ADHD Screening

What is ADHD screening?

ADHD screening is used to find out if you or your child may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a common developmental disorder that begins in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. If you have this condition, you may often have a hard time paying attention, focusing on tasks, or sitting still.

There are three types of ADHD:

• Predominantly Inattentive ADHD. This type of ADHD involves trouble paying attention. For example, it may be hard for you or your child to organize or finish tasks. You or your child may also be easily distracted, have trouble following instructions or conversations, or often lose or forget things.
• Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD. This type of ADHD involves symptoms of both hyperactivity (being overly active) and impulsivity (acting without thinking). Symptoms of hyperactivity may include fidgeting or talking too much. Symptoms of impulsivity may include acting on sudden ideas or feelings without thinking about the possible results.
• Combined ADHD. If you or your child has this type, you or your child will have a mix of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. This is the most common type.

It's normal to sometimes have trouble paying attention, staying organized, or sitting still, especially for children. But with ADHD, these symptoms are more severe and can cause serious problems in school or work and your social life.

ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, but some people with the disorder don't get diagnosed until they are adults.

Other names: ADHD test

What is it used for?

ADHD screening is used to check for ADHD in people who have frequent, serious problems with attention, hyperactivity, or impulsive behavior. There's no single test that can diagnose ADHD. Instead, your or your child's health care provider will gather information and order various tests to diagnose the cause of your symptoms. This process usually involves:

• Symptom checklists or questionnaires. These usually have rating scales (scoring systems) that a provider can use to see if your symptoms qualify for a diagnosis of ADHD.
• Interviews with family members, loved ones, and others who know you or your child. To make a diagnosis, it's necessary to know how you or your child act during different activities and situations. So, the provider may want to talk to various people who interact with you or your child in different settings. For a child and teen, this may include teachers, coaches, and other family members. For adults, this may mean friends, spouses, co-workers, and family members who knew them during childhood.
• A physical exam. A provider may check for certain health conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of ADHD. The exam may include vision and hearing tests (for children and adults), thyroid tests, and other tests.
• A review of your or your child's medical and family health histories. The cause of ADHD isn't known, but it often runs in families. So, a provider may consider the results of any past ADHD tests and school reports that may provide valuable information. For adults, a provider may ask to see old school records to see if symptoms began in childhood.
• A screening for other mental health disorders that could be causing symptoms instead of ADHD. These mental health screening tests check for conditions such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Children may also be tested for learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or behavior disorders.

ADHD screening is used with children as young as age four. If you have a younger child with symptoms that could be ADHD, ask your child's provider which type of testing might be best.

Why do I need ADHD screening?

You may need ADHD screening if you have ongoing problems with attention, organization, impulsivity, or restlessness that affect daily life. To diagnose ADHD, a provider will need to find out whether ADHD symptoms were present before age 12.

Your child may need screening if you, a teacher, or another caregiver thinks your child has symptoms of ADHD.

Symptoms of ADHD can vary depending on the type of ADHD you or your child have.

Symptoms of attention problems can include:

• Missing details or making careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or during other activities
• Having trouble staying focused on activities or work tasks
• Not seeming to listen when spoken to directly
• Finding it hard to follow instructions or finishing tasks
• Having trouble staying organized, keeping belongings in order, or managing time
• Avoiding doing tasks that require long periods of mental effort
• Losing important items, such as books, wallets, keys, eyeglasses, and cellphones
• Getting easily distracted
• Forgetting about doing daily activities

Symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity may often include:

• Fidgeting and squirming while seated
• Getting up when they are expected to stay seated
• Running around or climbing when it's not appropriate (children) or feeling restless (teens and adults)
• Having trouble doing quiet activities
• Being constantly moving or “on the go”
• Talking over others or struggling to stop talking
• Blurting out answers before questions are completed
• Having trouble waiting for their turn
• Interrupting other people or their activities (such as conversations or games)

Symptoms of combined ADHD usually include those of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.

What happens during an ADHD screening?

The general screening process is similar for people of all ages. It involves questionnaires and symptoms checklists, interviews with loved ones and friends, reviews of your medical and family histories, and screenings for other mental health disorders.

A questionnaire may include questions such as:

• How often do you have difficulty concentrating on what people say to you, even when they are speaking to you directly?
• How often do you leave your seat in meetings or other situations in which you are expected to remain seated?
• How often do you have difficulty unwinding and relaxing when you have time to yourself?
• When you're in a conversation, how often do you find yourself finishing the sentence of the people you are talking to before they can finish it themselves?

To screen for other mental health disorders, a provider will ask questions about your or your child's:

• Mood and emotions
• Sleep and appetite
• Energy and concentration
• Thoughts, fears, and behavior patterns
• Alcohol or drug use
• Family history of mental health conditions

A provider may do the entire screening or refer you or your child to a mental health provider. A mental health provider is a health care professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health problems.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for ADHD screening?

No special preparations are needed for ADHD screening. Your or your child's provider will let you know what health and school records you may need to gather.

Are there any risks to screening?

There is no risk to a physical exam, written test, or questionnaire.

What do the results mean?

The provider will usually write up the results of an ADHD screening in a report that includes a diagnosis. To diagnose ADHD, the screening must find a pattern of symptoms that:

• Began before age 12 and have lasted for at least 6 months. For children up to age 16, a screening test must find at least six ongoing symptoms. For people age 17 and older, a test must find at least five ongoing symptoms.
• Happen in two or more settings, such as at home and at work or school.
• Get in the way of school, work, or social situations.
• Aren't caused by another mental health disorder.

If ADHD is diagnosed, the results will include the type of ADHD:

• Predominantly inattentive
• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive
• Combined

The results may also say whether ADHD is mild, moderate, or severe.

Treatment may help reduce symptoms through medicine, talk therapy, behavioral therapy, and lifestyle changes. Usually, two or more treatments are combined. Parents of children with ADHD may also receive training to help their children manage ADHD.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.