young children seek help after the start of schooling years. The teacher is often bewildered as this adolescent appears clever but is unable to meet expectations.



In most cases, the teacher initiates the first step and arranges for a child psychologist, or perhaps more common an educational psychologist to test the overall intellect of the young adolescent and to exclude specific learning disabilities.

The results show a degree of failure which is not in keeping with the intellect and specific learning disorders. In other words they suspect that there might be something else ‘troubling’ the child. Attention Deficit Disorder With or Without Hyperactivity then becomes the primary consideration.

Unexpected behavioural problems at home tend to be a rather vague symptom to look for. At home the Attention Deficit Disorder With or Without Hyperactivity children have equal love and discipline, yet one child seem to stand out as many times more difficult.

The parents will be making heavy weather of management due to a cluster of telltale AdhdD behaviours. Once alerted to the possibility of ADHD, it is time to move to STEP 2.

Step 2: Exclude false positives:

It is amazing that MDs are able to differentiate between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and AD/D look-alikes.

Many university journal imply that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) is easily confused with a long list of different medical complaints. This is most definitely true on paper and in practice. The reason for this is simply and you know it well. The signs are too indistinguishable!

Many general practitioners however will tell you that they can tell without a shadow of a doubt that you child is suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder With or Without Hyperactivity…then they will go on to say something along the lines of ‘but they have a mild degree of learning disability as well.’

So much for the specificity. As a parent, please don’t get caught up in the detail. Just know that in clinical procedures, they always try to exclude (to the best of their abilities) any other cause for the behaviour.

Here are some of the most commonly quoted Attention Deficit Disorder With/Without Hyperactivity look-alikes.

Normal active preschooler. The hearing impaired child, intellectually disabled child, specific learning disabilities (which strangely enough was part of the associated symptoms with Attention Deficit Disorder With or Without Hyperactivity), autism, brain injury, epilepsy, childhood depression, family dysfunction and the list goes on and on and on.

If you really want to find out the possible look-alikes I have an extensive list at my site.