ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
The first step in managing symptoms is to receive an accurate diagnosis. Find a licensed mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, family physician) who is specialized in ADHD assessments and diagnoses.
The expert will conduct an interview that is structured to look into your history. They might request old reports, and talk to your family members, teachers or friends to learn about your 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. These symptoms can cause issues with relationships and learning at school, home and at work. If you or your child exhibit these symptoms, consult an GP. They cannot diagnose ADHD in a formal way, but they can discuss your concerns and recommend you to specialists when needed.
A GP can help you determine whether your symptoms are linked to ADHD by asking questions, looking over your medical history and health records and conducting an examination. You may also mention the history of your family members with ADHD to help with diagnosis. The GP will then recommend you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to conduct a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation could include an explanation of your symptoms along with questionnaires and scales that are completed by you, your caregivers and teachers as well as a psychiatric history, physical examination and laboratory tests.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose ADHD among children and adolescents using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association. These include looking for a pattern of inattention or hyperactivity, which lasts for six months or more and determining if these symptoms are affecting your life at home, work and school.
Adults may also be diagnosed with ADHD however, the symptoms of ADHD will likely manifest differently as they get older. 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 may be treated with medication. Adults who suffer from ADHD are often prescribed psychostimulants that affect neurotransmitters. These drugs improve concentration and focus, while increasing alertness and energy. They may be given in extended-release forms to lessen adverse effects. Antidepressants are often employed to treat the inattention presentation of ADHD in adults. These drugs, like Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine), affect the brain's neurotransmitters and enhance mood and focus.
Diagnosis
Finding out if you have ADHD is the first step to managing the symptoms that may be affecting your daily life, professionally and personally. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists or neurologists, or family physicians) can conduct a psychiatric assessment. A person who is diagnosed with a diagnosis based on symptoms like ADHD must adhere to certain guidelines set forth in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition for treatment for ADHD.
During the ADHD assessment, you will 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 and family history. They will then compare your child's behavior to those of other children who are similar to them. They could use standardized rating scales to measure the frequency of specific behavioral problems such as difficulty paying attention, forgetting things and interrupting other children.
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 environments that make your child perform poorly and last for at least at least six months.
If your child does not meet the requirements for an inattentive ADHD diagnosis the healthcare professional may diagnose them with 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 can include computer-based psychological and cognitive tests as well as psychological and neuropsychological testing. Your healthcare provider will also examine your child's blood pressure and complete an examination of the body to identify any medical issues that could be a cause of ADHD symptoms like thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman 2015). Teachers may also ask and caregivers for a detailed history of your child's development and conduct a thorough interview of your child and family. They'll also look into whether there is an ancestry of ADHD in the family, as it is highly heritable.
Treatment
If someone has been diagnosed with ADHD and has been diagnosed with ADHD, they may need medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy includes individual and family counseling, and also group therapy such as dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive therapy. The first step in getting treatment is to locate an expert in the field of diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. You can begin by contacting your insurance provider or a local support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or CHADD to find professionals who specialize in ADHD in your region. Certain doctors utilize computer tests, such as click here continuous performance tests, to check for attention and impulse control problems. Some doctors also use brain scans like single photon emission computed Tomography (SPECT) to check for abnormalities. But experts agree that the most crucial element of an evaluation is a patient-patient interview.
During the interview, the therapist will go over the symptoms that led to the appointment. The doctor may also request someone who is familiar with the patient such as their spouse, parent, or sibling, for details. The clinician will also talk to nannies, teachers, coaches and other adults that spend a lot of time with the patient. This is a lengthy process that can take up to an hour. The doctor will then write an assessment report and discuss the results of the assessment with the patient.
It is crucial to keep in mind that the diagnosis of ADHD depends on the extent to which the symptoms affect the person's daily life. This means that the patient's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two major situations, including work and home. The impairment must have been present for at least six months in order to be considered an acceptable diagnosis of ADHD.
During the interview, the clinician will discuss the person's medical and psychiatric history and determine whether or not the person meets the diagnostic criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition Text Revision (DSM-5). A valid diagnosis of ADHD must be backed by at least three of these five symptoms: trouble paying attention to the smallest of specifics and making mistakes, difficulty staying focused on work or activities and difficulty listening when spoken to and daydreaming or seeming distracted.
Prevention
People who have inattentional ADHD are often not diagnosed. They aren't as disruptive as the hyperactive or impulsive types of ADHD and are often ignored. But their problems do result in consequences: they might be unable to perform at school, have a conflict with peers or struggle to keep a job. These individuals need to be treated, as well.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official term used to describe the condition. The term ADD is still occasionally used, but it is not the most popular. The newer name is based on the fact that children might only suffer from inattentive symptom.
There are differences in the way the disorder is exhibited 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 makes it more likely that they are not diagnosed and receive less treatment.
An accurate diagnosis requires a thorough assessment by a health care professional. This may include an interview with a clinician, a medical history review and a physical examination. It includes analyzing reports from parents, teachers or other adults with a good understanding of the individual as well as normative rating scales completed both by loved ones as well as teachers. These can be helpful in determining if the symptoms are severe enough to cause impairment in functioning.
A careful evaluation is also important to determine if the symptoms are caused by a different medical or mental illness like anxiety or depression. In some cases, treating other disorders can help to alleviate or eliminate ADHD symptoms.
Those who are diagnosed with the disorder must be aware of what to expect in terms of their treatment and possible medication side effects. They should also stay in contact with their doctor to ensure that the medication is working exactly as it should.
The most commonly used treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant medications which can help improve concentration and reduce impulsive behaviors. Other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and parent training, can be very beneficial for adults and children with this condition too. It is important to remind those who are prescribed ADHD medication to see their doctors regularly, as some patients may require adjustments in dosages or other treatment options.