ADHD Screening
Reviewed
ADHD screening helps find out if a child, teen, or adult has ADHD. It is used to check for ADHD in people who have frequent, serious problems with attention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsive behavior. The screening also checks for other mental disorders that often happen with ADHD. There is no single test to show whether a person has ADHD; instead, a health care provider follows professional guidelines for gathering information, doing tests, and diagnosing the cause of symptoms.
Preparation and collection
You usually don't need any special preparations for ADHD screening. Your provider will let you know what health and school records you may need to gather.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- There is no single test to show whether a person has ADHD.
- The screening is not diagnostic by itself; results must be interpreted by a healthcare professional.
- Symptoms of other mental health disorders can be mistaken for ADHD.
What to do next
If the screening leads to a diagnosis of ADHD, treatment may include medicine, talk therapy, behavioral therapy, and lifestyle changes. Parents of children with ADHD may also receive training to help their children manage ADHD. If the screening does not meet criteria for ADHD, the provider may evaluate for other conditions.