{"id":1291,"date":"2016-03-01T15:30:47","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T20:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=1291"},"modified":"2024-04-24T11:42:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T15:42:02","slug":"child-misdiagnosed-adhd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/child-misdiagnosed-adhd\/","title":{"rendered":"Is your child being misdiagnosed with ADHD?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is ADHD?<\/a> | Symptoms<\/a> | Conditions with similar symptoms<\/a> | ADHD misdiagnosis statistics<\/a> | Why misdiagnosis happens<\/a> | Proper diagnosis<\/a> | Treatment<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Does your daughter seem to have boundless energy, running circles around all of her peers? Or does your son seem to have a hard time concentrating in class, earning poorer than expected grades? It\u2019s hard for a parent to know whether behaviors like these are symptoms of ADHD\u2014or simply kids being kids. Getting an accurate ADHD diagnosis for your child from a mental-health professional could mean the difference between just getting by and growing up with confidence.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is ADHD?<\/h2>\n

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder \u201ccharacterized by a pattern of behavior, present in multiple settings (e.g., school and home), that can result in performance issues in social, educational, or work settings,\u201d according to the <\/span>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders<\/span><\/i><\/a> (<\/span>DSM-5<\/span><\/i>). These patterns of behavior are divided into either inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity and include symptoms ranging from failure to listen or follow instructions to fidgeting or excessive talking.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cause of ADHD is unknown, according to <\/span>Diana Deutsch, MD<\/span><\/a>, a Brooklyn-based psychiatrist, though she says that there is a suspected hereditary component at play.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou’ll often see a child who has this, and the father will say, \u2018Oh, well, I had that when I was a kid,\u2019” she explains, adding that while you are likely born with ADHD, environmental factors can also have an effect on the condition. These environmental factors can include bullying<\/a>, inconsistent routines, boredom, and possibly diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that ADHD is associated with a <\/span>big increase in deaths<\/span><\/a> makes it even more important to establish a correct diagnosis. The increase in deaths is mostly from accidents, but suicides and drug overdoses are also more common in both kids and adults with ADHD.<\/span><\/p>\n

ADHD symptoms<\/h2>\n

The <\/span>symptoms of ADHD<\/span><\/a> fall into two categories: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity, with most kids having a combination of both, according to Dr. Deutsch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Typical inattention symptoms include:<\/span><\/p>\n