A typical assessment for ADHD may last about three hours. You can expect to have an in-person interview that covers topics such as development, health, family, and lifestyle history.

During the evaluation, information will be gathered about you or your child to determine if the criteria for ADHD are met. The criteria comes from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the official diagnostic guide used in the United States.

Regardless of the specific presentation of ADHD—inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, or combined—several conditions must be met in order to arrive at an official diagnosis:

• Several symptoms present before age 12
• Symptoms are present in multiple settings (home, school, work)
• Symptoms interfere with or reduce daily functioning
• Symptoms are not better explained by another mental health condition