Fast Five Quiz: Do You Know the Signs, Symptoms, and Best Practices for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

The three types of ADHD are predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, and combined. The specific criteria for ADHD are:

• Inattentive: This must include at least six of the following symptoms of inattention that must have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

  • Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities

  • Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities

  • Often does not seem to listen to what is being said

  • Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions)

  • Often has difficulties organizing tasks and activities

  • Often avoids or strongly dislikes tasks (such as schoolwork or homework) that require sustained mental effort

  • Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (school assignments, pencils, books, tools, or toys)

  • Often is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli

  • Often forgetful in daily activities

• Hyperactivity/impulsivity: This must include at least six of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity that must have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

  • Fidgeting with or tapping hands or feet, squirming in seat

  • Leaving seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected

  • Running about or climbing excessively in situations where this behavior is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, this may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness)

  • Difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly

  • Unable to be or uncomfortable being still for extended periods of time (may be experienced by others as "on the go" or difficult to keep up with)

  • Excessive talking

  • Blurting out answers to questions before the questions have been completed

  • Difficulty waiting in lines or awaiting turn in games or group situations

  • Interrupting or intruding on others (for adolescents and adults, may intrude into or take over what others are doing)

• Other

  • Onset is no later than age 12 years

  • Symptoms must be present in two or more situations, such as school, work, or home

  • The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning

  • Disorder does not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder and is not better accounted for by mood, anxiety, dissociative, personality disorder, or substance intoxication or withdrawal

For more on the types of ADHD, read here.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Glen L Xiong, Stephen Soreff. Fast Five Quiz: Do You Know the Signs, Symptoms, and Best Practices for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder? - Medscape - Sep 14, 2015.