Matthew has no history of serious medical illness, hospitalization, or surgery. He has no history of loss of consciousness, head injury, or seizures. His most recent hearing and vision screenings were normal. He experiences seasonal allergies and exercise-induced asthma, for which he is treated with over-the-counter Allegra as needed. In September, following the initial neuropsychological evaluation, Matthew was prescribed 36 mg of Concerta daily by his pediatrician to treat his ADHD symptoms. Matthew, his parents, and his teachers have all noticed positive changes in his ability to concentrate and direct his attention since the administration of medication. In addition, Matthew’s ability to inhibit his inappropriate behaviors in school has improved. Matthew has no current or past history of substance…show more content… Diagnostic criteria for this disorder mandates that the individual must experience symptoms of anxiety with clinically significant distress or impairment (APA, 2013). Matthew experiences symptoms of anxiety including restlessness, difficulty falling and staying asleep, and excessive worry he finds difficult to control. These symptoms have been present for the past year and typically occur once a week. These symptoms occur predominantly before tests or large academic assignments. The anxiety causes significant distress and academic impairment. For example, Matthew stated that he often freezes while taking tests because he cannot stop thinking about failing. The diagnostic criteria for this disorder state it is given when the individual does not meet full criteria for another anxiety disorder (APA, 2013). The reason this diagnosis was chosen instead of generalized anxiety disorder is that he does not worry more days than not and his worry is solely due to academic performance and not multiple events or activities. Matthew meets criteria for this diagnosis; therefore, this diagnosis was
