ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
Making an assessment is the first step towards understanding and managing symptoms. Find a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists or neurologists, family doctors) who is experienced in ADHD assessments.
The expert will conduct an organized interview to review your history. They might request old reports and speak to family members, teachers or friends to get information about your childhood behaviors.
Symptoms
Children and adults who have symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have trouble with paying close attention, listening attentively and following directions--things that come naturally to others. The symptoms also may interfere with learning and relationships at school, work and home. Talk to your GP if you or your child displays these symptoms. They are not able to diagnose ADHD in a formal manner, but they can discuss your concerns and refer you to specialists when needed.
A GP can determine if you suffer from ADHD symptoms by asking questions, reviewing medical records and your health history, and then performing a physical exam. You may also mention the history of your family's ADHD to aid in determining the cause. The GP can then recommend you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to complete a psychiatric evaluation. The evaluation may consist of an explanation of your symptoms, questionnaires and scales completed by your caregivers, you and teachers, a psychiatric history and physical examination and laboratory tests.
Psychiatrists and psychologists can diagnose ADHD in adolescents and children by following established guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. This includes looking for an inattention pattern or hyperactivity that lasts for six months or more and determining if these symptoms have a significant impact on your daily routine at work, home and school.
Adults can be diagnosed with ADHD in the same manner, but their symptoms are more likely to present differently as they grow older. They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or a combination of both.
If you meet the criteria for diagnosis and your symptoms are adult-specific you could be prescribed medication. Psychostimulants, which affect neurotransmitters in the brain, are commonly prescribed to treat ADHD in adults. These medications help improve concentration and focus, as well as increasing energy and alertness. They can be prescribed in extended-release form to minimize the risk of the risk of adverse effects. Adults who present with inattentive ADHD can be treated with antidepressants. These medications, such as Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine), affect neurotransmitters in the brain and enhance mood and focus.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can assist you in taking control of the symptoms that could affect your personal and professional life. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists or neurologists, as well as family doctors) can conduct a psychiatric assessment. A person with an underlying symptom-based diagnosis like ADHD must follow certain guidelines laid out in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition to be eligible for treatment for ADHD.
During an ADHD evaluation Your healthcare provider will ask questions about your child's behavior at school, at home and in social environments. They will also review your child's development as well as medical and family history. They will then compare your child's behavior to the behavior of other children of similar age. They could use standardized rating scales to measure the frequency of certain behaviors, such as difficulty paying attention, ignoring things and interrupting others.
There are three presentations of ADHD - predominately inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined. To be diagnosed with ADHD, your child must meet six of the nine symptoms that fall under either the inattentive or the hyperactive-impulsive categories. They must be present in a variety of settings, affect your child's functioning and cause dysfunction and be present for at least six months.
If your child doesn't meet all the criteria to qualify for a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD, your healthcare provider will assign them unspecified ADHD. They might also decide that your child does not have a hyperactive-impulsive presentation of the condition and not give them an official ADHD diagnosis.
A comprehensive psychiatric assessment may include computer-based psychological and cognitive tests and psychological and neuropsychological tests. Your healthcare provider will also perform a physical examination and assess your child's heart rate to determine if there are medical conditions like thyroid disorders and head injuries that could mimic ADHD symptoms. They might also request an extensive history of the issue from parents and teachers and conduct a thorough discussion with your child and other family members. They will also consider whether there is an ancestry of ADHD in the family, since it is highly inheritable.
Treatment
If a person has been diagnosed with ADHD the person may need medication and/or therapy for behavioral issues. Behavioral therapy can include individual and family counseling, as in addition to group therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). The first step to receive treatment is to find an expert in the field of diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. You can start by calling your insurance provider or asking your local mental health support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD for the names of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. Some doctors make use of computer programs, such as continuous tests for performance, to look for problems with attention and impulsivity. Some doctors also use brain scans, such as single photon emission computed Tomography (SPECT) to look for abnormalities. Experts agree that the patient's interview is the most important component of an assessment.
During the interview, the therapist will review the symptoms that led up to the appointment. The doctor may also ask someone who is very familiar with the patient, such as their spouse, parent, or sibling, for details. The clinician will also talk to nannies, teachers, coaches and other professionals who spend much time with the patient. It is a long process that can take up to an hour. The clinician will prepare the report, and then discuss the findings with the patient.
adhd in adults diagnosis is crucial to keep in mind that the diagnosis of ADHD is based on how the symptoms interfere with the life of a person. This means that the individual's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at minimum two major environments, like the workplace and at home. In order for ADHD to be considered a diagnosis the disorder must have been present for at minimum six months.
During the interview, the doctor will review the patient's medical and mental health history and determine whether or not the patient meets the diagnostic criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5). A valid diagnosis of ADHD requires at minimum three of the following five symptoms: difficulty paying attention to details, making careless errors or omissions, difficulty staying focused on other tasks or activities, and trouble listening to someone's voice when they speak.
Prevention
People with inattentive ADHD are typically not diagnosed. They're not as disruptive, or impulsive as those with hyperactive ADHD and can be overlooked. Their issues can have serious consequences. They may not do well at school, have disagreements with their peers or struggle to find a job. They must be treated as well.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official name of the condition. The term ADD is still occasionally used, but it is not the most popular. The newer definition recognizes that children can have symptoms of inattention.
There are differences between the way that the disorder is presented by boys and girls. Girls and children assigned female at birth (AFAB) tend to show more inattentive symptoms, which are less noticeable, than the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. This increases the likelihood that they are not diagnosed and receive less treatment.
A thorough assessment by a healthcare professional is required to make an accurate diagnosis. That includes a clinical interview, medical history review and a physical examination. It also involves reviewing the reports of teachers, parents or other adults who know the person, as well as normed scales of rating that are completed by family members and teachers. These are helpful in determining whether the symptoms are present to a degree that impacts the functioning.
A thorough evaluation is important to determine if the symptoms are caused by a different medical or mental illness such as depression or anxiety. In some cases treatment of other disorders can aid in reducing or eliminating ADHD symptoms.
People who have been diagnosed with the disorder should be aware of what is expected of their treatment and possible medication adverse effects. They should also stay contact with their doctor or nurse to ensure that the medications are functioning in the way they should.
Stimulant medications are the most commonly used treatment of inattentive ADHD. They can help improve concentration and reduce impulsive behavior. Other treatments, like cognitive behavioral therapy and parent training, can be very effective for children and adults with this condition too. Patients who are prescribed ADHD medications are advised to schedule regular check-ups with their healthcare providers because some patients require adjustments in dosage or other treatment options.