How is ADHD primarily diagnosed?

The primary method for diagnosing ADHD involves gathering information from multiple sources to understand a child's behavior in different settings. The Vanderbilt Parent and Teacher Scales are specifically designed for this purpose. These standardized questionnaires allow parents and teachers to provide insights into the child's behavior, attention, and impulsivity across contexts, which is crucial for an accurate diagnosis.

Using both parent and teacher input helps to create a comprehensive profile of the child's functioning, which is essential as ADHD symptoms may vary significantly between home and school environments. This multi-informant approach supports the diagnostic process because it ensures that the evaluation considers diverse observations of the child’s behavior.

Other methods like neurological assessments or brain imaging techniques are not primarily used for diagnosing ADHD because they do not specifically measure attention or behavior issues associated with the disorder. Similarly, blood tests for biomarkers have not been established as a valid diagnostic tool for ADHD, as ADHD is primarily a behavioral disorder that relies on observable symptoms rather than physiological measurements. Therefore, the Vanderbilt scales are integral to accurately identifying ADHD in children.