ADHD Diagnosis
Diagnosing ADHD in adults can be more difficult than diagnosing children. An accurate diagnosis begins with a clinical interview by an expert in ADHD.
It is recommended to bring any medical or academic documents to your appointment. You may also bring questionnaires and rating scales that give details on your symptoms.
Symptoms
A thorough ADHD diagnosis is based on a physical exam and a discussion with a doctor. The evaluator may ask questions about a person's family history and childhood and utilize checklists to note symptoms. The evaluator can also look over the person's work and school records, and may also want to talk 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. Those criteria are that the person suffers from multiple symptoms that last for at least 6 months, and that the symptoms occur in more than one setting -- such as at home and at work or school. The evaluator will also look for other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, like anxiety, depression or a thyroid condition.
In adults, the evaluator will assess how severe the symptoms are and how they impact the way that they work or interact with others. The evaluator will also ask how the person feels about their symptoms and how much they impact daily life.
Many people with ADHD are unable to remember when their problems began. For that reason, a specialist will usually interview someone who is familiar with the person, such as an adult sibling or spouse for an adult; an educator or parent for the child. The examiner might use checklists to assess adults as well as a list of child-related behaviors.
Unlike in the past, the current guidelines for diagnosing ADHD state that an adult can't be diagnosed with ADHD in the event that symptoms appeared before the age of 12. This change is meant 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 child or yourself may have ADHD, your first step should be to speak with an expert who will conduct a thorough assessment. Contact your doctor or an area mental health expert for recommendations, or search the phone book for "psychiatry" or "psychology." You can also contact a support group for adults with ADHD because many of them have worked with local experts who are able to offer referrals.
A healthcare professional will go over the medical history of a patient and family history during the ADHD diagnostic evaluation. adhd assessment uk online will ask what the symptoms hinder functioning in different situations, including at home, at work, 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 to be considered a diagnosis.
The healthcare professional will typically interview the patient, but they may also ask to talk to his or her parents, siblings and friends who are familiar with him. Some professionals will have people complete questionnaires or fill out rating scales, which include ADHD symptoms checklists and standardized behavior ratings. Teachers and other caregivers can also be useful sources of information.
It is essential to evaluate how the individual's symptoms affect with functioning in different environments, as the APA's diagnostic guidelines note that the symptoms must occur frequently and impair performance. This is crucial, since other conditions, such as mood disorders or learning disabilities may appear similar to ADHD (Austerman 2015). Additionally an exam by a doctor could be conducted to determine other possible causes of the symptoms, including thyroid issues, vision or hearing issues, or the use of certain medications like stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In certain cases there is a history of ADHD in the family could be a significant factor in determining a diagnosis. It is a highly inheritable condition, and a careful examination of the patient's and his or her relatives histories can help determine whether there is a family pattern.
It is important for providers to be able to see the full picture of a patient's symptoms, including whether they occur at school, work or in social situations. A physician should also consider the extent to which symptoms affect a person's daily functioning. This is a better measure than simply calculating symptoms or looking at the intelligence of the patient.
For teens and children doctors may conduct an interview with the child or teen and their parents. In many cases psychiatrists or pediatricians is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. For adults, a thorough interview is required by a mental health specialist who has extensive experience with ADHD and takes the time to evaluate each patient's situation.
A thorough assessment usually includes a physical exam, that can rule out certain health conditions that can cause similar symptoms to ADHD. A complete medical history is also gathered. For children, this may include medical and school records and an evaluation of psychological health by a school counselor or psychologist. The school records of the past can be helpful to adults to determine whether symptoms began in childhood.
In the case of diagnosing adults with psychiatric disorders, it is particularly important to examine how the symptoms affect daily functioning. A thorough psychiatric evaluation may also be necessary with regard to the use of questionnaires and rating scales by the patient and his or her caregivers, a psychotherapy interview, and a referral for a medical exam. Adults may also undergo a neuropsychological or psychometric assessment to determine the relationship between their symptoms and learning disorders.
Interviews
A provider will interview you or your child regarding their issues at home, at school and in the community. The provider will inquire about your child's medical, family, and personal history, and will also review any documents you might bring, such as old school report cards. This information will enable the provider to decide if 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 usually taken over a six-month time period and cover both at school and home. The rating must be performed by those who are familiar with your or your child's behaviors, such as teachers as well as religious and Scout leaders, coaches and parents.
Adults and children who are diagnosed with ADHD have symptoms that are debilitating and interfere with daily functioning whether at work, school or playing. The signs should be evident in early childhood, typically before 12 years of age. They can't be caused by a mental health problem.
The sensitivity and precision of ADHD evaluations can be improved by using neuropsychological and psychometric tests that measure IQ and cognitive function. However, they should only be utilized as part of an assessment process that includes a clinician interview and rating scales. These assessments could involve the administration of a standard questionnaire, such as the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA) or a computerized adaptive testing approach that measures responses speed short-term memory, executive functions. In the near future the use of digital technology like virtual reality for continuous performance tests and sensors for head movement may enhance the ecological reliability of these ADHD assessment tools by giving the person being assessed to be in their natural environment instead of sitting in an office for clinical evaluation.
Tests
Your GP or a mental health professional could recommend you to an expert if he or suspects ADHD. A thorough assessment should include an extensive interview, data from independent sources like your spouse or significant others, and standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD. The evaluator will order tests based on the clinical impression to check for any conditions that might affect your symptoms. This includes depression as well as learning disabilities or a medical condition.
A thorough ADHD evaluation is required by the evaluator to determine if your symptoms are seriously affecting your life and functioning. Impairment can be in a variety of environments that include your home, work, school and 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.
In addition to the symptom rating, a comprehensive assessment usually includes one or more standardized performance test for ADHD. These tests are built on research which compares the behavior of people suffering from 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 functioning. These tests can help assessors identify when a person is lying or attempting to cheat on a test. This problem has been recognized by experts in the field for a long time.
In addition to the standard test and the symptom rating scales, a thorough ADHD evaluation should include brain scans or other neurological imaging procedures. These tests are not used in clinical settings since they are costly and expose patients to radioactive ionization.