ADHD Diagnosis
Adults are more difficult to diagnose than children. A clinical interview with an ADHD expert is the first step towards a good diagnosis.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. You can bring questionnaires and rating scales that give details about your symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
A doctor will conduct a physical examination and interview you to determine whether ADHD is present. The evaluator might inquire about a person's childhood and their family history, and use checklists to record symptoms. The evaluator may also look over school and work records and may wish to speak with teachers or others 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. These criteria include that the patient has a variety of symptoms for at least six months and that the symptoms occur in more than one location like at home, at work or school. The evaluator may also check for other conditions that could cause similar symptoms, such as anxiety or depression.
In adults, the evaluator will assess how severe the symptoms are and how they affect work or social life. The evaluator will also ask how the person feels about his or her symptoms and how they interfere with daily functioning.
Many people suffering from ADHD cannot remember the exact date they began experiencing problems. A specialist will often interview anyone who is familiar with the individual, for example, their spouse, sibling or parent for an adult, or a teacher or parent of a child. The assessor may use checklists for adults, and for children there is a list of behavior to watch for.
In contrast to the past, the current guidelines for diagnosing ADHD state that an adult can't be diagnosed with ADHD in the event that symptoms appeared prior to the age of 12. This change is meant to protect people who suffered from ADHD as children from being misdiagnosed as having other disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
Medical Histories
If you suspect that your or your child is suffering from ADHD, the first step is to locate an expert who can provide an exhaustive examination. Talk to your doctor or mental health expert in your area for recommendations or look in the phone book for "psychiatry" and "psychology." You can also join an adult support group with ADHD, as many of them will have worked with local experts who can provide recommendations.
During the ADHD diagnostic assessment, a healthcare professional will look over the patient's medical and family history. They will ask about how the symptoms affect functioning in different environments such as at work, home or in relationships. It is crucial to determine the severity of the symptoms since the APA's guidelines for ADHD stipulate that the symptoms must cause significant impairment in order to be considered a diagnosis.
The healthcare professional will talk to the patient, but they may request information from parents, siblings, and friends who are familiar with him. Some healthcare professionals require patients to complete questionnaires or scales. These may include ADHD symptoms checklists and ratings of behavior. Teachers and other caregivers can be valuable sources of information as well.
The APA's Diagnostic Guidelines say that symptoms should be frequent and affect performance. This is vital, as other conditions like mood disorders or learning disabilities may present in a similar way to ADHD (Austerman 2015). A medical examination can be conducted to determine if there are other possible causes of the symptoms. These include thyroid problems and hearing or vision issues, or medications like stimulants and sedatives.
Family History
In certain instances, a history of ADHD in the family could be a major factor in the determination of the diagnosis. It is highly genetically inherited, and a look at the patient and their relatives' histories will aid in determining if there is any pattern of inheritance in the family.
It is crucial that healthcare professionals have a complete picture of the symptoms of their patients, which includes whether or not they occur at work, in school or in social settings. A provider must also assess the degree of how a patient's symptoms hinder their everyday functioning. This is a more accurate measure than simply looking at the number of symptoms or examining the patient's IQ.
A doctor can interview teens or children, and also his or her parents. In many cases, a pediatrician or psychiatrist is specialized in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD. For adults, a thorough interview is required by a mental health professional who has extensive experience with ADHD and takes the time to carefully evaluate the individual's symptoms.
get assessed for adhd includes a physical examination, which helps to rule out certain conditions that can cause symptoms similar to ADHD. A complete medical history is also gathered. This may include school and medical records as along with a psychologist's or school counselor's psychological evaluation. For adults, old school records are often helpful in determining if 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 evaluation might be required, including scoring scales and questions asked by caregivers and patients and caregivers, as well as a clinical interview and referral to a medical examination. Adults may also undergo a psychometric or neuropsychological test to determine the connection between their symptoms and learning disorders.
Interviews
A healthcare professional will ask you or your child questions about their concerns at home, school and in the community. The doctor will also inquire about your or your child's past medical or personal history, including family and friends and will review any records you may bring with you like old school report cards. This information will assist the doctor to decide whether 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 typically taken over a six-month time period and include both the school and at home. The rating must be performed by people who are familiar with your or your child's behaviors, such as teachers and religious leaders, scout and Scout leaders, coaches, and parents.
Adults and children who are diagnosed with ADHD must exhibit symptoms that are debilitating and affect their daily activities at school, work, or play. The symptoms should manifest in the early years of the early years of childhood, usually before 12 years of age. They are not caused by any other mental health disorder.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests that measure IQ, brain function, and cognitive functioning can increase the accuracy and precision of ADHD evaluations. They should be used in conjunction with a clinician's assessment and rating scales as part of a comprehensive assessment plan. These assessments could include the administration a standardized test, such as the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults or a computerized test method that measures executive functions, short-term memories and speed of response. In the 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 being in a clinic.
Tests
If your physician or mental health professional suspects ADHD they might refer you to an ADHD specialist. A thorough assessment will consist of a thorough interview, information from other sources like your spouse or significant others and the standardized scales of behavior ratings for ADHD. The evaluator will conduct tests in accordance with the clinical impression to screen for any conditions that may affect your symptoms. These could include depression as well as learning disabilities or a medical condition.
In order to conduct an exhaustive ADHD assessment, the evaluator must determine if your symptoms affect your life and functioning. The problem can manifest in many different settings, like at home at work, at school, or even in your social connections. The evaluator should ask what the impact of your condition has been on you in each situation. This will allow the evaluator to establish an assessment and formulate treatment suggestions.
A comprehensive test will include in addition to symptoms ratings and standardized performance tests for ADHD. These tests are built on research which compares the behavior of those with ADHD and those who do not. These instruments enhance the limitations of a traditional clinical interview since they focus more on specific behaviors than an individual's overall performance. These tests can also help evaluators identify when the person is not being honest or attempting to cheat on the test this issue has been recognized for a number of years in the field of neuropsychological testing.
A thorough ADHD assessment includes the brain scan or other neuroimaging procedures in addition to the normal test and symptom-rating scales. These tests are not used in clinical settings because they are expensive and expose patients to radioactive ionization.