Hyperkinetic disorder (F90.-) is defined by ICD-10 as a disorder involving inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity with:
- Early onset, usually in the first five years of life.
- A lack of perseverance in occupations that require cognitive effort and a tendency to switch from one activity to another without finishing anything
- Relationship with adults often characterized by a distance disorder and a lack of normal caution and restraint. With other children, they are unpopular and can be isolated.
- Frequent impairment of cognitive functions; specific delays in motor and language development occur disproportionately.
- Dissocial behavior and low self-esteem as secondary complications.
Wender-Utah criteria
The Utah criteria specifically were developed for adult ADHD patients (modified from):
Criteria | Symptoms |
1. attention deficit in the absence of stimulation. | Inability to follow conversations; distractibility; difficulty concentrating on written material; forgetfulness; frequently losing objects |
2. motor hyperactivity | Feeling of inner restlessness; inability to relax or persist in sedentary activities; dysphoric mood when inactive |
3. affect lability | Frequent and rapid mood changes within hours and days |
4. disorganized behavior | Inadequate planning and organization of work, school, or household activities; moving haphazardly from one task to the next without actually completing a task; time management problems |
5. impaired affect control | Permanent irritability; low frustration tolerance; outbursts of anger. |
6. impulsivity | Talking out of turn; impatience; actions that are hardly thought through. |
7. emotional overreactivity | Failure to deal adequately with everyday stressors; exaggerated or anxious reaction |
Diagnosis is made according to Utah criteria if:
- 1. and 2. + two criteria from 3. to 7. are fulfilled
The Utah criteria take into account the mood swings often pronounced in ADHD much more than ICD-10 or DSM-IV.
Severity classification of ADHD
The severity classification (mild, moderate, and severe) was based on DSM-5. Both symptom expression and degree of functional impairment are used to define severity.
Severity | Definition |
Slightly |
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Medium |
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Severe |
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