Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among children in respite care: Room for doubt

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is currently the diagnosis of choice for children displaying a range of attentional and hyperactive-impulsive behaviours. Diagnostic criteria are set out in the DSM-IV, but considerable overlap with a number of other disorders continues to pose diagnostic problems. A further potential difficulty is that the diagnostic criteria describe, but do not explain, behaviour, increasing the risk for misdiagnosis. A group of children in a respite care program previously diagnosed with ADHD and medicated by paediatricians, serve to illustrate these issues.