Thanks to the ever-changing parade of names given to this syndrome over the years (e.g., Minimal Brain Dysfunction, Hyperkinetic Disorder of Childhood...), it's no wonder people are confused! The names are designated by the American Psychiatric Association's committee that periodically revises the "Psychiatrists' Bible": the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, or DSM. The current DSM is the 4th edition, with text revisions (DSM-IV-TR). Maybe the name of this syndrome will be different, in the 5th edition. Stay tuned...
For now, the official designation is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. So you may ask, "But what if there isn't any hyperactivity? Isn't that just ADD?" Well, there are four types of AD/HD:
· Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type · Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type · Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type · Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
(Whew!) Got it? Good. But don't worry; in most circles, the terms AH/HD and ADD are used interchangeably, and they work just fine.
What About "Adult AD/HD" or "Adult ADD"?
Certainly, adults can have AD/HD (ADD) -- but they don't "get" it in adulthood; for the diagnosis to be made, it must have been present since childhood, by age seven. Sometimes, adults were never diagnosed as children, and are just now learning that the cluster of signs and symptoms that cause them difficulty is due to previously-unrecognized AD/HD.
However, many adults may exhibit ADD-like behaviors or have ADD-type difficulties due to a stressful, hectic lifestyle, but not have AD/HD (ADD). Anxiety, depressed mood, too little sleep, too much multi-tasking, and/or just too much "too much" can all cause trouble concentrating, short-term memory problems, irritability, and some of the other classic signs and symptoms associated with an attention-deficit disorder.
AD/HD (ADD) Assessment
Assessment of an individual for signs and symptoms of AD/HD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), also commonly called ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), may be partially accomplished through administration of standardized rating scales designed to measure degrees of distractibility and concentration, attention span, information intake and processing speed, behavior motivation, impulse control, etc., and/or a battery of psychological tests designed to measure personal potential vs. academic skill achievement.
For this type of formal evaluation, a client will be referred to a psychologist who does such testing. Besides formal tests and rating scales, we may use other means to evaluate the likelihood of an individual's meeting criteria for a diagnosis of AD/HD: direct observation, subjective self-reports, screening forms or surveys, anecdotal evidence, school or work performance reports, and an in-depth developmental history.
Academic liaison and advocacy services for students and parents are also available.
New clients requesting AD/HD (ADD) assessment will need to make an appointment for a standard initial consultation (diagnostic interview) before a full AD/HD assessment is recommended.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the office at 770-729-9766 or e-mail kcourchene@live.com
Recommended Reading:
Superparenting for ADD: An Innovative Approach to Raising Your Distracted Child, by Edward Hallowell, M.D.
Driven to Distraction Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood, by John J. Ratey, M.D. and Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.
Answers to Distraction, by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.
Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder, by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.
