ADHD Diagnosis
Adults can be more difficult to identify than children. A reliable diagnosis begins with a thorough interview conducted by an expert in ADHD.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. It is also beneficial to bring rating scales and interview transcripts that provide information regarding your symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
A doctor will conduct a physical exam and interview you to determine whether ADHD is present. The evaluator might ask questions about the person's family history and childhood and utilize checklists to note symptoms. The evaluator will also go through the person's academic and work documents, and may want to speak 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 is that the person has several symptoms for at least 6 months, and that the symptoms manifest in more than one setting like at home, work or school. The evaluator could also check for other conditions that may cause similar symptoms such as depression or anxiety.
Adults will be evaluated to determine the severity of symptoms and their impact on their work or social lives. The evaluator may also ask the person what their feelings are about their symptoms and if they impact their daily functioning.
Many people who suffer from ADHD have trouble remembering whether their issues began in the beginning or later. 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 parent of a child. The evaluator may use checklists to evaluate adults as well as a list of the behaviors that children exhibit.
Unlike in the past, the current diagnostic guidelines stipulate that an adult cannot be diagnosed with ADHD when symptoms were evident before age 12. This change is intended to protect people who suffered from ADHD as children from being misdiagnosed as having other disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Medical Histories
If you suspect that your or your child is suffering from ADHD, the first step is to locate an expert who can conduct an extensive evaluation. Consult your physician or an area mental health expert for recommendations, or look in the phone book under "psychiatry" or "psychology." You can also contact a support group for adults with ADHD since they've worked with local experts who could provide recommendations.
A healthcare professional will review the medical history of a patient and family history during the ADHD diagnostic evaluation. 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 diagnosing ADHD note that the symptoms must cause significant impairment to be diagnosed.
The healthcare professional will usually interview the patient, however, they may also ask to talk to parents, siblings and friends who know him well. Some professionals ask people to fill out questionnaires or scales. They may also ask for ADHD symptoms checklists and ratings of behavior. Teachers and other caregivers can be valuable sources of information, too.
It is crucial to determine the extent to which the individual's symptoms interfere in various situations, since the APA's diagnostic guidelines stipulate that symptoms must manifest frequently and affect performance. This is essential because other disorders, such as mood disorders and learning disabilities may be similar to ADHD (Austerman 2015). In addition, a medical exam may be conducted to determine other possible causes of the symptoms, including thyroid issues, vision or hearing problems or the use of certain medications like stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In some cases there is a history of ADHD in the family could be a major factor in the determination of a diagnosis. It is a highly heritable condition, and a careful review of the patient's and his or her relatives history can help determine whether there is a family pattern.
It is essential that doctors get a complete picture about the symptoms of their patients, such as whether or not they are present in work, school or in social settings. A provider must also assess the extent of how a patient's symptoms interfere with everyday functioning. This is a more reliable method than simply examining the number of symptoms or examining the patient's intelligence.
A doctor may conduct an interview with the child or teen as well as the parents. In many instances, a psychiatrist or pediatrician is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. For adults, a detailed interview is required by a mental health specialist who has extensive experience with ADHD and is able to evaluate each patient's situation.
A thorough assessment includes a physical examination, which can help determine certain conditions that could cause symptoms similar to ADHD. A complete medical record is also a must. This could include school and medical records as in addition to a psychologist's or school counselor's psychological assessment. Old school records can be helpful to adults to determine if symptoms started in the early years of childhood.
If you are diagnosing an adult, it is especially important to examine how the symptoms impact the daily activities. A thorough psychiatric evaluation could be required with regard to the use of questionnaires and rating scales by the patient and caregivers, a clinical interview, and a referral for a medical exam. Additionally assessment of neuropsychological or psychometric factors is sometimes used for adults in order to see how the symptoms are linked to learning disorders and other cognitive impairments.
Interviews
A professional will ask you or your child about their concerns at home, school and in the community. adhd diagnostic assessment will also ask about your or your child's past medical, family and personal history and will look over any records you may bring with you including old report cards from school. This information will help the provider 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 cover both school and home. The evaluations must be conducted by people who are familiar with your or your child's behavior like teachers and religious leaders, scout and Scout leaders, coaches, and parents.
Children and adults who are diagnosed with ADHD have symptoms that are debilitating, and interfere with daily functioning whether at school, work, or play. Symptoms must begin in the early years, typically before the age of 12. They cannot be caused by any other mental health disorder.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests to measure IQ, brain function and cognitive functioning can improve the sensitivity and specificity of ADHD evaluations. They should be used alongside a clinician's interview and rating scales as part of a comprehensive assessment plan. These assessments could include the administration a standardized test like the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults or a computerized test method that measures executive functions, short-term memory and speed of response. In the future digital technology, such as virtual reality for continuous performance tests as well as sensors for head movement may enhance the ecological reliability of these ADHD assessment tools by permitting the person being evaluated to be in their natural environment instead of sitting in an office for clinical evaluation.
Tests
If your GP or mental health professional suspects ADHD they might recommend you to an ADHD specialist. A thorough assessment will consist of a thorough interview, information from other sources like your spouse or significant others, as well as the standardized scales of behavior ratings for ADHD. Depending on the clinical impression the evaluator might conduct tests to test for any other conditions that could affect your symptoms, such as depression, learning disabilities or a medical condition.
A thorough ADHD assessment requires the examiner to determine if your symptoms are significantly impairing your functioning and life. The problem can manifest in a variety of settings for example, at home, at work, in school, or with your social interactions. The evaluator will inquire how your symptoms affected you in each situation. This will allow the evaluator to make a diagnosis and develop treatment recommendations.
A complete assessment will include in addition to rating of symptoms and standardized tests for performance for ADHD. These tests are built on research which compares the behavior of people with ADHD and those without. They enhance the effectiveness of an interview with a clinician by focusing on specific behavior rather than a person's general performance. These measures can help assessors identify when a person is lying or trying to cheat a test. This issue has been recognized by experts in the field for a long time.
In addition to the standardized test and the symptom rating scales, a thorough ADHD evaluation should include brain scans and other imaging procedures for neurological disorders. However these tests aren't commonly used in a clinical setting due to the cost and expose the patient to radiation.