#1 that has actually been a long standing theory. HOWEVER several members on this board have stated that medications did not work for their young children, but once passing puberty, medications DID work. So, while the "medication test theory may be valid, it's not an instant diagnostic "tool" medications would have to be ineffective over a lifetime to "prove" that it's not ADHD and that is only helpful for research purposes, not treatment purposes.
#2 "could result in ODD behavior as a result... rather than the ODD being linked directly to the ADHD" This is why I and many others on this board don't think ODD, in and of itself, as a "real" diagnosis. It is NOT a biological disorder, but environmental. ADHD itself does not cause OOD, but how the child with ADHD responds to their environment and how the caregivers respond to the child, may elicit ODD type behavior.
in my opinion long term (10-15) year studies also need to be done, because what *looks* like ADHD with ODD in a 5 or 6 y/o (even passing diagnostic criteria) may in fact be co-morbid with other dxes or something else entirely.
