Does my Child have ADD/ADHD

For many Parents and Caregivers ADD/ADHD has become a familiar term. It is very common and many children struggle with it. On the other hand if you have a hyperactive child don't make the quick assumption that it might be ADD/ADHD. It is very important to have a professional diagnose your child properly. This page offers a test through which you can determine if ADD/ADHD might be affecting your child.
You should still seek a professional diagnosis!
Good Luck




Inattentive. Hyperactive. Impulsive. All kids exhibit these traits at some stage, but if your child's behavior has become cause for concern, find out if attention deficit hyperactivity disorder might be the cause.

The list of symptoms in the assessment below has been adapted from the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale. It was designed to help clinicians gather information from parents and teachers -- information about childhood behavior that would help them diagnose ADHD. This scale, part of the ADHD Toolkit developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is used by many doctors and some school districts.

Rate your child's symptoms. The first nine represent inattentive behaviors. The second nine represent hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. The eight items in the final category represent performance. Because children with ADHD usually have problems in more than one place, when you consider this category, you should think about the places where your child needs to function -- like home, school and the playground. The behaviors you rate should have been present for more than six months, and they should have started before the age of seven. Each rating should be considered in the context of what is appropriate for the age of your child.

via: http://parenting.ivillage.com/gs/gslearning/gsadhd/adhdintro