Psychological Evaluations & Testing, ADD and ADHD Houston, Texas

The following is a practical summary of typical symptoms present in children who have ADHD. WARNING: Please be aware that there are several reasons why a child could have these symptoms besides ADHD. For example, thyroid problems, depression, anxiety, hearing problems, and so on can mimic these symptoms. Please do not attempt to "diagnose" your child. Please speak with your doctor or a qualified mental health professional for a thorough evaluation!

Symptoms of INATTENTION in ADHD:

Many people have commented on how your child doesn't seem to listen when spoken to;
Your child just can't seem to keep his/her mind on what he/she is doing unless it is very exciting or very entertaining;
Your child gets distracted much too easily or seems to pay attention to the wrong thing;
Your child really puts forth a lot of effort to avoid doing homework or chores;
Your child is often forgetful and needs to be constantly reminded to do things;
Because your child can't sustain attention or seems to daydream, he/she doesn't finish his homework or chores
Your child is able to focus on items of interest; however, s/he has a difficult time shifting or changing to another task when required.
Because your child is not paying attention to the task at hand, he/she makes many mistakes.
Of course, this doesn't apply to video or computer games because they provide immediate gratification or feedback, and they are fun and exciting. Chores and homework are not. The inattention is seen most with homework, chores and other boring things that you want your child to do
Your child seems really disorganized. An example would be spending 4 hours to finally finish up homework, then losing it at school (while it's in his notebook), or simply forgetting to turn it in.

IMPORTANT:

At least some of these symptoms must have been seen before the age of seven.
At least some of these symptoms are seen both at home and at school.
These behaviors are really a problem. Not just a little bit, but a lot.

Symptoms of IMPULSIVITY in ADHD:

Teachers have noted your child will blurt out answers in class;
He can't wait his turn when playing games;
He interrupts others often, he just doesn't wait well;
He tends to "act first" and think later;
He doesn't consider the consequences of his actions;
He has fidgety feet and happy hands, squirms a lot;
He just can't stay in his seat at school for very long, or at the dinner table;
He is too loud, climbs on things he's not supposed to, or runs around too much;
He is "on the go" as if he is "driven by a motor";
He talks too much

For a diagnosis of ADHD, Inattentive type: 6 or more from the Inattention list
For a diagnosis of ADHD, Impulsive-Hyperactive type: 6 or more from the Impulsive or Hyperactive lists.
For a diagnosis of ADHD, Combined type: Both criteria are met.

REMINDER: This is just for your information. Again, please do not attempt to diagnose your child. Only a trained professional is qualified to do that after a comprehensive diagnostic work-up is performed.