Mental State Examination in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

With hyperactivity as a symptom, mental status examination (MSE) in attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may seem a straightforward thing and thediagnosis obvious, but this may not be so and the diagnosis may easily be missed ifthe child is not hyperactive or else is not so in a clinical assessment situation.Inattention and impulsivity, the other two core symptoms, may not be very easy topick up as an MSE finding in an interview situation. Besides, co-morbidities likemental retardation (MR), anxiety disorder and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)may mask ADHD unless mental age of the child is taken into account and specialefforts are made to make a judgment on inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.Therefore, special attempts should be made to create clinical situations in which thesymptoms of ADHD emerge and the clinician should be prepared to recognize them.