To avoid misdiagnosis, it’s important that these other possibilities, which are not always obvious, not be overlooked. But there are a number of other possibilities that can be contributing to attention problems. Since difficulty paying attention is widely associated with ADHD, that tends to be the first thing teachers, parents, and clinicians suspect. While all children, especially those who are very young, tend to have shorter attention spans and be more distractible than adults, some have much more trouble focusing and staying on task than others. Maybe homework assignments often go missing. Maybe he seems to tune out when instructions are given, or forget what he’s supposed to be doing. Maybe when the teacher calls on him, he doesn’t seem to have been following the lesson. Maybe the child takes an unusually long time to finish schoolwork in class. Trouble paying attention is often first identified by a teacher who notices that a student seems more easily distracted than most other kids his age. Then they’ll be able to figure out the real problem and give your child the right treatment. A mental health expert should examine your child. That expert should ask a lot of questions and observe their behavior. It’s important not to jump to the conclusion that your kid has ADHD just because a teacher reports an attention problem. These kids might be having trouble with their academic work, and they often get frustrated and embarrassed when they can’t keep up. These behaviors can make it look like they have ADHD.Ī learning disorder can also cause an attention problem. Kids who have been through very scary or stressful experiences can be nervous, jumpy, or spacey. Trauma can also make it hard for kids to pay attention. When a teacher calls on them, they seem like they’re not paying attention. OCD is another condition that can be confused with ADHD. Kids with OCD have obsessive worries about bad things happening. Some kids might not hand in homework or respond to teachers because they are so worried their answers won’t be perfect. For example, kids with separation anxiety may be distracted worrying that something will happen to their parents. When kids worry a lot, it can make concentrating in school very hard. But there are also other conditions that cause attention problems. It’s important to rule these out or a child can be misdiagnosed with ADHD and get the wrong treatment.Īnxiety is one issue that can cause attention problems. They have trouble following instructions or sitting still. These can be symptoms of ADHD. doi:10.1097/HRP.Lots of kids have short attention spans. Comorbidity Between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Across the Lifespan: A Systematic and Critical Review. doi:10.1186/s1288-3Ībramovitch A, Dar R, Mittelman A, Wilhelm S. Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: clinical implications of a dimensional approach. Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ. The clinical characteristics of adhd and obsessive-compulsive disorder comorbidity. Mersin Kilic S, Dondu A, Memis CO, Ozdemiroglu F, Sevincok L. doi:10.1017/S1355617717000807Ĭhildren and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Historical Neuropsychological Perspective. Misdiagnosis of ADHD in Individuals Diagnosed With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Guidelines for Practitioners. Curr Treat Options Psych 3, 225–234 (2016). ADHD in adults: clinical subtypes and associated characteristics. ADHD and executive functioning deficits in OCD youths who hoard. The neurobiological link between OCD and ADHD. Who Gets OCD?īrem S, Grünblatt E, Drechsler R, Riederer P, Walitza S.
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