ADHD Screenings Offered at Jamaica Hospital

On Children’s Mental Health Day, May 8, the Department of Psychiatry's Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center provided free ADHD screenings, along with informational material, to over 50 local families.

“Screenings are very important for children who may have ADHD,” explained Dr. Teresita Ruiz, Assistant Director of the Division. “Research has shown that children who are not’t diagnosed and treated early in life have a greater chance of becoming substance abusers, dropping out of school, getting in trouble with the legal system, being unable to develop and maintain relationships, and have trouble maintaining a job later on in life.”

Attention–Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a medical condition often diagnosed in children that affects how well they can sit still, focus, and pay attention. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that between three and five percent of children have ADHD or approximately two million children in the United States with the condition. That means that there’s at least one child, in a classroom of 25 to 30 students, with ADHD.

The essential components of an ADHD screening include interviews with the parents, the child, and teachers, as well as other caregivers. These interviews provide a better understanding of the child’s developmental history and functional impairment. The evaluation also includes the DSM–IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Psychiatric Disorders) criteria, along with information from structured ratings, such as the Conner’s Rating Scales. Co-morbidity and medical problems that mimic the signs and symptoms of ADHD should also be considered.