| The diagnosis of Inattentive ADHD is often missed. | | | | about 1000, 10 years olds. Eight percent of them had |
| Sometimes the person with Inattentive ADHD only | | | | symptoms of ADHD and of these; five percent had |
| receives the diagnosis in adulthood. There are | | | | the hyperactive/impulsive subtype. Of these kids, most |
| individuals who have had difficulty in school their entire | | | | were receiving classroom help. The other three |
| academic career and while scouring the internet for | | | | percent had either Inattentive ADHD or combined type |
| help, they come across a behavioral checklist for | | | | ADHD (ADHD-C) and were not receiving any |
| Inattentive ADHD (ADHD-I) and realize that this | | | | additional classroom support. The researchers |
| condition is what they have been dealing with all their | | | | concluded that it was imperative to test children early |
| lives. Many of these individuals have been to therapist | | | | and afford them necessary classroom help so that |
| and doctors but no one ever suggested to them that | | | | these children did not worsen and continue to fall |
| they might have ADHD-I. | | | | behind. |
| Unfortunately, Inattentive ADHD is a diagnosis that is | | | | If the DSM V, the psychiatric diagnostic manual, used |
| hard to come by. Many teachers are aware of the | | | | by the American Psychiatric Association and by |
| problem but do not know what to call it or are calling it | | | | psychiatrist around the world, gives ADHD-I its own |
| 'garden variety' ADHD. Parents of children who are not | | | | category, it is possible that the awareness of the |
| hyperactive go home, after the parent teacher | | | | inattentive type of ADHD will increase. |
| conference, scratching their heads at a diagnosis of | | | | Regardless of what you believe about how ADHD-I |
| ADHD. They know that their child is not hyperactive | | | | should be treated, regardless of what you think about |
| and, in their limited understanding of ADHD, kids with | | | | how similar or different ADHD-I is from the other |
| this diagnosis are hyperactive. The parent is angry that | | | | subtypes, the fact remains that children with ADHD-I |
| the teacher has such a limited knowledge of the | | | | are the least diagnosed children of all the subtypes and |
| personality of their child and therein begins the parent | | | | the least treated. |
| teacher battle. | | | | Many inattentive kids are not receiving the help that |
| Unless the teacher explains to the parent, in great | | | | they need because no one understands what it is that |
| detail, that ADHD can exist without hyperactivity, that | | | | they have. The child with symptoms of ADHD-I looks |
| the spaciness, disorganization, and distraction are part | | | | significantly different, in a classroom, from the child with |
| of a bigger academic picture called Inattentive ADHD, | | | | hyperactive impulsive ADHD (ADHD-HI). We have to |
| then the parent will dismiss the suggestions of the | | | | increase awareness regarding the 'look' of the child |
| teacher and the child will remain without support and | | | | with ADHD-I. We have to let our teachers and parents |
| without classroom accommodation for their disability. | | | | know about the symptoms of Inattentive ADHD so |
| In the April "Journal of Attention Disorder" there is a | | | | that children and adults with this condition are promptly |
| telling study on the state of the diagnosis rate of | | | | diagnosed and treated. |
| Inattentive ADHD (ADHD-I). The researchers looked at | | | | |