Checklist for Documentation of ADHD
In order to be eligible for accommodations because of ADHD, students must meet the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of the American Psychiatric Association and their documentation must meet the criteria listed below. There is a Checklist of the Documentation for ADHD of the criteria that can be filled out by the professional evaluating the student. Giving the physician or psychologist a copy of the ADHD checklist may be helpful in assuring that all criteria have been met and documented.
- Developmental history of symptoms of ADHD
- Documentation of current symptoms that meet diagnostic criteria
- Documentation of both childhood and current adult behavior on rating scales of ADHD symptoms that have appropriate age norms
- Corroboration of current ADHD symptoms across multiple settings by two independent observers with knowledge of the student's functioning
- Clear evidence and documentation of interference with developmentally appropriate academic, social, or vocational functioning
- All other psychiatric or medical disorders which may cause problems with inattention are differentially evaluated, documented, and considered in the differential diagnosis.
- Assessment on which the documentation is based must have been completed no more than three years prior to the student's application for accommodations, OR must have been completed as an adult (18 years old or older) and still be considered current.
