What Is ADD? · Idaho ADHD Specialists
What is ADD?
ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder, is the older term for ADHD without hyperactivity, sometimes called the inattentive type. It shows up as trouble focusing, staying organized, and following through, even when someone wants to.
What is the Difference Between ADD and ADHD?
There is no clinical difference today. ADD was the name used before 1994, when it was folded into ADHD as one of three presentations. Both terms describe the same underlying condition, just from different points in time.
ADD
- Used in clinical settings before 1994
- Described attention and focus difficulties without hyperactivity
- Still used casually today, though it's not the current diagnostic term
ADHD
- Official term since the DSM-IV, in 1994
- Covers three presentations, including one that looks like classic ADD
- What someone with ADD-type symptoms would be diagnosed with today
The three ADHD presentations
Whichever term fits what you've experienced, an evaluation gives you the current, accurate diagnosis.
Find your focus — book todayA closer look at our evaluation process
Our evaluations go well beyond a quick questionnaire. Here's what's actually involved — and why each part matters for getting you accurate, useful answers.
01 — Clinical interview
We start by actually listening
The evaluation begins with a structured clinical interview — a real conversation about what you're experiencing, where it shows up, and how long it's been going on. This isn't a checkbox exercise. Your provider is building a full picture of how attention and focus challenges play out in your day-to-day life across different settings.
02 — Standardized testing
Gold-standard assessment tools
We use validated, widely-recognized rating scales and symptom inventories to measure attention, impulsivity, executive functioning, and more. These tools are designed to detect patterns that casual observation misses, and they give us objective data to back up the clinical picture — which matters when you need documentation for work, school, or accommodations.
03 — History review
Context makes all the difference
ADHD doesn't start in adulthood — it just gets noticed later. We look at your developmental history, school records if available, and patterns going back to childhood. We also screen for conditions that commonly overlap with ADHD, like anxiety and depression, so nothing gets missed or misattributed.
04 — Results & next steps
Clear answers before you leave
At the end of your evaluation, your provider walks you through what they found in plain language — no jargon, no waiting weeks to find out. You'll receive a written report you can use with your employer, school, or treatment team, along with a clear plan for what comes next, whether that's treatment with us or a referral elsewhere.
What we help with
From your first evaluation to ongoing care, you're working with licensed providers who understand your experience first hand.
ADD & ADHD assessment
A full evaluation and a clear diagnosis, using proven tools and a real eye for the more subtle ways ADD shows up.
Medication management
Ongoing, thoughtful medication support with a licensed provider, including how your hormones can change what works and when.
Anxiety & depression
Anxiety and depression love to travel with ADD, and sometimes disguise it. We treat the whole picture, not one piece at a time.
Personalized treatment plans
A plan that fits your goals and your real life, mixing medication, practical skills, and support that works the way you do.
Getting started is simple
From your first call to follow-ups, you'll always know what's next. No referral, no runaround.
-
01
Grab a time
Book online or give us a call. No referral needed, and we've usually got same-week and weekend spots open.
-
02
Meet your provider
You'll sit down with a licensed provider for a full evaluation — not a 15-minute intake. We take time to understand your symptoms and how they've shown up across your life.
-
03
Get a clear answer
We go through what we found together, in plain English. You leave knowing exactly what the evaluation showed and what it means for you.
-
04
Start your plan
We build a treatment plan around your goals and walk through every option, medication included, so you understand the trade-offs before committing to anything.
-
05
Check in and adjust
We keep tabs on how it's going and adjust as your symptoms and your life change over time.
What a diagnosis changes
The part where things start to make sense.
A diagnosis doesn't change who you are. It changes how you understand yourself. For most adults, getting a clear answer is the first time decades of struggle have an explanation. And an explanation opens up options that weren't there before.
-
You stop blaming yourself for things that were symptoms, not character flaws.
-
Treatment options become available (medication, strategies, support) that weren't on the table without a diagnosis.
-
Focus you can direct, not just focus that shows up when a deadline forces it.
-
Energy left at the end of the day, because you're not spending it all on holding everything together.
-
Trusting yourself again — knowing the problem had a name, and the name has a path forward.
From definition to diagnosis
Knowing what ADD means is one thing. Finding out if it applies to you is another. Our evaluations give you a specific, usable answer instead of a label to go research on your own.
-
Comprehensive evaluations using gold-standard tools, including clinical interviews and standardized rating scales across multiple settings.
-
Assessment covers anxiety, depression, and other conditions that overlap with ADHD, so nothing gets attributed to the wrong cause.
-
A written report in plain language that you can share with your employer, school, or treatment provider.
-
We evaluate adults, teens, and children. Whether ADD, ADHD, or something else fits, we start from where you are.
-
No referral needed. Same-week and weekend openings, in-person or online anywhere in Idaho. $150 off your first visit.
We probably take your insurance
Questions about coverage, discounts, or payment plans? Give us a call at (208) 408-2989 and we'll sort it out together.
Common questions about ADD
Quick answers to what people usually want to know next. If yours isn't here, just call.
Is ADD an outdated diagnosis, or can I still be diagnosed with it?
The term is outdated, but what it describes isn't. If your symptoms match what used to be called ADD, you'd be diagnosed today with ADHD, inattentive presentation. The label changed. The condition, and how it's treated, didn't.
What are the signs of ADD?
Trouble sustaining attention, losing track of details, forgetfulness, and difficulty organizing tasks or finishing what you start. Unlike hyperactive-type ADHD, restlessness and impulsivity usually aren't part of the picture.
Is ADD the same in adults and children?
The core traits are the same, but they look different depending on age. Kids with inattentive ADHD often get missed because they aren't disruptive in class. Adults usually notice it through missed deadlines, disorganization, or feeling chronically behind.
What causes ADD?
It's largely genetic, with brain development and environment playing a role as well. It isn't caused by poor parenting, laziness, or a lack of willpower, whatever anyone was told growing up.
I think I had ADD growing up but was never diagnosed. Is it too late to find out now?
No. Plenty of adults we see were missed as kids, especially those who did well enough in school that no one looked closer. Age doesn't rule anything out.
Is ADD a real medical condition?
Yes. It's a recognized neurodevelopmental condition, filed today under the ADHD diagnosis instead of its own separate category.
Do I need a referral to get evaluated?
No referral needed. You can book directly with us, and we usually have same-week and weekend openings available.
How much does it cost, and do you take insurance?
New patients get $150 off the first visit, and we take a number of major insurers. Call us at (208) 408-2989 for specifics on your coverage.
Still wondering about something? Call us at (208) 408-2989, or book and we'll reach out.
Find your focus — book today