ADHD Diagnosis
The process of diagnosing ADHD in adults can be trickier than diagnosing children. A good diagnosis starts with a consultation with an expert in ADHD.
It is recommended to bring any medical or academic documents to your appointment. You can also bring questionnaires and rating scales that give information about your symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
A doctor will conduct a physical exam and interview you to determine if ADHD is present. The evaluator will ask questions about the person's family and childhood, and might use checklists to note the symptoms of the individual. The evaluator will also review school and work records and may want to talk with teachers or other individuals who are close to the person.
The evaluator will use the official lists of symptoms for inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity to determine whether the person meets diagnostic criteria. The criteria are that the person has been suffering from multiple symptoms for at least six months and occur in a variety of settings, like at school or at home. camhs adhd assessment can also look for other conditions which can cause similar symptoms, like anxiety or depression.
In adults the evaluator will evaluate how severe the symptoms are and how they impact work or social life. The evaluator will also ask how the person feels about the symptoms and how much they interfere with daily functioning.
Many people suffering from ADHD cannot remember the exact date they began experiencing problems. A specialist will typically interview people who are familiar with the person, like their spouse, sibling, or parent for an adult, or a teacher or parent of children. The evaluator might use checklists to assess adults and a list of behaviors for children.
In contrast to the past, the current guidelines for diagnosing ADHD indicate that an adult shouldn't be diagnosed with ADHD in the event that symptoms appeared before age 12. This change is designed to protect people who suffered from ADHD as children from being misdiagnosed as having other disorders like anxiety or depression.
Medical Histories
If you suspect your child or yourself may have ADHD the first step should be to consult an expert who will conduct an exhaustive evaluation. Contact your doctor or an experienced local mental health expert for recommendations, or search the phone book under "psychiatry" or "psychology." You can also contact a support group for adults with ADHD because they've worked with local experts who could provide referrals.
A healthcare professional will go over the person's medical history as well as family history during the ADHD diagnostic assessment. They will inquire about how the symptoms affect functioning in different settings such as at work, at home, or in relationships. It is essential to determine how severe the symptoms are in light of the APA's diagnostic guidelines for ADHD state that the symptoms have to cause significant impairment to be diagnosed.
The healthcare professional will interview the patient, but they may also seek information from his or her parents, siblings, and friends who know him. Some healthcare professionals will ask people to fill out questionnaires or rating scales, which include ADHD symptoms checklists and standardized behavior ratings. Teachers and other caregivers can be useful sources of information too.
It is important to assess the extent to which the individual's symptoms interfere in various situations, since the APA's diagnostic guidelines state that the symptoms must occur frequently and affect performance. This is important, as other conditions, such as mood disorders or learning disabilities could appear similar as ADHD (Austerman 2015). In addition medical exams can be performed to identify other possible causes for the symptoms, such as thyroid issues, vision or hearing problems or the use of certain drugs such as stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In some cases there is a history of ADHD within the family may be a significant factor in making the diagnosis. It is highly heritable, and a review of the patient and their relatives' histories will aid in determining if there is any family-related pattern.
It is essential that doctors get a complete picture about the symptoms of their patients, such as whether or not they occur at work, in school, or social situations. A physician should also consider the extent of how symptoms impact the patient's daily activities. This is a more reliable measure than simply looking at the number of symptoms or examining the patient's intelligence.
For teenagers and children, a doctor can interview the child or teen as well as his or her parents. In many cases, a pediatrician psychiatrist is specialized in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD. A mental health professional who has extensive experience in ADHD is required to conduct a thorough interview for adults.
A thorough evaluation includes a physical examination, which helps to rule out certain conditions that may cause symptoms similar to ADHD. A complete medical history is also taken. For children, this can include medical and school records as well as an evaluation of the psychological state by school counselors or psychologists. The school records of the past can be helpful to adults to determine whether symptoms started in the early years of childhood.
When diagnosing adults, it is important to take into consideration how symptoms affect your daily life. A thorough psychiatric exam could be required that includes the use of questionnaires and rating scales by the patient and caregivers, a psychotherapy interview, and a referral for medical examination. Additionally, psychometric or neuropsychological assessment can be used in adult cases in order to see how the symptoms are related to learning disorders and other cognitive impairments.
Interviews
A professional will talk to you or your child about issues at home, in school and in the community. The provider will also ask about the child's or yours's medical or personal history, including family and friends and will look over any records you may bring with you including old school reports. This information will assist the doctor to determine if you or your child should undergo a test to determine ADHD.
Your provider will use rating scales to identify if you or your child meets criteria for ADHD, including six established symptoms in the two main categories of the disorder -- inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. These ratings are usually taken over a six-month time period which includes both at school and home. The ratings must be done by those who are familiar with your your child's behavior, such as teachers, religious and Scout leaders, coaches and parents.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, children and adults must exhibit a symptomatic behavior that is debilitating and hinders daily functioning in multiple situations, like at school, at work, or at play. Symptoms should start in childhood, usually before 12 years of age. They can't be caused by another mental health condition.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests that measure IQ, brain function, and cognitive functioning can increase the accuracy and sensitivity of ADHD evaluations. However, they should be used as part of an assessment plan that includes a clinician interview and rating scales. These assessments can include the administration of a standardized test like the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults or a computerized testing method that tests executive functions, short-term memories and reaction speed. In the near future, digital technology like virtual reality and head motion sensors for continuous performance tests, can help improve the validity of ecological tests by allowing people to be immersed into their natural environment instead of sitting in a clinic office.
Tests
If your physician or mental healthcare professional suspects ADHD, he or she might recommend you to an ADHD specialist. A complete evaluation should include an extensive interview, details from other sources, such as your spouse or significant other and standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD. The evaluator will conduct tests in accordance with the clinical impression to screen for conditions that could be causing your symptoms. This includes depression, learning disabilities, or a medical condition.
To conduct an exhaustive ADHD evaluation, the assessor must determine whether your symptoms significantly impact your life and functioning. It can happen in a variety of environments such as your home, work or school, as well as social interactions. The examiner will inquire about how your symptoms affected you in each circumstance. This will help the evaluator make a diagnosis and develop treatment recommendations.
A complete assessment will include in addition to symptom ratings and standardized performance tests for ADHD. These tests are founded on research that compares the behavior of those with ADHD and those who do not. They can improve the limitations of a clinical interview by focusing on specific behaviors instead of assessing a person's overall performance. These measures can help assessors identify when a person is lying or trying to cheat on a test. This issue has been recognized in the field for a long time.
A thorough ADHD evaluation includes a brain scan or other neuroimaging tests in addition to the normal test and symptom-rating scales. These tests are not utilized in clinical settings since they cost a lot of money and expose patients to radioactivity ionizing.