ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
Making an assessment is the first step towards understanding and managing symptoms. Find a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologists, family doctors) who is proficient in ADHD assessments.
The expert will conduct an interview designed to look at your past. They might request old reports and speak to your family members, teachers or your friends to find out about your childhood habits.
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. These symptoms can cause issues with learning and relationships at school, home and work. If you or your child is suffering from these symptoms, talk to an GP. They aren't able to officially diagnose ADHD however, they can discuss your concerns with you and recommend specialist services, if needed.
A GP can determine if you are suffering from ADHD symptoms by asking questions, looking over medical documents and your health history, and performing a physical examination. It is also possible to provide the background of ADHD in your family to aid in the diagnosis. The GP will then refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to complete a psychiatric evaluation. The evaluation could include the description of your symptoms along with questionnaires and scales that are completed by your caregivers, you and teachers, a psychiatric history and physical examination and laboratory tests.
Psychiatrists and psychologists 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 will look for a pattern of inattention or hyperactivity, which lasts for six months or more and determining if these symptoms have a significant impact on your daily routine at home, at work or school.
Adults may 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 are in line with the guidelines for diagnosis, you may be treated with medication. Adults suffering from ADHD are usually prescribed psychostimulants to alter neurotransmitters. These drugs boost energy and alertness, as well as improving focus and concentration. They can be prescribed in extended-release form to reduce the effects of side effects. Antidepressants are often used to treat the inattention presentation of ADHD in adults. These medications, including Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine), affect neurotransmitters in the brain and improve focus and mood.
Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with ADHD is the first step to controlling the symptoms that may be affecting your life both personally and professionally. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologist or family physicians) can conduct a psychiatric evaluation. A person who is diagnosed with a symptom-based diagnosis, such as ADHD, must meet certain guidelines laid out in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition for treatment for ADHD.
During the ADHD evaluation, you'll be asked questions about your child’s behavior at home, in school as well as in social situations. They will also go over your child's development, medical history and family history. They will then compare your child's behavior against the behavior of other children of similar age. They could use standardized rating scales that assess the frequency of certain behavioral problems such as difficulty in paying attention, forgetting 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 occur in more than one setting, affect your child's functioning and cause problems, and have been present for at least six months.
If your child does not meet all of the criteria for a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD the healthcare professional 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 assessment may include neuropsychological and psychological testing, and computer-based cognitive tests. Your healthcare provider will also assess your child's blood pressure and complete a physical exam to identify any medical issues that could be a cause of ADHD symptoms like thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman 2015). They may also ask teachers and parents for a thorough history of your child's development and conduct a thorough interview with your child and your family. They will also consider whether there is a history of ADHD in the family, since it is highly heritable.
Treatment
If a person has been diagnosed as having ADHD, they may need treatment or medication for their behavior. Behavioral therapy can include family and individual counseling, and also group therapy such as dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. The first step to get treatment is to find an specialist in diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. You can begin by contacting your insurance company or a local mental support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or CHADD to find a professional who specialize in ADHD in your region. Certain doctors utilize computer programs, like continuous tests for performance, to look for attention and impulsivity problems. Other doctors utilize brain scans such as single photon emission computed Tomography (SPECT) to look for abnormalities. But experts agree that the most significant element of an evaluation is a patient-patient interview.
During an interview, the clinician will go over the symptoms that led to the appointment. The doctor might also request anyone who is familiar with the patient, like their spouse, parent or sibling for information. The clinician more info will also talk to nannies, teachers, coaches and other adults that spend long periods of time with the patient. This is a very thorough procedure that can take an hour or more. The clinician will complete the report, and then discuss the results with the patient.
It is crucial to keep in mind that the definition of ADHD is determined by how the symptoms impact a person's life. This means that the individual's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two main settings, such as the workplace and at home. The impairment must have been present for at least six months to be considered a valid diagnosis of ADHD.
During the interview, the doctor will discuss with the patient their medical and mental health history and determine if they satisfy 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 must be backed by at least three of the five symptom categories: trouble paying close attention to specifics and making mistakes, difficulty remaining focused on work or activities and difficulty listening when talking to others and daydreaming or appearing distracted.
The following is a list of preventatives.
People with inattentional ADHD are usually not diagnosed. They're not as disruptive or impulsive as people with hyperactive ADHD and are often dismissed. Their problems can have serious consequences. They may not do well in school, have disagreements with their peers or struggle to keep a job. They require treatment, too.
The term ADD is still used infrequently, but the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines the condition as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The new definition is based on the fact that children could suffer from inattentive symptoms alone.
While many of the symptoms are present in all cases, there are a few distinct ways in which the disorder manifests 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 them more likely to not be diagnosed, and less likely to receive treatment.
An accurate diagnosis requires a thorough assessment by a health care professional. This may include an assessment of medical history along with a medical interview, and physical examination. It is a process of examining reports from teachers, parents or other adults who have a good understanding of the individual as well as normative rating scales that are completed by family members and teachers. These can be helpful in determining whether the symptoms are serious enough to cause impairment in functioning.
It is important to conduct a thorough assessment in order to determine whether the symptoms are related to other psychiatric or medical condition, such as anxiety or depression. In some cases treating these other disorders will alleviate or eliminate ADHD symptoms.
Those diagnosed with the disorder need to be aware of possible side effects and treatment. They should also stay in contact with their doctor or nurse to ensure that the medications are functioning as they should.
Stimulant medications are the most popular treatment of inattentive ADHD. They can help improve concentration and decrease the impulsive behavior. Children and adults with inattentive ADHD can benefit from other treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy or parent training. Those who are prescribed ADHD medications are advised to schedule regular check-ups with their health care providers because some patients require adjustments in dosage or other treatment options.