ADHD Diagnosis
Adults can be more difficult to identify than children. A reliable diagnosis begins with a clinical interview by an expert in ADHD.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. You may bring questionnaires and rating scales that give information about your symptoms.
Symptoms
A thorough ADHD diagnosis requires a physical exam and an interview with a physician. The evaluator might ask questions about the person's childhood and their family history, and use checklists to record symptoms. The evaluator will also go through the person's work and school documents, and may want to talk with teachers or other people 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 experienced multiple symptoms for at least six months and occur in a variety of settings such as at school and at home. The examiner will also look for other ailments that can cause similar symptoms, for example depression, anxiety or a thyroid issue.
In adults, the evaluator will assess how severe the symptoms are and how they impact social or work life. The evaluation will also inquire how the individual feels about their symptoms and how much they interfere with daily functioning.
Many people who suffer from ADHD have trouble remembering whether their problems started in childhood or later. A specialist will often interview someone who is familiar with the person, like their spouse, sibling, or parent for an adult, or a teacher or parent of children. The examiner may employ checklists for adults, and for children the list of behaviours to look out for.
Contrary to previous diagnostic guidelines the adult can't be diagnosed with ADHD until the symptoms have been identified before the age of 12. This change is designed to prevent people who had 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 has ADHD, the first step is to locate an expert who can provide an extensive evaluation. Ask your doctor or a mental health professional in your area for recommendations or search the phone book for "psychiatry" and "psychology." get assessed for adhd can also reach out to an adult support group with ADHD since many of them will have worked with local experts who can offer referrals.
A healthcare professional will look over a person's medical history and family background during the ADHD diagnostic assessment. They will inquire as to what the symptoms hinder functioning in various environments, like at home, at work, or with relationships. It is crucial to determine the severity of the symptoms because the APA's diagnostic guidelines for ADHD state that the symptoms must cause significant impairment in order to be diagnosed.
The healthcare professional will speak with the patient, but they may request information from his or her parents or siblings as well as friends who are familiar with him. Some healthcare professionals require patients to complete questionnaires or scales. These may include ADHD symptom checklists and rating of behavior. Teachers and other caregivers are often valuable sources of information, too.
The APA's Diagnostic Guidelines say that symptoms must be frequent and affect performance. This is important, as other conditions, such as mood disorders or learning disabilities could be similar to ADHD (Austerman 2015). In addition an exam by a doctor could be performed to check for other possible causes of the symptoms, like thyroid problems, vision and hearing issues, or the use of certain drugs like stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In some cases, a family history of ADHD is a major element in determining if you have the diagnosis. It is a highly heritable condition, and a careful study of the patient's as well as his or her family members history can help determine if there is a familial pattern.
It is essential that doctors have a complete understanding of the symptoms of their patients, such as whether or not they happen at work, in school or in social situations. A provider should also determine the extent of how symptoms impact a person's daily functioning. This is a more reliable measure than simply looking at the number of symptoms or examining the patient's intelligence.
For teenagers and children doctors may conduct an interview with the child or teen and their parents. In a majority of 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 is able to examine each patient's presentation.
A thorough assessment usually includes a physical exam, which can rule out certain health conditions that can cause similar symptoms to ADHD. A complete medical record is also a must. For children, this could include prior medical and school records, as well as an evaluation of the psychological state by school counselors or psychologists. School records from the past can be helpful to adults to determine if the symptoms began in the early years of.
In the case of diagnosing adults with psychiatric disorders, it is particularly important to look at how the symptoms interfere with the daily activities. A thorough psychiatric evaluation might be required, which includes ratings scales and questions from caregivers and patients in addition to a consultation with a doctor and referral to a medical exam. In addition, psychometric or neuropsychological assessment is often used for adults to determine if the symptoms are related to learning disorders and other cognitive impairments.
Interviews
A provider will interview you or your child about their issues at home, in school and in the community. The provider will inquire about your or child's medical, family, and personal 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 needs to undergo tests 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. The ratings are typically conducted over a six-month time period which includes both at home and school. The ratings must be done by people who are familiar with your or your child's behaviors, such as teachers, religious and Scout leaders, coaches and parents.
Children and adults diagnosed with ADHD are likely to exhibit symptoms that are debilitating and can hinder their daily functioning, whether at work, school, or play. The signs must be evident in the early years of childhood, typically before age 12. They cannot be caused by any other mental health condition.
The sensitivity and accuracy of ADHD evaluations can be improved by using neuropsychological and psychometric tests that assess IQ and cognitive function. They should be utilized alongside a clinician's assessment and rating scales as part of a comprehensive assessment strategy. These tests could include the use of a standardized questionnaire like the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA), or an adaptive test that is computerized that allows for measurement of responses speed short-term memory, 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 allowing the person being evaluated to be in their surroundings rather than in the clinical office.
Tests
Your doctor or a mental health specialist may recommend you to a specialist if he or they suspect ADHD. A thorough assessment will consist of a thorough interview, information from other sources, such as your spouse or significant others and standardized behavior ratings scales for ADHD. Based on the clinical findings the evaluator could conduct tests to test for other conditions that could influence your symptoms, like depression, learning disabilities or a medical condition.
To conduct an accurate ADHD evaluation, the evaluator must determine if your symptoms have a significant impact on your life and performance. The impairment can occur in a variety of settings such as at home at work, at school, or in your social relationships. The evaluator will inquire what your symptoms affected you in each situation. This will allow the evaluator to identify the cause and make treatment recommendations.
A comprehensive assessment will comprise the symptoms ratings and standardized performance tests for ADHD. These tests are based on research comparing the behavior of those with ADHD with those without. They enhance the effectiveness of an interview with a clinician by focusing on specific behaviors rather than a person's overall functioning. These measures can aid in identifying when an individual is lying or trying to cheat the test which has been identified for many years in the field of neuropsychological testing.
In addition to the standardized test and the symptom-rating scales and symptom rating scales, a thorough ADHD evaluation should include brain scans or other neurological imaging procedures. However, these tests are not often used in a clinic setting due to the expense and expose the patient to ionizing radiation.