ADHD Tests

Unfortunately, there are no tests that can confirm with 100 percent accuracy a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The tests that a specialist will perform when assessing a child for ADHD are primarily geared toward first ruling out any other potential causes of ADHD-like symptoms and then gathering as much information about behavioral patterns as possible. These may include:

• A complete medical exam to rule out conditions such as seizures and vision or hearing problems
• Blood work to rule out anemia
• Discussing your child’s behavior in many different settings
• Filling out questionnaires/checklists about your child’s behavior
• Interviewing people in your child’s life about his or her behavioral patterns
• Observing your child playing with friends, working in the classroom, and interacting at home
• Having your child complete tasks that require focus and concentration
• Attending a family counseling session

Some ADHD symptoms such as getting distracted, acting impulsively, and losing concentration can be experienced from time to time in all children, so it’s key to determine whether these behaviors are temporary or ongoing. ADHD symptoms can be similar to other mental and medical disorders, so thorough testing by a doctor is essential.