Does Your Child Have ADHD?

If your child has at least six of the following symptoms, then he or she possibly has the inattention type of ADHD:

1. Not giving attention to details or making careless mistakes (if he has a habit of skipping half of his homework!)

2. Not keeping attention (if doing homework involves watching TV, playing the X-Box, and texting her friends!)

3. Not listening when spoken to (if he finds the squirrel running up and down your tree outside more captivating than you, and it's not your fault!)

4. Not following through or not finishing things (if you tell your child to go upstairs to his bedroom to get his dirty cups and he brings down his PSP!)

5. Not organized (if you are afraid to find out what's at the bottom of her backpack!)

6. Not wanting to do things that take a lot of concentration (usually everything that you really want him to do!)

7. Losing things (usually the things that you least want her to lose, like homework, books, or the whole backpack!)

8. Easily distracted

9. Forgetful

These are based on the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. A number of criteria seem repetitive or at least related. This is for informational purpose and not supposed to replace a formal evaluation with a child psychiatrist.