ADHD Diagnosis
Adults are more difficult to diagnose than children. An accurate diagnosis begins with a consultation with an expert in ADHD.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. It is also beneficial to bring rating scales and interview transcripts that can provide information about your symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
A thorough ADHD diagnosis involves physical examination and a conversation with a doctor. The evaluator will ask questions about the person's family history and childhood, and might use checklists to note the symptoms of the individual. The evaluator can also look over the person's school and work documents, and may want to speak with teachers or others who spend time with them.
The evaluator will use the official lists of symptoms for inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity to determine whether the person meets diagnostic criteria. The criteria include that the person has had several symptoms for atleast six months, and that they occur in a variety of settings, for example, at school and at home. The evaluator can also look for other conditions that could cause similar symptoms, like depression or anxiety.
In adults the evaluator will evaluate how severe the symptoms are and how they impact the way that they work or interact with others. The evaluation will also inquire how the person feels about his or her symptoms and how much they affect their daily life.
Many people suffering from ADHD cannot remember the time when their issues began. This is why a specialist will usually interview someone who is familiar with the person for example, an adult sibling or spouse for an adult; parents or teachers for children. The examiner may employ checklists for adults, and for children the list of behaviours to be on the lookout for.
Contrary to the previous guidelines for diagnosing the adult can't be diagnosed with ADHD until symptoms are present before the age of twelve. This change is intended to protect people who suffered from ADHD as children from being misdiagnosed with other disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Medical History
If you suspect that your or your child has ADHD, the first step is to locate an expert who can provide an extensive evaluation. Consult your physician or an experienced local mental health specialist for recommendations, or search the phone book under "psychiatry" or "psychology." You can also join an adult ADHD support group, as many will have worked with local specialists who are able to provide referrals.
During the ADHD diagnostic assessment, a healthcare professional will review the person's medical and family history. They will inquire about how the symptoms interfere with functioning in different settings, such as at home, at work, or with relationships. It is important to assess how severe the symptoms are because the APA's diagnostic guidelines for ADHD state that the symptoms must result in significant impairment for the diagnosis to be made.
The healthcare professional will usually interview the patient, but they may also speak to the person's siblings, parents and friends who are familiar with him. Some professionals ask people to complete questionnaires or scales. These include ADHD checklists for symptoms and behavior ratings. Teachers and other caregivers are often useful sources of information, too.
It is essential to evaluate how the person's symptoms interfere in a variety of situations, since the APA's diagnostic guidelines stipulate that symptoms have to occur frequently and affect performance. This is crucial due to the fact that other conditions like mood disorders and learning disabilities may be similar to ADHD (Austerman, 2015). Additionally medical exams can be conducted to determine other causes that could be causing the symptoms, like thyroid problems, vision and hearing issues or the use of certain drugs such as stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In certain instances, a history of ADHD in the family can be a major factor the determination of the diagnosis. It is a highly heritable condition, and a careful review of the patient's and relatives' histories can help establish the presence of a genetic pattern.
It is important that providers have a complete picture of the symptoms of their patients, including whether or not they happen at work, in school or in social situations. A doctor should also be able to determine the extent of how symptoms impact the person's everyday functioning. This is a more reliable method than simply examining the number of symptoms or looking at the patient's intelligence.
adhd assessment near me may interview a child or teen, as well as his or her parents. In a majority of instances, a pediatrician or psychiatrist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD. For adults, a thorough interview is required by a mental health professional who has a wealth of experience in ADHD and has the time to examine the individual's symptoms.
A thorough evaluation typically includes a physical exam which can rule out specific health conditions that may cause similar symptoms to ADHD. A complete medical record is also taken. For children, this can include medical and school records as well as an evaluation of the psychological state by a school counselor or psychologist. School records from the past can be helpful to adults to determine if symptoms began in childhood.
When diagnosing adults it is important to consider how symptoms affect daily functioning. A thorough psychiatric examination could be required, which may include ratings scales and questions from the patient and caregivers in addition to a clinical interview and referral for a medical exam. Adults can also undergo a neuropsychological or psychometric assessment to determine the connection between their symptoms and learning disorders.
Interviews
A provider will interview you or your child about issues at home, at school, and in the community. The provider will ask about your or child's medical and family history, and will also review any documents you might have, like old school report cards. This information will help the doctor to determine whether you or your child should to undergo a test for 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 typically conducted over the course of six months, which includes both home and school. The ratings should be given by people who know your child or yourself well, such as coaches, teachers, Scouts, religious leaders and parents.
To be diagnosed with ADHD children and adults must have symptomatic behavior that is debilitating and interferes with daily functioning in multiple situations, like at school, at work or playing. The signs must be evident in the early years of childhood, typically before age 12. They are not caused by any other mental health issue.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests that test IQ, brain function and cognitive functioning can enhance the accuracy and precision of ADHD assessments. However, they should only be utilized as part of an assessment plan that includes a clinician interview as well as rating scales. These assessments may include the administration of a standardized questionnaire, such as the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA), or a computer-based adaptive testing method that measures responses speed, short-term memory and executive functions. In the near future digital technology, such as virtual reality for continuous performance tests and sensors for head movement may aid in improving the ecological validity of these ADHD assessment tools by permitting the person being evaluated to be immersed in their environment rather than in the clinical office.
Tests
Your GP or mental health care professional may recommend you to a specialist if he or she suspects ADHD. A thorough evaluation will consist of an extensive interview, data from other sources such as your spouse or significant others, and standardized behavior ratings scales for ADHD. The evaluator will recommend tests based on the clinical impression and will screen for any conditions that may be causing your symptoms. These include depression or learning disabilities, or a medical condition.
A thorough ADHD assessment requires the examiner to determine if your symptoms are significantly impairing your functioning and life. The impairment could occur in many different settings, for example, at home, at work, in school, or with your social relationships. The examiner will inquire about what your symptoms affected you in every situation. This will help the evaluator make a diagnosis and develop treatment recommendations.
A comprehensive assessment will comprise the symptom ratings and standardized performance tests for ADHD. These instruments for testing are based on research that compares the behavior of people suffering from ADHD with those without. They improve upon the limitations of the clinical interview by focusing on specific behaviors rather than a person's overall functioning. These tests can help evaluators detect when an individual is lying or attempting to cheat on a test. This problem has been recognized in the field for many years.
A thorough ADHD assessment will include an examination of the brain or other neuroimaging techniques in addition to the typical test and symptom rating scales. However these tests aren't routinely used in a clinical setting because they are expensive and expose the patient to ionizing radiation.