What's the earliest a doc can diagnose ADHD?

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering if my very wiggly/unfocused 4 year old is heading for a diagnosis. Sigh. (Not that I want to diagnose him, but the school seems to.)

[Anonymous]

Straight out of medical school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Straight out of medical school.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Ours was diagnosed just shy of 5 yo through NIMH.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure you could find a doctor to diagnose a kid in utero. so be careful, OP

[Anonymous]

OP here- let me rephrase. At what age is the minimum for making an ADHD diagnosis. In other words, can a 4 year old really even have ADHD, as the school suggests?

[Anonymous]

Maybe but you and they should go into an evaluation process with an open mind, not a suspected diagnosis already.

[Anonymous]

My pediatrician told me 7.
My son's prek teacher wanted me to have him tested, our pediatrician told me that the tests are very subjective and that diagnosis was not really reliable until age 7.

Many of the behaviors that are associated with being ADHD are the same behaviors that are associated with being a 4 year old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My pediatrician told me 7.
My son's prek teacher wanted me to have him tested, our pediatrician told me that the tests are very subjective and that diagnosis was not really reliable until age 7.

Many of the behaviors that are associated with being ADHD are the same behaviors that are associated with being a 4 year old.

Thanks, this is helpful! (And I would tend to agree!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- let me rephrase. At what age is the minimum for making an ADHD diagnosis. In other words, can a 4 year old really even have ADHD, as the school suggests?

Yes, an accurate diagnosis can be given that early. It would be at the more severe end and not based on if a 4 year old is "too wiggly." If you are not seeing issues with impulse control, self-regulation, hyperactivity, sustaining attention (beyond of course what a 4 year old "should" be able to maintain) -- and if you haven't seen signs over the course of months/year, then I would say don't bother with seeking out an evaluation. That doesn't mean 4 year olds can't be diagnosed.

[Anonymous]

My son was diagnosed at 4. However, we had a family history of it - older siblings, parents, and grandparent. Also, his symptoms were severe. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he had ADHD. We started to see symptoms at 18 months but had to wait until he was older for a diagnosis. He was diagnosed by a developmental pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

I've heard of doctors who will do it as early as 2. Our doc is highly, highly opposed to making the diagnosis before 7. Even then, he doesn't think a "label" is necessarily necessary or helpful.

My guess is that if your preschool is saying your son has problems, you're at the wrong preschool. Perhaps you should take him for an OT eval and start OT- that helped our son (who is probably ADHD, we just haven't had him diagnosed because we're not interested in medicating him at this point). I also suggest reading the book Boys Adrift. That was really helpful for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard of doctors who will do it as early as 2. Our doc is highly, highly opposed to making the diagnosis before 7. Even then, he doesn't think a "label" is necessarily necessary or helpful.

My guess is that if your preschool is saying your son has problems, you're at the wrong preschool. Perhaps you should take him for an OT eval and start OT- that helped our son (who is probably ADHD, we just haven't had him diagnosed because we're not interested in medicating him at this point). I also suggest reading the book Boys Adrift. That was really helpful for us.

An early label doesn't = medication. It can provide the professionals who work with your child and YOU as parents a context for behaviors so as to better structure and gauge interventions. Just because someone is diagnosed early does not mean they are medicated. It does mean that their preschool, if supportive, can work to provide appropriate and that parents can see the bigger picture of how tendencies wax and wane and which are predominant in order to work with your child in managing their behaviors to help them be successful in different stages of development. It's nice that your pediatrician gives the good "not helpful to diagnose" sound bite to you. YOU may find it helpful for better access to services and information though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Straight out of medical school.

please don't do that on this forum. We parents have it hard enough without smart-ass remarks like yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Straight out of medical school.

please don't do that on this forum. We parents have it hard enough without smart-ass remarks like yours.

Huh? That was a joke, not a particularly smart-ass comment. It was in no way a commentary about ADHD or parenting or anything else.