How to Get a Confirmed ADHD Diagnosis
It's not as simple as taking an online test or using an assessment scale. The process involves a medical and psychological evaluation.
Doctors examine family and medical history, including past tests and old school records. They also speak with parents, teachers, and children about their symptoms. ADHD symptoms are typically inherited.
Symptoms
ADHD can be diagnosed when a person is struggling to keep on track or pay attention to specifics, or start and finish tasks that require concentration. However, a lot of people suffer from other conditions that can cause the same symptoms as ADHD, including anxiety and depression. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis. A thorough assessment will help determine if the symptoms are due to ADHD or another disorder.
A psychiatrist, psychologist or neurologist who has experience with ADHD in adults or has a background in adult ADHD can conduct an assessment. They will ask the patient questions and talk about their symptoms. They will also discuss the severity of their symptoms, how long it has been since they began, and how often they happen. They will also ask about the family and medical history, as well as their school and work schedules.
It is important that a doctor is aware of any problems a patient may be experiencing, such as financial troubles or relationship issues. The doctor may also want to talk to the person's employer or teacher about any issues they've had concerning the performance of the individual in school or at work. For children doctors, they will interview parents and may also need to speak with other adults, such as coaches, teachers or nannies.
During the examination the doctor will collect the person's medical history and do physical. The physical will look for conditions that may cause symptoms that look like ADHD or other disorders, like thyroid problems or seizure disorders. They will also look over the person's educational and work history as well as any other pertinent documents.
The doctor will also conduct an examination of the personality or psychological. This could be a checklist of symptoms or a rating system that measures the way a person feels about certain actions. They may also use cognitive or learning disabilities tests to determine if someone has a disorder that mimics ADHD like a learning difficulty. They will also ask about the person's life and lifestyle, for example, if they are in a stressful situation or have any other illnesses that could cause ADHD symptoms worse. They will also inquire about the person's ability to follow directions and interact with other people.
Diagnosis
ADHD symptoms can affect both adults and children in many different areas of their lives. The symptoms include trouble at school and at work as well as poor performance in extracurricular activities, and troubled relationships. These issues can also affect driving and finances. The first step to getting an accurate diagnosis is to find an expert in health care who knows about ADHD. You can ask your child's doctor to perform a screening or you can talk to a psychiatrist who is trained in mental illness.
The doctor will first talk to the patient regarding their behavior. Generally doctors will ask about symptoms for at least six months. This will make sure that the symptoms have been consistent over time. The examiner will utilize an assessment scale to evaluate symptoms of ADHD. This could be the ASRS (Adult Self-Report Scale) or the DSM-5.
The specialist will also inquire about any current problems and examine the patient's medical background including any family history of ADHD. The specialist may also examine the person's academic and driving history, as well family and relationship issues. The examiner will want to know the person's habits and whether he or she is a drug or alcohol addict.
To determine ADHD A specialist must be convinced that the symptoms are not caused by any other disorder. In general, the symptoms must be present in more than one settings and have been ongoing for at least six months. The symptoms must also be debilitating, and not caused by another health condition.
The doctor can administer one of more attention tests, such as the TOVA Continuous Performance Test, to confirm the diagnosis. testing adhd in adults is performed by a computer and involves watching a series of visual stimuli, like shapes or letters, that appear on the screen. The user is able to watch the stimuli and presses a button when or she recognizes the correct letter. The TOVA program calculates scores to determine the difficulty of people to focus on tasks.
Treatment
A mental health professional will assess a person who has symptoms of ADHD. This will involve a thorough physical exam and a review of medical and family history and a psychiatric evaluation. The evaluation will include questions about symptoms and how they impact the individual's functioning. It will also include standardized ADHD scales for behavior and other psychological tests.
The clinician will also interview the patient and his significant other, if necessary. This is not a test for honesty, but rather to find out more about the patient's experiences and behaviors. It is common for people who suffer from ADHD to have difficulty recalling details from their childhood. It is helpful if you interview people who have known them for a long time. This information will aid the physician in determining other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
The evaluator may interview the children's parents and teachers. This is especially important in the event that the child is experiencing issues at school. Additionally, the evaluator will likely ask about the child's relationships with others and how his or her school and home environments are structured. This is crucial because the social environment is the main source of stress and difficulties for those with ADHD.
The physician will use the same scale of rating for adult patients. However, it is more sophisticated. It is used to gather research data on symptoms. In some cases the examiner might use computerized testing to screen for symptoms of ADHD. The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, or ADHD-RS is the most frequently used test. It was created by the National Institute of Mental Health. Continuous performance test (CPT) is a different type of computer test that measures the attention span of an individual.
For adolescents and young adults The evaluator will look at whether or not the individual is in compliance with the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) for ADHD. This means that the individual has had six or more established symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity for at least six months and the symptoms have significantly impacted their social, academic and occupational functioning.
Medication
If your child or teen is diagnosed with ADHD, medication will probably be part of the treatment program. The stimulant medication is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream and provides quick relief of symptoms. However, these drugs should be administered with care. A high dose of stimulants could lead to addiction or heart problems. The medications that enter the body in time, such as the atomoxetine and guanfacine are more secure, but don't perform as quickly as stimulants do. These drugs might not be a viable option for children who have some medical issues, such as Tourette syndrome or congenital heart disease.
Psychotherapy is an important part of the treatment plan for adults who have ADHD. Therapists can help patients develop more efficient organizational skills and come up with ways to improve their work performance and social interactions. For instance, a therapist may instruct the client to use reminders like alarms or daily planners to help them stay on the right track. A therapist can also help people with ADHD learn to manage their emotions better and discover ways to deal with stressors in their lives.
A psychiatrist or psychologist may administer tests to adults with ADHD that screen for depression and anxiety, learning disabilities, and other disorders which may look like ADHD or coexist alongside it, like thyroid disorder or seizures. Psychologists can also conduct a physical examination and look over the person's family history, medical records and behaviour.
Some therapists employ computer tests to test adults for ADHD symptoms. The test assesses a person's ability to maintain focus and resist impulses by showing visual targets on the screen of a computer. The test assesses a person's cognitive function and can be used with self-report questions to give the clinician an objective assessment of a patient’s response to treatment.
A newer genetic test is now available that can tell you the way in which a person's body process medications. The test can be used to aid doctors in selecting the most effective medication and avoid adverse effects for each patient. This kind of test is costly and not widely accessible. A medical professional is the most reliable method to identify ADHD in a person.