ADHD Diagnosis
Adults can be more difficult to diagnose than children. A good diagnosis starts with a thorough interview conducted by an expert in ADHD.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. You may bring questionnaires and rating scales that provide information about your symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
A thorough ADHD diagnosis requires a physical exam and an interview with a physician. The evaluator may ask questions about the person's family history and childhood and use checklists to document symptoms. The evaluator will also go through the person's school and work records, and may also want to speak with teachers or other people who are close to them.
The evaluator will use the official lists of symptoms for inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity to determine whether the person meets diagnostic criteria. Visit Web Page include that the person has several symptoms that last for at least 6 months, and that the symptoms are present in more than one place -- for example, at home, at work or school. The evaluator may also look for other conditions that could trigger similar symptoms, for example anxiety, depression or a thyroid problem.
Adults will be evaluated to determine the severity of their symptoms and the impact they have on work or social life. The evaluator may also ask the person what their feelings are about their symptoms and whether they interfere with their daily activities.
Many people with ADHD cannot remember the time when their issues began. For that reason, the specialist will usually interview someone who knows the person well for example, siblings or spouses for an adult; parents or teachers for the child. The assessor may employ checklists for adults, and for children there is a list of behavior to watch for.
In contrast to the past, the current diagnostic guidelines indicate that an adult shouldn't be diagnosed with ADHD when symptoms were evident before the age of 12. This change is meant to avoid people suffering from ADHD who were diagnosed as kids from being misdiagnosed as having other disorders, such as anxiety and depression.
Medical History
If you suspect that your or your child has ADHD The first step is to find an expert who can provide an exhaustive evaluation. Talk to your doctor or mental health specialist in your area for recommendations, or search the phone book for "psychiatry" and "psychology." You can also contact a support group for adults with ADHD, as many of them have worked with local experts who can offer referrals.
A healthcare professional will go over the medical history of a patient and background information regarding the family during the ADHD diagnostic assessment. They will ask how the symptoms interfere with functioning in different settings, such as at home, at work or with relationships. It is crucial to determine how severe the symptoms are because the APA's guidelines for diagnosing ADHD state that the symptoms must result in significant impairment for the diagnosis to be made.
The healthcare professional will speak with the patient, but they may request information from his or her parents, siblings, and friends who are familiar with him. Some healthcare professionals require patients to complete questionnaires or scales. They may also ask for ADHD symptoms checklists and rating of behavior. Teachers and other caregivers can also be important sources of information.
The APA's Diagnostic Guidelines say that symptoms must be frequent and affect performance. This is crucial, since other conditions, such as mood disorders or learning disabilities may be similar as ADHD (Austerman 2015). In addition an exam by a doctor could be performed to check for other possible causes for the symptoms, such as thyroid problems, vision and hearing issues or the use of certain drugs like stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In some cases there is an ancestor's history of ADHD is a major element in determining if you have a diagnosis. It is a highly inheritable condition, and a careful review of the patient's and his or her 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 a patient's symptoms, including whether they occur at school, work, or in social situations. A provider must also assess the degree to which a person's symptoms hinder their everyday functioning. This is more important than simply calculating symptoms or examining the level of intelligence of patients.
For teens and children, a doctor may interview the child or teen and their parents. In many cases, a psychiatrist or pediatrician is a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. A mental health professional with a vast knowledge of ADHD is required to conduct a thorough interview for adults.
A thorough evaluation includes a physical examination which can help determine certain conditions that can cause symptoms similar to ADHD. A complete medical record is also required. For children, this can include previous medical and school records, as well as an evaluation of the psychological state by a school counselor or psychologist. School records from the past can be useful for adults to determine whether symptoms began in the early years of childhood.
In the case of diagnosing adults in particular, it is crucial to look at how the symptoms interfere with daily functioning. A thorough psychiatric evaluation is also possible that includes the use of questionnaires and rating scales by the patient and his or her caregivers, a clinical interview and referral for medical examination. Additionally psychometric or neuropsychological assessments is often used for adults in order to see how the symptoms are related to learning disorders and other cognitive impairments.
Interviews
A healthcare professional will ask you or your child questions regarding their concerns at home, at school and in the community. The provider will inquire about your child's medical, family, and personal history, and will review any documents you might bring with you, such as old school report cards. This information will help the doctor to determine if you or your child is required to undergo tests for 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 typically taken over a six-month period, and include both the school and at home. The rating must be performed by those who are familiar with your or your child's behaviors like teachers and religious leaders, scout and Scout leaders, coaches, and parents.
To be diagnosed with ADHD children and adults must exhibit behavior that is a source of distress and hinders everyday functioning in a variety of environments, including school, at work or playing. The signs should be evident in the early years of childhood, usually before the age of 12. They are not caused by any other mental health issue.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests to measure IQ, cognitive functioning and brain function can improve the sensitivity and specificity of ADHD evaluations. However, they should be utilized as part of an assessment strategy that includes a clinician interview as well as rating scales. These tests could include the administration of a standardized questionnaire like the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA) or a computer-based adaptive testing method that allows for measurement of responses 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 into their natural environment instead of sitting in a clinic.
Tests
Your doctor or mental health professional could recommend you to a specialist if he or suspects ADHD. A thorough evaluation should consist of an extensive interview, details from other sources, such as your spouse or significant other and standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD. The evaluator will order tests according to the clinical impression and will screen for any conditions that might affect your symptoms. This includes depression or learning disabilities, or a medical condition.
In order to conduct an exhaustive ADHD evaluation, the assessor must determine whether your symptoms have a significant impact on your daily life and function. Impairment can be in a variety settings that include your home, work, school and social relationships. The evaluator needs to know what the impact of your condition has been on you in each setting. This will enable the evaluator to make an assessment and formulate treatment suggestions.
In addition to the symptom rating The comprehensive assessment usually includes one or more performance tests that are standard for ADHD. These tests are based on research comparing the behavior of people suffering from ADHD with those without. They enhance the effectiveness of an interview with a clinician by focusing on specific behavior rather than the general performance. These tests can also aid in identifying when the person is not being honest or is trying 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 or other imaging procedures for neurological disorders. These tests aren't used in clinical settings because they are expensive and expose patients to radioactivity ionizing.