Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can transform your life. It explains why people have issues like staying focused on their task, following directions and staying organized.
Ask your family doctor or therapist to refer you to an expert. Also make sure to inquire with your insurance company to see if they cover ADHD evaluations for adults.
The Diagnosis Process
A psychologist, psychiatrist, or specialist nurse will need to evaluate adults in order to establish a correct diagnosis. They are the only healthcare professionals who can identify ADHD in adults.
A typical initial evaluation will start with a thorough interview about your life and symptoms. The healthcare professional could also ask how long you've been suffering from symptoms and how they impact your life. They might also want to speak to an immediate family member or friend about your symptoms.
The process of evaluation could also include questions regarding your childhood. The current guidelines do allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without proving that the disorder existed in childhood. Therefore the healthcare professional will want to review your school records and talk to those who knew you when you were an infant. They may also inquire if you have experienced any other mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety.
In certain situations the evaluator may recommend cognitive testing for example, IQ tests or tests for memory or learning issues. They may also recommend that you undergo other types of medical tests to rule out physical ailments that could be causing your symptoms.
If your healthcare provider is certain that your symptoms are due to ADHD they might suggest additional diagnostic tests to verify and determine the severity of the condition. These tests may include urine and blood tests, a medical exam, and perhaps educational or psychological tests.
Tests will be used to determine the concentrations of certain chemicals that may be associated with ADHD in your body, for example dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. They will also test your heart rate and blood pressure. They may also give you the spirometry test which measures the capacity of your lungs. They may also recommend an imaging scan of the brain to determine if there are any functional or structural issues. In some instances, your evaluator might suggest that you or your child be tested for any conditions that have similar symptoms with ADHD such as anxiety and depression or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are numerous ADHD questions and tests that you can use to test your knowledge, prior to scheduling an appointment with your doctor. These tests can help you recognize that you may have ADHD However, an interview with a doctor is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
This process can take between 2 and 3 hours. It includes a time spent explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it may affect their symptoms. The physician may also inquire about a history or addiction to drugs 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. The psychologist or psychiatrist will also need to examine the patient's school records as well as talk to teachers. If the patient is an adult or spouse, a family members could also be interviewed. The personal perspective of a person can reveal information that cannot be gleaned through questionnaires.
Some doctors rush through this step or insist on only seeing a patient once rather than completing a complete evaluation. This could lead to a confusion about the diagnosis. If the doctor is too firmly rooted in the criteria used to diagnose ADHD and insists that a patient must display six or more symptoms to be diagnosed, that's a red flag.
The evaluator may ask adults to rate each symptom on an ADHD checklist and then give examples of how these symptoms have affected their lives. The assessor will then compare the scores with the checklist and determine if they are a good indicator the severity of ADHD.
For certain adults, it may be a relief to finally receive a diagnosis of ADHD. The deep-seated emotions, such as guilt or sadness for not meeting expectations or that the disorder was not noticed until later in life, can be a bit complicated. The inattention and impulsivity that characterize ADHD can have severe implications in many areas of an individual's life, such as relationships, career and health.
The Tests
It can be a challenge and confusing to get an ADHD diagnosis. It requires a lot of paperwork as well as interviews and tests. You can prepare by obtaining advice from trusted doctors family members, friends and relatives. You should also research the specialist and their professional credentials to ensure they are a good fit to your needs. It is essential to find a specialist that specializes 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 evaluation. The evaluator might ask you or your child questions to learn more about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how the symptoms affect you and whether they interfere with your schoolwork, work, or relationships. The evaluator could also employ rating scales to measure your ADHD symptoms. These are typically checklists in which you or someone you know is asked a series of questions. You may be asked if you are prone to forgetting appointments or how often you interrupt other people.
Many evaluators will also solicit people who know you and your child well to complete questionnaires about their observations of your behavior. For adults, this could include spouses and siblings for children. It might be teachers, coaches or even daycare workers. Personal insight can reveal information that is not feasible to collect through a questionnaire.
Some evaluators will also perform cognitive tests to determine whether intellectual or learning disabilities are contributing to your symptoms. They might also screen for mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder, incipient psychosis or substance abuse. They might even screen for underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and seizures.
Some evaluators may give you or your children an ADHD screening test to determine how you respond both to target and nontarget stimuli. For instance, the TOVA (Timed On-Only Visual Attention) is an FDA-cleared computerized test that assesses your ability to pay attention and recall the geometric shapes of a set of. The evaluator will examine how often you respond non-target stimuli and the time it takes you to respond to target stimuli. This can help evaluators determine which type of ADHD you are: impulsive or inattentive.
Follow-up
Multiple mental health professionals are able to diagnose ADHD and offer ADHD evaluations. This could be a psychologist or psychiatrist as well as neurotherapist or psychotherapist. The specialist will want to be aware of your concerns and how long the problems have been occurring. The specialist will also ask if there any family history of ADHD. adhd diagnosis adult is believed to be between 70 and 80 percent hereditary. Genetics play a significant influence on whether your child or you suffer from symptoms.
He will ask about how ADHD affects you or your child at home, school and at work. He will ask about your your child's behavior in various situations, as the signs of ADHD differ when they are present in different environments. To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your child will also be required to show at least six or more signs of hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning. It must last for at minimum six months.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the specialist must rule out other conditions out. This could include other psychiatric disorders, anxiety and mood disorders, intellectual disabilities and certain medical conditions that affect the brain, such as thyroid disorders. The doctor will also inquire about your child's or yourself's sleep habits and any injuries or accidents in the past that could have affected your child's or your brain's development.
He will also take into consideration whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are related to any other health conditions or medications that you or your child is taking. For example, stimulant medications used to treat ADHD may result in side effects like stomachaches and difficulty sleeping. These side effects could also be caused by other drugs like sleep medications, antidepressants and a few sleep aids.
Finally, the expert will be required to determine if a comorbidity present this means that you or your child is suffering from another illness that could cause symptoms of ADHD for example, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, or an eating disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will review all of the information and come up with a diagnosis.