ADHD Diagnosis
Diagnosing ADHD in adults can be more difficult than diagnosing ADHD in children. A clinical interview with an ADHD expert is the first step towards a good diagnosis.
It is recommended to bring any medical or academic records to your appointment. You may bring questionnaires and rating scales that provide details about your symptoms.
Symptoms
A thorough ADHD diagnosis is based on a physical exam and a conversation with a physician. The evaluator might ask questions about a person's family history and childhood and use checklists to note symptoms. The evaluator will also review the records of work and school and may also want to speak with teachers or others who interact with 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 person suffers from multiple symptoms that last for at least 6 months, and that the symptoms are present in more than one place -- such as at home, work or school. The evaluator can also look for other conditions that may cause similar symptoms, like depression or anxiety.
In adults the evaluator will evaluate how severe the symptoms are and how they affect the way that they work or interact with others. The evaluator might also ask the person what their feelings are about their symptoms and if they interfere with their daily activities.
Many people who suffer from ADHD struggle to remember if their problems started in the early years or later. This is why an expert will typically interview someone who is familiar with the person for example, siblings or spouses for an adult; parents or teachers for children. The examiner may use checklists to evaluate adults as well as a list of behaviors for children.
Contrary to previous diagnostic guidelines, an adult cannot be diagnosed with ADHD until symptoms begin to manifest prior to the age of 12. This change is intended to protect people who suffered from ADHD as children from being misdiagnosed with other disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
Medical Histories
If you suspect that you or your child suffers from ADHD The first step is to find an expert who can conduct a thorough assessment. Contact your doctor or a local mental health care expert 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 can offer referrals.
During the ADHD diagnostic evaluation, a healthcare specialist will examine the patient's medical and family history. They will ask what the symptoms hinder functioning in various situations, including at home, at work, or with relationships. It is essential to determine the severity of the symptoms, as the APA's guidelines for ADHD state that symptoms have to cause significant impairment to be considered a diagnosis.
The healthcare professional will interview the patient, but may also seek details from the patient's parents siblings, friends, and parents who know him. Some healthcare professionals require patients to complete questionnaires or scales. These include ADHD symptoms checklists and ratings of behavior. Teachers and other caregivers are often valuable sources of information as well.
It is important to assess how the individual's symptoms affect in various settings, as the APA's diagnostic guidelines note that symptoms must manifest frequently and impair performance. This is essential due to the fact that other conditions, such as mood disorders and learning disabilities may present similar to ADHD (Austerman 2015). Additionally an exam by a doctor could be conducted to determine other possible causes for the symptoms, such as thyroid issues, vision or hearing issues or the use of certain medications like stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In some cases the presence of ADHD in the family can be a major factor in determining the diagnosis. It is a highly heritable condition, and a thorough study of the patient's as well as relatives history can help determine the presence of a genetic pattern.
It is essential for health professionals to get a complete picture of the patient's symptoms for example, whether they happen at school, work or in social situations. A provider must also assess the degree of how a patient's symptoms hinder their everyday functioning. This is a better measure than simply counting symptoms or looking at the intelligence of patients.
For teens and children, a doctor can interview the child or teen as well as their parents. In many cases, a psychiatrist or pediatrician specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. A mental health specialist with a vast knowledge of ADHD is required to conduct a detailed interview for adults.
A thorough evaluation includes a physical exam, which can help determine certain conditions that may cause symptoms similar to ADHD. A complete medical record is also taken. This can include school and medical records, as along with a psychologist's or school counselor's psychological evaluation. For adults documents from school are often useful in establishing the cause of symptoms that began in the early years of childhood.
When diagnosing adults, it is especially important to examine how the symptoms interfere with the daily activities. A thorough psychiatric exam may also be necessary, involving questionnaires and rating scales for the patient and caregivers, a medical interview and referral for medical examination. Additionally, psychometric or neuropsychological assessment can be used in adult cases to determine how the symptoms relate to learning disorders and other cognitive impairments.
Interviews
A professional will ask you or your child about their issues at home, school and in the community. The provider will inquire about your or child's medical, family, and personal background, and will look over any documents you might have, like old school report cards. This information will help the doctor decide whether you or your child should take a test to diagnose 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 period of six months and include both at home and in school. The evaluations must be conducted by people who are familiar with your your child's behavior like 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 interfere with daily functioning, whether at school, work or playing. Symptoms should start in childhood, usually before the age of 12. They can't be caused by a mental health condition.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests that test IQ, brain function and cognitive functioning can increase the sensitivity and specificity of ADHD evaluations. They should be used alongside a clinician's assessment and rating scales as part of a comprehensive assessment strategy. These assessments can include the administration a standardized test, such as the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults, or a computerized testing approach which measures executive functions, short-term memory and speed of response. In the near future the use of digital technology like virtual reality for continuous performance tests as well as sensors for head movement could help to improve ecological validity of these ADHD assessment tools by permitting the person being evaluated to be in their surroundings instead of sitting in an office for clinical evaluation.
Tests
If your GP or mental healthcare professional suspects ADHD, he or she may refer you to an ADHD specialist. A complete evaluation will include an in-depth interview, information from other sources such as your spouse or significant others, as well as standardized behavior ratings scales for ADHD. Depending on the clinical impression the evaluator could conduct tests to test for other conditions that could influence your symptoms, including depression, learning disabilities or a medical illness.
A thorough ADHD evaluation is required by the evaluator to determine if your symptoms are significantly affecting your functioning and life. Impairment can be in a variety of environments, including your workplace, home or school, as well as social interactions. The evaluator will ask you what your symptoms affected you in each circumstance. adhd assessment uk online will enable the evaluator to establish a diagnosis, and develop treatment recommendations.
In addition to the symptom rating The complete assessment will typically include one or more tests that are standardized for ADHD. These tests are based on research and compare the behavior of people suffering from ADHD to those without it. They enhance the effectiveness of an interview with a clinician by focusing on specific behaviors rather than a person's general performance. These tests can also help evaluators identify when an individual is lying or attempting to cheat on the test, a problem that has been recognized for a number of years in the field of neuropsychological testing.
In addition to the standard test and the symptom rating scales, a thorough ADHD assessment should include brain scans and other imaging techniques for the brain. These tests aren't used in clinical settings since they are expensive and expose patients to ionizing radioactivity.