Is It ADHD or Immaturity?

By Caroline Miller at Child Mind Institute

Studies show that kids who are some of the youngest in their class are much more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than older kids. That suggests that some kids who don’t have ADHD are being misdiagnosed. They’re just less mature. And less mature can mean less able to sit still, pay attention and wait for their turn.

To keep kids from getting a wrong diagnosis, it’s important to compare them to other kids their age, not the other kids in their class. The doctor who’s testing your child should get information from other adults who spend time with your child — not just their teacher. They shouldn’t base a diagnosis just on how your child acts at school. Is your child bouncing off the walls at home, too? Are they so impulsive you worry they’ll get hurt? Do they seem to be daydreaming instead of listening to you?

The doctor should get a full history, too. What was your child like when they were two or three years old? If problems show up in kindergarten, that can be a sign that your child is just adjusting to a new place with new rules.

The biggest factor in separating ADHD from immaturity is how much it affects your kid’s life. Is your child constantly in conflict with parents? Do they get left out of playdates because they can’t follow rules? If so, it’s a good idea to have them evaluated.

If your doctor thinks your four- or five-year-old has ADHD, medication shouldn’t be the first choice for treatment. Instead, it’s good to try behavior therapy first. Anxiety and trauma can also be confused with ADHD. That’s another reason it’s best to hold off on medication until you can be confident they’re getting the right diagnosis.