What is the time criteria for diagnosing ADHD?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the duration of symptoms required for a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) according to diagnostic criteria.
Answer
Symptoms must be present for at least 6 months and start before the age of 12 for an ADHD diagnosis.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms must be present for at least 6 months. Also, symptoms must start before the age of 12.
Answer for screen readers
To be diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms must be present for at least 6 months. Also, symptoms must start before the age of 12.
More Information
The exact criteria for number of symptoms differ based on age; for children to be diagnosed with ADHD, they must have 6 or more symptoms of inattentiveness, or 6 or more symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. For adults, only 5 symptoms must be present.
Tips
A common mistake is forgetting that the symptoms must be present for at least 6 months to be diagnosed.
Sources
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Diagnosis - NHS - nhs.uk
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know - nimh.nih.gov
- ADHD Screening: What To Expect - Cleveland Clinic - my.clevelandclinic.org
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