exact opposite of the "sharpen & calm" that happens with ADHD brains when flooded with stimulants)). K-12 schooling, btw, couldn't be a WORSE (less than ideal) model for adhd-brained kids. It's brings out EVERY SINGLE DOWNSIDE possible, while obscuring the upsides. Sigh. That's a rant for another day. (college, otoh, couldn't be BETTER designed for adhd brains, but that's a rave for another day).

What's very VERY cool about that adrenaline response is that we're able to "mimic" it for 'less than ideal' environments. AKA medication, and OTC stimulants (coffee, soda, cigarettes, etc.).

That's ALL medication is aiming for... to tip us into the 'ideal' when we're not.

The PROBLEMS with meds are

1) that there isn't a single med on the market (although there are at last count, over 80) that exactly duplicates the adrenaline, norepi, dopamine, and other neurotransmitter response that our bodies create naturally in response to something 'interesting'.

2) they all have side effects (canceling out the positives of the disorder or too heavy a dose, making us sleepy, or triggering an emotional response are the 3 biggest, excluding things like cancer for those who choose to smoke).

((Note: When / IF you find the "right" med, and the "right" dosage... you are completely and totally 'yourself', just yourself preforming as if you're doing what you were born to, instead of slogging away at a system that couldn't be worse designed for you.))

3) No single person's neurochemistry is the SAME. (or there'd only be one med on the market) AND not everyone is willing to deal with the same side effects. AND our 'needs' change as our body chem does. AKA puberty, pregnancy, menopause are the big 3, as well as what our daily lives look like. IF I'm taking meds, I need about 4 times the dose to do housework, than I do to be doing a job that is actually stimulating.

Many ADHD'ers spend their whole lives looking for the 'perfect' med. Some find it. Some don't. Others spend their whole lives trying to create as an 'ideal' atmosphere for themselves as possible (career & lifestyle wise).

But, meds are just attempting to put us into a "fake ideal". There are a gazillion and one "coping mechanisms" that people develop on their own, and intentionally learn to circumvent the downsides of ADHD. Unlike diabetes, or bipolarity, meds are BONUS. Not "required".

There are 2 reasons why one wants to go through an expert in neurological disorders in the diagnostic process;

1) Accurate diagnosis. An expert doesn't just go off 'the list' of negative symptoms, and rule out mimicking issues, but also takes into account all of the above and much, much more. The average pediatrician spends 3 months studying ALL psychiatric issues. ALL they have is the "short list" of symptoms, and very little to no understanding of the disorder itself. DITTO all the other specialities (heart surgery, for example, or opthamology). A developmental pediatrician, or psychologist, or psychiatrist spends a minimum of 3-5 years studying different disorders and all day, every day, working with them. They don't have 500 different diagnoses to contend with (like a GP or ped), but merely 10 or 20. When your child needs heart surgery, you get sent to a cardiologist. When you're dealing with the brain, the standard of treatment should be even HIGHER, but it's often lower. It is 100% worth it to be dealing with a brain specialist, when you're dealing with the brain.

2) Accurate treatment. Remember how I said there are over 80 drugs on the market? And how everyone's neurochem is different? Figuring out the right med (IF ANY) is a simple process that takes a LONG time. You try them and see what happens. You REALLY want someone who is very, very familiar with all 80 drugs AND people's reactions to them for this experiment process. Often, you're in the office 2-3 times a week in the beginning as you're adjusting doses, or trying different meds. You WANT someone who can ask you the right questions, and who can see the small signs, who is constantly keeping up on the news and recalls and studies... not someone who has over 10,000 meds for 500 different medical issues. It's WHY doctors specialize. It's because it is absolutely impossible to know everything. GPs can bandaid with meds for minor things (high blood pressure, antibiotics, etc.), but they defer to the specialist when things step beyond band-aid levels. If their patient has heart problems, they send them to the cardiologist who is going to do a bunch of testing and take over their medication management FOR their heart problems.

HAHA... But meds are only PART of a POSSIBLE treatment. Meds are bonus, remember. They may take the edge off of the emotional swings, but they will NOT teach us how to self monitor and self correct those swings. They may pop us into intense focus mode, but they will NOT teach us how to "change gears" to switch our focus around. There are probably 50-100 different aspects of ADHD. Meds CAN help, but (to make up a number) lets say 20%. The rest is learned through experience. The fastest way to shorten the time to build up that experience is therapy with someone who specializes in ADHD. It's "just" learning the tips, tricks, and coping mechanisms that in a good 10-20 years are why some silly folks thought people 'grew out' of ADHD. (You don't, you just learn to put it to your advantage, and 'hide' the parts that annoy others). Therapy can shorten that timeframe considerably (and save mom and dad some grey hair).

If you've gotten to the bottom of this, you have my apologies. It's probably a lot to process, and not presented in the best manner possible. It's also tip of the iceberg. For better presentation of more material:

www.additudemag.com

"You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?!?" by Kate Kelley & Peggy Ramundo (my favorite source to lob to parents as a starting off point, since it's one of the few written by ADHD'ers who are also experts in the field for ADHD'ers)

R.
adhd-c mum, to an adhd-c kiddo

Boys are difficult!! =)

ADHD is diagnosed by characteristics in their behavior. What you said could be symptoms, but that really is normal young boy behavior. I would really try to hold off on ADHD medication because it can lead to further health issues.

Good luck!!

Ask the pediatrician for a referral to a specialist. Pediatricians aren't qualified to diagnose. You really want to talk to a specialist like a child psychiatrist or neuropsychologist.

The diagnosis process will vary depending on the specialist. In our son's case, we mentioned his problems to his pediatrician, who referred us to a child psychologist. We tried his tips and when those didn't work, our son moved on to a behavioral therapist. When his tips didn't work, we then got in with a child psychiatrist. All the while, we were filling out lots of forms and so were his teachers. It was a long process.

Go to the websites for ADDitude magazine and CHADD. Both should have checklists you can evaluate for the indicators of ADHD. It's far beyond typical boy behavior. It affects the child's life 24/7 and impacts the entire family, too. Trust your gut instinct. I knew at two that something wasn't quite right with our son, but got so many "typical boy" comments I was made to feel I was overreacting, when our son really did have a serious medical condition.

I would be very careful about what you get from a health store. Vitamins aren't regulated, so you never really know what you're putting in your child's body. The one vitamin showing promise with attention issues with ADHD is Omega 3s, but those tend to be used in conjunction with medication.

No parent with a child with ADHD rushes to medicate. It's an agonizing decision and there are pluses and minuses. If your son gets the diagnosis, I urge you to talk over your concerns with the specialist and don't look online to the general public or fear mongers out there. Medication is imperative for our son to even function in society.

Best of luck!

You can go to a Pediatric Neurologist, a Pediatric Psychiatrist (can Rx medication) or Psychologist (can't Rx meds), or a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician. Any and all can diagnose ADD and ADHD and other neurological disorders.

The school system can not offer a diagnosis and it is illegal for them to do so.

Well my daughter who is now 8 was diagnosed with it about 3 years ago. First by the school. She was already in a special ed program due to speech impairment and some learning disabilities. They had a pyschologist come in and observe her and to test her. He concluded along with the counselor on her case there at the school that she fitted the profile for ADHD. I didn't just take their word for it. I did speak to the pediatrician concerning all of this and she directed me to a child study center here in Fort Worth. I took her there after a long waiting period for some extensive more in depth testing and they too diagnosed her with ADHD. She, like your son, had/has a very a short attention span, trouble focusing and terrible impulse control. We are still dealing with all of this especially the lack of impulse control. It's resulted in her sneaking things, lieing about it. She gets into trouble for all of the same things. We have her in counseling but we also have her on medication. I will tell you this, a month after starting the meds she went from a level one in reading to a level four. It helped tremendously with her concentration. She is doing great academically now. Is no longer in special ed classes for math and language. Still receives speech therapy but that is it. So the meds along with behavior modification has helped. Talked to your dr to see if there is a center available that tests for ADHD. Explain, that you just want to be able to rule it out. It's better to catch it early than to wait. You may have to be assertive about it. Good luck!

Discuss your concerns with your ped. Ask him/her for a referral to a Behavioral Ped, there aren't enough of them, and it will take some time, but very worth it.

You can also ask for an evaluation from your school district. They cannot dx him, but they may have programs that can help him with or without an official diagnosis.

Get some opinions from the pros before you start thinking about meds or diet changes.

Good Luck! Keep us posted!

:)

1. He's a boy.
2. The diagnosis is testing....

Your pediatrician MAY be able to conduct a testing/evaluation...your school district can also help as well....

I personally would go to a Center - We have the INOVA Keller Center here in VA and they test and diagnose things like this...if you are NOT for medication - they will work with you to SHOW you how to deal with your son and his trouble spots....

My 9 year old sounds like your son - but after extensive testing - he only EXHIBITS SIGNS not full on ADD...

GOOD LUCK!! It is possible to get through it without medication and to help your son be a successful and productive citizen..it won't always be easy but you CAN do it...There are also some good choices in medications - however, it's not a one pill fixes everything...you might have to go back and adjust and try new things...

You would need a Professional to assess him.

Now, some kids are just active/hyper. It does not mean, they are ADHD.
There are laypersons ideas about it, and then there are Professionally diagnosed, situations.

Now, does any Teacher complain about him or in school or has anyone else, professionally tell you he has a problem?

I have a friend, that is very high-energy. She is not ADHD or anything.
Some people, even myself, are just very high-energy.

Ultimately, you need to have a professional diagnosis.
AND don't just give him things, guessing.
Because that is just purely, guessing.

There is also Mommy gut instinct.

Again, Ultimately, you would need a formal professional diagnosis.

Some kids, even when over-tired and hungry, get "hyper". Being tired, makes an over-tired kid, hyper and it does affect the attention span too and focusing.

So, it can be many things. Or nothing.

This is my best suggestion, and my ONLY suggestion for ADD/ADHD..

Change his diet.

WHOLE FOODS only.
Don't buy garbage in boxes, bags, cans, sacks, pouches, etc.
If it's been processed or altered from its natural state beyond
having been butchered, don't buy and don't let him eat it.

Read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

A large portion of mental illness, behavioral issues, anxiety, depression, leaky gut, IBS, etc. can be directly correlated to eating processed foods, grains, and processed dairy.

Best wishes and good luck!

To the very best of my knowledge there is not a natural supplement that helps. Many people have told me diet can help but some of the same people think proper diet helps in addiiton to medication and not instead of it. Most of the medications for ADD are stimulants and while it may sound like an excuse they really are a group of drugs that are quite safe when used as prescribed and not by generally unhealthy people. My son was diagnosed this last year and it helped tremendously with his focus in school. I also know that for my own son he needs a good diet and LOTS of opportunity to run around like crazy. I encourage him to use every minute of recess to exercise and to run around as much as possible during the day too. There are worksheets on his activity and focus that your pediatrician should have you fill out to diagnose the ADD as this is a more scientific approach to diagnosis than just guessing (they are Vanderbilt forms, any ped. should know of the forms). Good luck

My 7 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD 1year and 1/2 ago. I had been telling his doctor that I thought something was different with him then his older sister. He had really bad impusles and anger. It didn't take much at all to get him extremly mad. He would sit anywhere and just rock. I didn't think it was normal. All his doctor kept saying was it was a phase. We went to a few different doctors and they all said the same thing. When he started school I talked to his teacher about his behaviors. She was a wonderful teacher and watched him closely. Of course his behaviors continued during school and his teacher refered us to a physciatrist. It was then that he was diagnosed. They originally put him on Aderol. It didn't do what I wanted. He was a zombie for 3 or 4 hours everyday. So they switched him to concerta. This one is working great for him. He is still himself but doesn't do the impulsive things he use to. On the weekends we do not give him the meds. His doctor said that it was fine. Most people do the same thing. His school work has improved and stress at home has also. We also got him into counseling and his anger is no longer. He is my wonderful little loving boy again!!! Good luck! I hope this helps you!!

If you can document specific examples, it really helps. ADHD is diagnosed via parent, teacher, and doctor assessment of behavior (sorry, no blood test or anything - don't we wish!). For example, these are some things for my son: When he reads, if he doesn't have a paper directly under the line he is reading, his eyes jump all over the page and he loses his place rapidly. In timed math facts, his 1 minute timing is very close to his goal, but his 2 min timing is only slightly higher. He starts a sentence but has to repeat himself several times to complete it because his thoughts are not on what he is saying. He has a very difficult time sitting still for more than about 1 minute (he ends up sitting/bouncing on his heels, tipping the chair, etc).
Specifics about impulse control also can help.

Many boys have low impulse control and high activity at 7. It's the specifics that can help a doctor decide if it is normal or hyperactivity.

We just started the process to get my son (who just finished 4th grade) "officially" diagnosed with the school, so that he can receive accommodations to help him succeed - like most kids with ADHD (in my experience as parent & teacher), he is very intelligent and just needs help focusing that. So, we had this 100 or so question survey we had to fill out, the teacher had one, etc. (Unfortunately, the year ended before everything got finished, so start the process early, like Jan or Feb).

We don't plan on medicating my son unless it becomes absolutely necessary. We have worked behaviorally with him for many years, and his impulse control has improved some, as has his attention when reading (he really likes reading along with book on tape or as an adult reads, it helps him focus) and for some homework. Be aware that, even if you do chose to medicate your son, it will still take a lot of time from you to help him learn the correct behaviors. But the rewards are immeasurable!

In response to your last question, there have been no conclusive, empirical studies that have connected any specific diet or restrictions with improving ADHD behavior. In my experience and my mom's (my brother and mom have ADHD, as well as my son) a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains and moderate lean proteins is the best option - in other words, what is a healthy diet anyway. Try to avoid artificial colors and sweeteners, it seems to make a difference, but sugar doesn't seem to matter (although we moderate sweets as part of a healthy diet anyway). A regular children's multivitamin won't hurt either.

.

Check into Interactive Metronome. My mom is a provider, and has great success with ADD/ADHD kids. Any provider would be able to help you get him diagnosed, and let you know if they can help. GL!

Riley below me is correct--ADHD is an actual disorder in the brain. However, many other underlying problems can lead to symptoms that look like ADHD. Food allergies, sensitivities to chemicals (anything from cleaning products to MSG and Red Dye #5), emotional sensitivity (so sensitive to the emotions of others that a child will get hyper to "release" the inundation of said emotions), blood sugar imbalance, and even a different learning style than those used in schools could be to blame. So many people swear by changing a diet because it has in fact been proven that many food chemicals and food allergies cause symptoms that resemble ADHD. That is why putting a child on meds does not always work. You have to treat the problem, not the symptom. I've worked extensively in this area (both as a professional and as a Mom). For me I learned how to treat hyperactivity in a natural way. I'm happy to speak to you, and I can also give you the name of a doctor in Denver who can get to the underlying problem rather than diagnosing based on symptoms if you are interested.
Good luck!
J.

Hi,

It sounds as if you are looking for something that may not be there............but if you look hard enough it will be there, falsely but there.
Most little boys have some lack of impulse control, are active, fidgety, but with structure and consistency they commonly outgrow this. And it is common for these type of behaviors to appear during the summer months when structure in their life is lapse due to heat, vacations or lack of, no school, etc.

Also know that the term ADHD is all over the place these days and over diagnosed on a regular basis. As a former SPED Teacher, over 18 years I only saw and taught a handful of TRUE ADHD children/students and these kids did bounce off wallls, could not sit still without bouncing up every few (3-6) minutes and were thoroughly unable to stay on task! On the other hand those students who could focus for 10-15 minutes at a time before being distracted or bored, and who had some trouble maintaining focus but who could focus well on a subject of personal interest were more likely to be diagnosed with ADD---Attention Deficit Disorder.

Structure helps to battle both disorders, whereby a medication/pill SHOULD be a last resort. Unfortunately today too many wish to medicate---thinking it is easier when a drug may not be the actual answer.