ADHD Diagnosis
Finding out if you have ADHD in adults can be more difficult than diagnosing ADHD in children. A reliable diagnosis begins with a thorough interview conducted by an expert in ADHD.
You must bring any medical or academic records to your appointment. It's also beneficial to bring rating scales and interview transcripts that can provide information about your health issues.
Signs and symptoms
A thorough ADHD diagnosis is based on physical examination and a conversation with a physician. The examiner will ask questions about the person's life and childhood, and may employ checklists to record the symptoms of the individual. The evaluator may also look over the records of work and school and may want to talk with teachers or others who are close to the person.
The evaluator will use the official lists of symptoms for inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity to determine whether the person meets diagnostic criteria. The criteria are that the person has been suffering from multiple symptoms for at least six months, and that they occur in a variety of settings like at school and at home. The evaluator can also look for other conditions which can cause similar symptoms such as anxiety or depression.
Adults will be evaluated to determine the severity of symptoms and their impact on social or work life. The evaluator may also inquire about how they feel about their symptoms and whether or not they affect their daily functioning.
Many people suffering from ADHD cannot remember the exact date they began experiencing problems. A specialist will typically interview anyone who is familiar with the person, such as their spouse, sibling or parent for an adult or a teacher or parent of a child. The evaluator might employ checklists for adults, and for children, a list of behaviors to watch for.
Contrary to previous diagnostic guidelines, an adult cannot be diagnosed with ADHD until the symptoms have been identified before the age of twelve. This change is intended to stop people suffering from ADHD who were diagnosed as kids from being wrongly diagnosed as having other disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
Medical Histories
If you suspect that you or your child is suffering from ADHD The first step is to find an expert who can conduct an extensive evaluation. Ask your doctor or a mental health expert in your area for recommendations or look in the phone book for "psychiatry" and "psychology." You can also join an adult ADHD support group, as they may have worked with local specialists who are able to provide recommendations.
A healthcare professional will look over a person's medical history and background information regarding the family during the ADHD diagnostic assessment. They will inquire about how the symptoms interfere with functioning in different 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 require significant impairment in order to be classified as ADHD.
The healthcare professional will typically interview the person, but they may also ask to talk to his or her parents, siblings and friends who know him well. Some professionals will have people complete questionnaires or ratings scales, including ADHD symptoms checklists as well as standardized behavior ratings. Teachers and other caregivers can also be useful sources of information.
It is important to assess the extent to which the individual's symptoms interfere with functioning in different environments, as the APA's diagnostic guidelines stipulate that symptoms must manifest often and cause impairment to performance. This is essential due to the fact that other conditions, such as mood disorders and learning disabilities, may be similar to ADHD (Austerman, 2015). Additionally, a medical exam may be performed to check for other causes that could be causing the symptoms, such as thyroid issues, vision or hearing issues or the use of certain medications, such as stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In certain instances the presence of ADHD in the family can be a major factor 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 crucial for healthcare professionals to be able to see the full picture of the symptoms a patient is experiencing, including whether they occur at school, work, or in social situations. A healthcare professional must also consider the degree of how a patient's symptoms hinder their everyday functioning. This is more important than merely counting symptoms or looking at the IQ of patients.
A doctor can interview a child or teen, and also his or her parents. In a majority of instances, a pediatrician or psychiatrist is specialized in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD. A mental health specialist with extensive experience in ADHD is required to conduct a detailed interview for adults.
A thorough assessment usually includes a physical exam, which can rule out specific health conditions that can cause similar symptoms as ADHD. A complete medical history is also obtained. adhd assessments can include medical and school records, as well as a psychologist or school counselor's psychological assessment. For adults, old school records are often useful in establishing if symptoms started in the early years of life.
If you are diagnosing an adult in particular, it is crucial to look at how the symptoms impact the daily activities. A thorough psychiatric evaluation might be required, which includes rating scales and questions by caregivers and patients, as well as a clinical interview and referral to medical examination. In addition psychometric or neuropsychological assessments can be used in adult cases to determine how the symptoms relate to learning disorders and other cognitive impairments.
Interviews
A healthcare professional will ask you or your child questions about their concerns at school, home and in the community. The provider will ask about your child's medical and family history, and will also review any records you have, like old school report cards. This information will help the doctor decide whether you or your child is eligible to undergo a test to determine 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 home and school. The ratings should be provided by people who know your child or yourself well, including coaches, teachers, religious leaders, scouts and parents.
Children and adults who are diagnosed with ADHD have symptoms that are debilitating, and affect their daily activities at school, work, or play. Symptoms should start in early childhood, typically before the age of 12. They aren't caused by a mental health problem.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests that test IQ, brain function, and cognitive functioning can increase the accuracy and precision of ADHD assessments. However, they should be used as part of an assessment process that includes a clinical interview and rating scales. These assessments may include the use of a standardized questionnaire, such as the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA) or a computer-based adaptive testing method that can measure response speed, short-term memory and executive functions. In the near future, technology that is digital like virtual reality and head sensors that monitor head movements for continuous performance tests, can help improve the validity of ecological tests by giving people the opportunity to immerse in their natural surroundings instead of sitting in a clinic.
Tests
If your GP or mental health professional suspects ADHD the doctor might refer you to an ADHD specialist. A thorough assessment should include an extensive interview, data from independent sources like your spouse or significant other and standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD. The evaluator will order tests according to the clinical impression to check for any conditions that might be affecting your symptoms. These include depression as well as learning disabilities or a medical condition.
To conduct a thorough ADHD evaluation, the assessor must determine if your symptoms have a significant impact on your life and functioning. The problem can manifest in a variety of settings, like at home, at work, in school, or even in your social connections. The examiner should inquire about how your symptoms have impacted you in each setting. This will enable the evaluator to establish an assessment and formulate treatment suggestions.
A comprehensive assessment will comprise in addition to symptom ratings and standard performance tests for ADHD. These instruments for testing are based on research and compare the behavior of people with ADHD to those without it. They enhance the effectiveness of an interview with a clinician by focusing on specific behaviours rather than the overall functioning. These tests can also help assessors determine if the person is not being honest or is trying to cheat on the test this issue has been identified for many years in the field of neuropsychological testing.
A thorough ADHD assessment will include an examination of the brain or other neuroimaging techniques in addition to the typical test and symptom rating scales. However, these tests are not commonly used in a clinical setting due to the expense and expose the patient to radiation.