A diagnosis of ADHD is determined by the clinician based on the number and severity of symptoms, the duration of symptoms and the degree to which these symptoms cause impairment in various areas of life, such as home, school or work; with friends or relatives; or in other activities.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
ODD is one of the most common disorders occurring with ADHD. ODD usually starts before 8 years of age, but can also occur in adolescents. Children with ODD may be most likely to act oppositional or defiant around people they know well, such as family members or a regular care provider.
Its core symptoms are inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. In an adult with ADHD, symptoms of hyperactivity may be less obvious, but difficulties with inattention, poor planning, and impulsivity may persist. These symptoms can appear at home, work or school, or in social settings.
There is no test for ADHD – the assessment is made using a wide range of information provided by both the family and your child's school. Other health professionals, such as a speech pathologist, may also become involved in your child's assessment.
ADHD: a disabling condition
It is recognized as a disability under the 1992 Disability Discrimination Act.
On its own, ADHD is not usually covered by the NDIS. That's because it can be hard for someone with ADHD to meet the NDIS eligibility criteria for a severe and permanent disability.
Similar to the hyperactive symptoms, impulsive symptoms are typically seen by the time a child is four years old and increase during the next three to four years to peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age.
You can inherit genes that boost risk for ADHD from your mother, from your father or from both parents. In a recent Norwegian study, inherited risk was somewhat higher when a child's mother had ADHD compared to their father, but researchers weren't certain why that would be.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Getting Diagnosed. There's no one test. Instead, doctors and psychologists get information about what and how many symptoms you have, when they started, how long they've lasted, and how severe they are. In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, you need to have several symptoms, not just one or two.
Yes, ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). There are several types of disabilities, including but not limited to: learning disability. cognitive disability.
Genetics. ADHD tends to run in families and, in most cases, it's thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that parents and siblings of someone with ADHD are more likely to have ADHD themselves.
The mind of a person with ADHD is full of the minutiae of life (“Where are my keys?” “Where did I park the car?”), so there is little room left for new thoughts and memories. Something has to be discarded or forgotten to make room for new information. Often the information individuals with ADHD need is in their memory…
The symptoms include an inability to focus, being easily distracted, hyperactivity, poor organization skills, and impulsiveness. Not everyone who has ADHD has all these symptoms. They vary from person to person and tend to change with age.
Causes of ADHD
Recent studies link genetic factors with ADHD. In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk factors including: Brain injury. Exposure to environmental risks (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age.
Some triggers may be directly related to general health or lifestyle factors. What you eat, how much sleep you receive, the time spend sitting, and the amount of caffeine you drink matters. Although far from conclusive, there's some evidence that a poor diet impacts the symptoms of people with ADHD, too.
ADHD can reduce life expectancy by as much as 13 years, but its risk is reversible. Learn how to mitigate the risks in this video, with Russell Barkley, Ph. D.
With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
NDIS and ADHD
As most people are aware ADHD does not appear on the list of disabilities supported by the NDIS, which means that unless there is another disability which could be a primary disability, the ADHD cannot be considered by the NDIS.
“People with ADHD can become NDIS participants if they meet the criteria of being permanently and significantly disabled and provide evidence showing they meet the requirements set out in the NDIS Act,” she said.
It is against the law for an employer to discriminate against a job applicant because of disability. If a pre-employment form asks for information about disability or illness, you have no legal obligation to disclose and can write 'not applicable' for any disability that will not impact on your work performance.