Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis can be a life-changing experience. It explains why some people have difficulty staying in control and following directions, or staying focused.
Ask your family doctor or therapist to refer you to an expert. Check with your insurance company to determine if they cover ADHD assessments for adults.
Diagnosis Process
A psychologist, psychiatrist, or specialist nurse will need to assess adults in order to make a proper diagnosis. These are the only healthcare professionals who are able to diagnose ADHD in adults.
An in-depth interview about your health and symptoms is usually the first step in a preliminary assessment. The healthcare professional will also want to know how long it has been a problem and how they impact you. They might suggest that you talk to a family member or friend about your symptoms.
The process of evaluation will also involve questions about your childhood. Current guidelines allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without any evidence that the disorder existed during childhood. So, the healthcare professional will want to look over your school records and speak to people who knew you as in your early years. They will also ask whether you've ever experienced any mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
In some instances an evaluator could recommend cognitive tests, such as IQ testing or assessments for learning or memory problems. They may also recommend other types of medical exams to rule out physical issues that may be creating your symptoms, for instance seizures or thyroid issues.
If your doctor is sure that your symptoms are caused by ADHD, they may recommend additional diagnostic tests to confirm and determine the severity of the condition. These tests will likely include urine and blood tests, a medical exam as well as psychological or educational tests.
The tests will be used to determine the levels of certain chemicals in your body that could be linked to ADHD, such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. They will also examine your heart rate and blood pressure. You may also be offered the spirometry test to determine your lung capacity. They might also suggest a brain imaging scan to determine if there are any functional or structural problems. In some instances, your evaluator might suggest that you or a child be examined for disorders that have similar symptoms with ADHD, like anxiety and depression, or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are many ADHD tests and questionnaires which can serve as a screening tool prior to you make an appointment with a physician. These tests can be helpful in identifying the possibility of ADHD However, the only way to make an accurate diagnosis is to consult a medical professional who conducts a thorough clinical interview and doesn't rush into prescribing drugs.
This process could take anywhere from between 2 and 3 hours. It includes a time spent explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it might influence their symptoms. It may also include the doctor asking about a past history of substance abuse or depression since these conditions can co-occur with ADHD.
A good diagnostic interview will involve a discussion of the patient's symptoms and their impact, and the psychologist or psychiatrist will use a checklist designed to evaluate hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattentiveness. In addition, the clinician will need to look over the school records and speak with teachers. If the patient is an older adult, they may also interview a spouse or family member. Personal insight can uncover facts that cannot be gleaned from questionnaires.
Some doctors are in a rush and skip this step, or they may insist on seeing a patient just one time, rather than carrying out a full examination. This can lead to misdiagnosis. This is a red-flag in the event that the physician is too rigid in their criteria to diagnose ADHD.
For adults, the evaluator might request that the patient complete ratings for each of the symptoms on an ADHD checklist and then provide examples of how the symptoms have affected the patient's life. The evaluation will then compare the scores against the checklist and evaluate for ADHD.
It's a great feeling for some adults to be given an ADHD diagnosis. The sub-conscious emotions, like guilt or resentment for not living up to expectations or that the disorder was not noticed until later in life, can be a bit complicated. ADHD is characterised by impulsivity and lack of concentration. These traits can lead to negative consequences in a variety of fields including relationships work, health, and careers.
The Tests
Getting an ADHD diagnosis is a challenging and difficult process. It involves a lot paperwork and interviews as well as tests. The best way to prepare is to ask for recommendations from family, friends and doctors you trust. Examine the credentials of the doctor and make sure they're a good match for your requirements. It is important to locate an expert who is specialized in ADHD diagnosis. This is to ensure that you or your child is getting an accurate diagnosis and the best possible treatment.
An interview with an evaluation expert is the first step in an ADHD assessment. The evaluator will ask you or your child questions to find out more about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how the symptoms affect you and whether they impact your schoolwork, work or social relationships. The evaluator could also employ rating scales to measure your ADHD symptoms. These are usually checklists where you or someone you know is asked a set of questions. You might be asked whether you frequently forget appointments or how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators will also ask people who know you and your child well to fill out questionnaires about their observations of your behavior. For adults, this could include spouses or children; for children, it might be teachers, coaches and nannies, or daycare workers. Personal experience can provide information that isn't feasible to collect through a questionnaire.
The evaluators can also perform cognitive tests to determine if learning or intellectual disabilities contribute to your symptoms. They could also test for mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder, incipient psychosis or substance abuse. They may also screen for medical conditions that are underlying such as hypothyroidism and seizure disorders.
getting diagnosed with adhd as an adult might offer you or your children an ADHD screening test to gauge the way you react to non-target and target stimuli. For instance, the TOVA (Timed On-Only Visual Attention) is an FDA-cleared computerized test that assesses your ability to pay attention and remember geometric shapes. The test examines how often you respond non-targeted stimuli and how long it takes for you to respond to targeted stimuli. This will help the evaluators determine if you suffer from an impulsive ADHD or inattentive ADHD.
The Follow-Up
Many kinds of mental health professionals are able to offer ADHD evaluations and make an assessment. This could be a psychologist or psychiatrist as well as neurotherapist or psychotherapist. The doctor will want to know what your concerns are and how long the problems have been present for. The doctor will also inquire if there is a family history of ADHD. It is thought that the disorder is about 70%-80% heritable, and that genes play a significant role in determining whether you or your child is likely to suffer symptoms.
The expert will be interested in how your your child's ADHD affects your daily life, including home, work, and at school. He will ask about your or your child's behavior across various situations, as the signs of ADHD differ when they are encountered in different situations. To be diagnosed with ADHD either you or your child require six or more symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning. This must last at least six months.
To make a correct diagnosis, the specialist will need to rule other conditions out. Other psychiatric conditions, anxiety and mood disorders as well as intellectual disabilities might be considered. Certain medical disorders that affect brain function, such as thyroid issues, should also be considered. The doctor will also inquire about your child or yourself's sleeping habits, as well as any injuries or accidents that occurred in the past that may have affected your child or your brain's development.
He will also look into whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are connected to any other health issues or medications you or your child takes. For instance, stimulant medicines used to treat ADHD can sometimes result in side effects like stomachaches and difficulty sleeping. Other medications, including antidepressants as well as some sleep medications are also prone to these side effects.
The expert will also need to determine if there's a comorbidity. This means that you or your child may have another condition that could cause symptoms of ADHD. This could be depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety disorder. The psychiatrist or psychologist will go through all the data and determine a diagnosis.