ADHD Quiz: Facts About Childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Quiz: The Truth About Childhood ADHD

  1 of  

Current Score:  

Kids who have ADHD mainly need:

• A medical checkup
• Skills to boost willpower
• More discipline

Kids who have ADHD mainly need:

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

If you worry your child has ADHD, it is best to get him checked out by his doctor. ADHD doesn't happen because of a lack of willpower or lack of discipline. While providing clear, consistent expectations, setting limits, and keeping a daily schedule can help kids with ADHD, it is a medical disorder. Seeking out medical advice can help you and your child better manage it.

 

Even though we don't understand exactly what causes ADHD, we do know that genetics and brain chemistry are involved.

All children with ADHD are hyperactive.

• True
• False

All children with ADHD are hyperactive.

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

Not all kids with ADHD are restless or hyper. There are actually three types of ADHD:

 

Predominantly inattentive -- These kids have problems focusing, are distracted easily, and have trouble following directions or conversations.

 

Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive -- These kids fidget, talk a lot, are impulsive and/or accident-prone, and can't wait for their turn.

 

Combined -- These kids have traits from both types. This is the most common.

slide image

Among school-age children, who is diagnosed more with ADHD?

• Girls
• Boys

slide image

Among school-age children, who is diagnosed more with ADHD?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

More than twice as many boys ages 4 to 17 are diagnosed with ADHD -- 13.2% of boys compared to 5.6% of girls.

 

Girls, though, are more likely to have the predominantly inattentive type of ADHD. Girls' ADHD may be overlooked because their lack of attention is often mistaken for daydreaming and not recognized until they get older. Girls also tend to be less disruptive and less likely to have a learning disability, the red flags teachers often watch for.

slide image

All fidgety kids have ADHD.

• True
• False

slide image

All fidgety kids have ADHD.

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

What can seem like ADHD symptoms are sometimes just typical kid behaviors. Fidgeting, lack of organization, and inability to listen or follow instructions -- they aren't always symptoms of ADHD.

 

To diagnose ADHD, some of the things doctors look for include:

• Six symptoms of inattentiveness and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity
• ADHD symptoms that affect kids in at least two places, like home, school, or social situations
• Symptoms for 6 months or more

 

If you're concerned about ADHD, schedule an appointment with your child's doctor so you can get it checked out.

slide image

What percentage of kids are diagnosed with ADHD?

• Almost 2%
• Almost 6%
• Almost 12%

slide image

What percentage of kids are diagnosed with ADHD?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

As of 2011, 11% of 4- to 17-year-olds were reportedly diagnosed with ADHD. That's up from 9.5% in 2007.

 

It's not clear whether more kids are developing ADHD, or if more are being diagnosed because of better ways to identify it.

slide image

ADD and ADHD are the same thing.

• True
• False

slide image

ADD and ADHD are the same thing.

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

For years, "attention deficit disorder" (ADD) was the term used for a certain type of attention problem.

 

Today, professionals use "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder," or ADHD, as the umbrella term. There are different subtypes under it. Now, ADD is one of those that usually falls under ADHD. ADD is also known as the "predominantly inattentive" type.

slide image

What's the youngest age ADHD can be diagnosed?

• 2
• 4
• 6

slide image

What's the youngest age ADHD can be diagnosed?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

New findings make it possible for doctors to make a diagnosis as early as 4, according to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Before 2011, the youngest age a child could be diagnosed was 6.

 

Getting an early diagnosis may help kids start therapies that can improve their odds of success at school.

slide image

Which condition is sometimes seen along with ADHD?

• Learning disability
• Depression
• Anxiety
• All of the above

slide image

Which condition is sometimes seen along with ADHD?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

About two-thirds of children with ADHD also have other conditions or illnesses, such as:

• a learning disability
• anxiety
• depression
• oppositional defiant disorder
• conduct disorder
• delays in learning or language development

 

These other conditions can make it more difficult to diagnose ADHD.

slide image

Kids usually outgrow ADHD by what age?

• 13
• 18
• 35
• Most don't outgrow it

slide image

Kids usually outgrow ADHD by what age?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

The latest thinking is many kids don't outgrow ADHD. About half of kids with ADHD have symptoms as teens and young adults.

 

Some traits of ADHD, like high energy, can be assets in certain careers. Most importantly, with treatment, kids with ADHD can learn to manage symptoms as they get older.

slide image

ADHD is often treated with:

• Medication
• Behavior modification
• Parent education
• All of the above

slide image

ADHD is often treated with:

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

Typical ADHD treatment has several parts. Between 70% and 80% of children with ADHD respond to stimulant medication. But all stimulants don't work for all kids with ADHD. Several types may need to be tried before you can find the one that works the best.

 

Behavioral modification, and often, psychological therapy, can teach a child new skills to help him manage his own behavior and interact well with others.

 

Parents and other caretakers should also learn about ADHD. Learning how to set up systems of rewards and consequences can help your child. It's also important to learn how to manage the stress ADHD can cause you and your child. Family therapy is sometimes part of a treatment program, too.

slide image

Why are stimulant medications part of ADHD treatment?

• They're the best cure we have
• They help control symptoms
• They sedate kids

slide image

Why are stimulant medications part of ADHD treatment?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

It may seem odd to give stimulants (Adderall, Concerta, Focalin, Ritalin, Vyvanse) to treat a condition that may feature hyped-up behavior. But these drugs stimulate the parts of the brain needed for impulse control, focus, and organization.

 

While there's no cure for ADHD, stimulants seem to do a good job of controlling some symptoms for most kids.

slide image

Which diet is best for a child with ADHD?

• Additive-free
• Mediterranean
• Megavitamin
• Sugar-free

slide image

Which diet is best for a child with ADHD?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

The Mediterranean diet is a good choice, but only because it promotes the kind of foods that are healthiest for ALL kids. There's no proof that ADHD can be caused by a poor diet or cured by a special diet.

 

Health experts agree every child does better in general by eating a balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet.

 

Eat -- mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and omega-3 fats (found in foods like salmon and walnuts).

 

Avoid -- saturated fats, sugar, and additives or processed foods.

slide image

Schools and teachers can diagnose ADHD.

• True
• False

slide image

Schools and teachers can diagnose ADHD.

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

Teachers, aides, and principals aren't qualified to diagnose ADHD. They may point out problems because they've seen similar things in kids they know have ADHD.

 

That can be helpful, but you need to talk with a health care provider who is trained to diagnose ADHD to find out for sure and get proper treatment.

slide image

How can a kid with ADHD focus on video games for hours on end?

• They've been misdiagnosed
• Games keep kids' attention
• Kids with ADHD can focus if they want to

slide image

How can a kid with ADHD focus on video games for hours on end?

• Your Answer:
• Correct Answer:

Although inattention is a classic ADHD symptom, kids with ADHD can focus on stimulating activities. Activities that are full of images, sounds, or physical activity can hold their attention.

 

It's not because kids with ADHD can turn their attention on and off when they want. Rather, they have a harder time paying attention in certain situations.

 

Tasks that require focused attention over long periods of time -- such as schoolwork or lectures -- are usually harder.

Your Score:   You correctly answered   out of   questions.

Your Score:   You correctly answered   out of   questions.

Great score! You really understand childhood ADHD.

Like many, looks like you're still learning about childhood ADHD. Try taking the quiz again.

Looks like you learned a lot about ADHD. Try taking the quiz again to score higher.

Retake QuizPrint My Results

Read More on ADHD

• ADHD in Children
• Brain Foods That Can Help You Focus
• A Visual Guide to ADHD in Adults

Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on May 01, 2014

Sources:
IMAGE PROVIDED BY:

jutta klee / Ableimages

 

SOURCES:

ADHDLibrary.org: "Comparison of ADHD Subtypes."

American Academy of Pediatrics: "AAP Expands Ages for Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD in Children."

Biederman, J. The American Journal of Psychiatry , May 1991.

Biederman, J. The American Journal of Psychiatry , Jan. 1, 2002.

Biederman, J. The American Journal of Psychiatry , June 1, 2005.

National Center for Learning Disabilities: "What Is Executive Function?"

Harvard Medical School: "Diet and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."

Healthy Children.org: "ADHD Basics," "Hidden in Plain Sight: Girls and ADHD," "Medication and Behavior Therapy," "Myths and Misconceptions," "Understanding ADHD."

Pruitt, D. Your Adolescent , Harper Collins, 2000.

Healthykids.org: "Your Child's Diet: A Cause and a Cure of ADHD?"

InsideADHD.org: "ADHD and Video Games."

National Institute of Mental Health: "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," "How Is ADHD Diagnosed?" "What Conditions Can Coexist with ADHD?" "How Is ADHD treated?" "Statistics: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Among Children," "What Causes ADHD?" "What Medications Are Used to Treat ADHD?"

National Resource Center on AD/HD: "The School Says My Child Has AD/HD; Now What Do I Do?" "What Is AD/HD or ADD?" "Women and AD/HD," "AD/HD and Coexisting Conditions: Disruptive Behavior Disorders," "Managing Medication for Children and Adolescents with AD/HD," "Treatment Overview," "Psychosocial Treatment for Children and Adolescents with AD/HD," "What Is Executive Function?" "Diagnosis of AD/HD in Adults," "Myths and Misconceptions."

The Help Group: "ADHD as Executive Function Impairments."

Webster's New World Medical Dictionary: "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."

Wolraich, M. Journal of the American Medical Association , Nov. 22-29, 1995.

Swanson, J. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry , 2003.

Singer-Leshinsky, S. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants , March 2011.

Kessler, R. American Journal of Psychiatry , April 2006.

Sciutto, M. Journal of Attention Disorders , September 2007.

CDC: "ADHD Symptoms and Diagnosis," "Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Data & Statistics," "Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder," "Facts About ADHD," "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Nov. 12, 2010."

CHADD.org: "What Are the Symptoms of ADHD?" "Ask the Expert: Diet and AD/HD," "Coexisting Disorders," "Understanding ADHD."

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition . American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

Froehlich, T. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine , September 2007.

This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information:
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.  It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the WebMD Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.

Today on WebMD

ARTICLE

How ADHD is Diagnosed


ASSESSMENT

Could Your Child Have ADHD?

 


ARTICLE

Disciplining an ADHD Child


ARTICLE

Teens and ADHD