Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the
most prevalent chronic health disorders affecting schoolage
children. The disorder is the subject of much debate for
several reasons, the major one being the diagnostic process,
which in some aspects is unstructured and can be relatively
easily biased. The impact of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed
ADHD on the lives of many children can be severe. Therefore,
it is important to understand the complexities of the
diagnostic procedure in ADHD, including the cultural bias
effect, the limitations of the DSM-IV-TR definitions, the
effect of comorbid conditions on the diagnostic process, the
gene-environment interaction, and the need to compose an
objective, more accurate, and generally accepted diagnostic
battery of tests. This review addresses the diagnostic
difficulties of ADHD and considers some steps that would
make ADHD a more easily identifiable disorder.