While the severity of the symptoms varies from person to person, the criteria used for an ADD checklist requires a prolonged period of documented behaviors that have affected at least two areas, such as church, school, home, social settings or work.
Frequency
Health care providers typically ask patients how often they experience the common symptoms of ADD. They are looking for the frequency of how many times patients forgot important dates, how often they drifted off into daydreaming during a meeting or how regularly they leave tasks uncompleted. Answers may range from never to often or several times a day that patients fidget and have trouble sitting still. Additional questions may involve how often the patient has trouble relaxing, waiting or listening to others speak.
Severity
The severity of the symptoms also is an indication of the existence of ADD or merely part of the patient's personality. Children with attention deficit disorder often do poorly in school. Their grades are below their potential and they often are in trouble with teachers and authority. Teenagers, while moody and restless by nature, often have trouble holding down a first job or maintaining relationships with friends. They may experiment with drugs in an effort to self-medicate. While many adults forget their keys occasionally or nod off during a boring meeting, adults with ADD lose jobs because of their disorder and their inability to get organized. Finally, before making a conclusive diagnosis, doctors must rule out any other alternative physical or mental health problems that could be causing the symptoms.