Assessing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when there is a history of trauma in children and adolescents who live in care – a dimensional rather than categorical approach

Abstract

Children and young people in care are much more likely to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).Children and young people who have experienced trauma, and who live in care struggle with executive functioning skills such as concentration, memory and impulse control.There is an overlap in the difficulties experienced by children with ADHD or trauma.Clinicians who provide ADHD assessments for young people living in care often experience pressures to diagnose and treat ADHD to better understand and regulate the child.A small group of international clinicians and researchers are in the process of writing some clinical guidelines for assessing for ADHD with children and young people who have experience of trauma. The guidelines being developed aim to ignite curiosity and aid thinking rather than be prescriptive.