To meet the criteria for ADHD, symptoms must be inappropriate for what?

To meet the criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), symptoms must be inappropriate for the child's developmental stage. This means that the symptoms should not simply reflect typical behaviors that one might expect at a given age. ADHD is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interfere with functioning or development; therefore, these symptoms should be out of the norm compared to what is typically observed in children of the same age.

The developmental stage is crucial because ADHD can only be diagnosed when the behaviors are excessive compared to the developmental expectations for the child. For instance, a child who is 7 years old may naturally have some level of impulsiveness or difficulty focusing, but if those behaviors are significantly more severe than what is expected for a child of that age, they may be indicative of ADHD. This understanding helps clinicians differentiate between typical childhood behavior and true symptoms of ADHD, validating the importance of developmental considerations in diagnosis.