Can a child with ADHD go undiagnosed for a long period of time and it turn into or can they develop ODD?

Question

Can a child with ADHD go undiagnosed for a long period of time and it turn into or can they develop ODD?

Answer 1

It's possible, especially if the child is just considered "very active," or "high energy." Also, boys may go undiagnosed longer because of the "boys will be boys" way of thinking. Boys are more likely to be considered ADHD because they are more active and do externalize their emotions. Girls, however, tend to be diagnosed as ADD because they are easily distracted, but internalize their emotions...

ADD/ADHD wasn't characterized until a few years ago, so if the child is older, there really wasn't much to base a diagnosis on before now.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Yes, specially if it is a first child. Parents can't really tell if it is an active child or a hyperactive. Many times, parents don't know how to establish limits for certain behaviors and tolerate more than necessary and when finally they try to put   a stop to it, it is to late to do it by themselves. .

Tolerate (allowing) certain  negative behaviors only that  to the worsening  (or developing ) of ADHD

Answer 3

ODD can look a lot like ADHD. My son was borderline ODD based on a quiz at the doctors office, but with a change in the dose of his medications the ODD symptoms lessened so he stayed labled ADHD, though whenever his meds wear off, we see the oppositional behaviors start up.

Sure ADHD can go undiagnosis for a long time, but that depends upon the tolerance of the parents and teachers for the behaviors seen. And if the behaviors aren't interfering with someone's success in life, than they aren't labeled as anything either.

Answer 4

All those alphabet things like ADD, ADHD, ODD, EBD, ASD are neurological disorders as students grow and develop they can be impacted by different things at different times and different intensities.  So ADHD does not 'turn into' ODD but as a student grows and develops it may be that now the behaviors are more purposefully oppositional than attention related.