ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
Making an assessment is the first step in understanding and addressing symptoms. Find a licensed mental healthcare professional (psychiatrists or neurologists, family physicians) who is experienced in ADHD assessments.
The specialist will conduct an organized interview to review your background. They may want to see old report cards and talk to family members, teachers or classmates about childhood behaviors.
Signs and 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 work, school and at home. Consult your GP if you or your child exhibits these symptoms. They can't formally diagnose ADHD however, they can discuss your concerns with you and recommend specialist services, if needed.
A GP will be able to determine if you are suffering from ADHD symptoms by asking questions, reviewing medical records and your health history, and performing physical exam. You may also provide the history of ADHD in your family to help with the diagnosis. The GP will then refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to conduct a psychiatric evaluation. The evaluation may consist of the description of your symptoms along with questionnaires and scales that are completed by you, your caregivers and teachers along with a psychiatric assessment, physical exam and lab tests.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose ADHD in children and adolescents by following established guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. They look for inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity behaviors that last for a period of six months or more and assess whether the symptoms affect your life at home at work, at home, and in school.
Adults can be diagnosed with ADHD in the same way, but their symptoms are more likely to manifest differently as they age. They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or a combination of both.
If your adult symptoms match the requirements for diagnosis, you could be treated with medication. Psychostimulants are substances that alter neurotransmitters within the brain, are commonly prescribed to treat ADHD in adults. These drugs boost energy and alertness, improving concentration and focus. They are available as extended-release versions to minimize the risk of adverse effects. Antidepressants can be employed to treat the inattention presentation of ADHD in adults. These medications, such as Wellbutrin and Effexor alter neurotransmitters and can improve mood and concentration.
Diagnosis
Finding out if you have ADHD is the first step in controlling the symptoms that may be affecting your life, both personally and professionally. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologist or family doctors) can conduct a psychiatric assessment. To receive treatment for ADHD, a person with a symptom based diagnosis (such as ADHD) must adhere to certain guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association.
During an ADHD assessment your healthcare provider will ask questions about your child's behavior in school, at home and in social settings. Your child's medical history and development history, as well as the family history will be studied. They will then compare your child's behavior with those of other children their age. They could use standardized rating scales that measure the frequency of certain behaviors, such as difficulty paying attention, forgetting things or 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 at least two settings and cause your child to function poorly and last for at least 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 an 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 thorough psychiatric examination can include psychological and neuropsychological testing, and cognitive tests that are computer-based. Your healthcare provider will also check your child's blood pressure, and perform an examination of the body to determine if there are any medical conditions that may mimic ADHD symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman 2015). They can also ask teachers and caregivers to provide a full background and conduct an extensive interview with your child and family members. They will consider whether there is an ancestral history of ADHD since ADHD is highly hereditary.
Treatment
If a person has been diagnosed with ADHD and has been diagnosed with ADHD, they might require medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy can include individual and family counseling, as also group therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). To start treatment, you must first locate a professional who has expertise in ADHD diagnosis and is covered by insurance. Start by contacting your insurance company or the local mental health support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD for names of specialists in your area who specialize in ADHD. Some doctors make use of computer programs, like continuous performance tests, to check for impulsivity and attention issues. Other doctors utilize brain scans like single photon emission computed Tomography (SPECT) to look for abnormalities. But experts agree that the most significant element of an examination is a patient interview.
During an interview, the clinician will go over the symptoms that prompted the appointment. The clinician may also request anyone who is familiar with the patient, like their spouse, parent, or sibling, for details. The clinician will also talk to nannies, teachers, coaches and other adults that spend long periods of time with the patient. This is a thorough process that can take up to an hour. The clinician will prepare an evaluation report and then discuss the findings with the patient.
It is crucial to keep in mind that the diagnosis of ADHD will depend on the extent to which the symptoms interfere with the individual's daily activities. This means that the symptoms must be causing significant impairment in two major settings such as at work and at home. For ADHD to be considered a diagnosis the disorder must have been present for at minimum six months.
During the consultation, the doctor will discuss with the patient their medical and psychiatric history and determine if they are in compliance with the diagnostic criteria laid out by the American Psychiatric Society's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision DSM-5. A valid diagnosis of ADHD requires at least three of the five symptoms that include difficulty paying attention to particulars, making mistakes and having difficulty focusing on tasks or other activities, and trouble listening to someone's voice when they speak.
Prevention
People with inattentional ADHD are often not diagnosed. They're not as disruptive, or impulsive as people with hyperactive ADHD and can be dismissed. The issues they face can have severe consequences. They may not do well in school, experience disagreements with their peers or struggle to keep a job. These individuals require treatment, as well.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official name of the condition. The term ADD is still used from time to time however it is not the most popular. The newer version takes into account that children might only be suffering from an inattention symptom.
While many of the symptoms are common to all cases, there are a few distinct ways in which the disorder manifests itself between 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 makes it more likely that they will go undiagnosed and receive less treatment.
A thorough evaluation by a medical professional is required to make an accurate diagnosis. That includes an interview with a clinician, a medical history review and physical examination. It also involves reviewing reports by teachers or parents, or other adults who know the patient well as well as standard ratings scales that are that are completed by family members and educators. how to get diagnosed with adhd as an adult can assist in determining whether the symptoms are present to a degree that affects functioning.
It is essential to conduct a thorough examination in order to determine whether the symptoms are caused by other psychiatric or medical condition, such as depression or anxiety. In some cases treating these other disorders will alleviate or eliminate ADHD symptoms.
Anyone who are diagnosed with the disorder need be aware of potential adverse effects and treatments. They should also remain in contact with their doctor or nurse to make sure that the medications are functioning as they should.
The most popular treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant medications which can help improve concentration and decrease impulsive behavior. Other treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy and parent education can be extremely efficient for both adults and children with this condition as well. It is essential to remind people who are prescribed ADHD medication to visit their doctor regularly, since some patients may require adjustments to dosages or other treatment options.