I took my child to a doctor who made the diagnosis in 30 minutes. Can doctors really make a diagnosis of ADHD that quickly?

Yes. Although parents may have difficulty understanding this, professionals may be able to make the diagnosis of ADHD quite quickly. First, as qualified professionals, they see many children with the same set of critical characteristics. Similar to diagnosing a medical condition, such as diabetes, a personal history in combination with symptoms may quickly point to the right diagnosis. In fact, a child’s personal history alone is often the most important part of the diagnosis. In addition, if you and your child have provided the doctor with completed questionnaires that point out problems with inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity, the diagnosis is often immediately apparent. Very often the history is confirmed by a child’s unruly behavior in the office: however, the key element of the diagnosis is the history, not the inappropriate office behavior.