A study conducted by the Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center found than nearly 9 percent of children in the United States meet the medical definition of ADHD. However, some are concerned that diagnoses are being made too quickly, before other issues are ruled out.

Kindall Nelson addressed this matter in a Nov. 12 article on examiner.com:

Because ADHD diagnoses are usually based on observation of the child, it is possible that the behaviors seen during observation have a different source. Symptoms of ADHD that are most recognized at school include: not listening, not finishing classroom assignments, disrupting other students, and inability to sit still.

While these issues definitely point to a problem, there are other possibilities to consider.

Among the "other possibilities" that Nelson refers to are hearing loss, dyslexia, and even giftedness. A child whos gifted academically may have trouble concentrating in class because shes not being challenged.

If your child is struggling with issues related to focus and attention, ADHD may be to blame -- but that's not the only option. Make sure you work with your child's teachers and your family's health care providers to ensure that a proper diagnosis is made, and all appropriate support services are made available.

Labels: diagnosis

Posted By: Aspen/CRC