ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
The first step to managing symptoms is to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Find a licensed mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, or family physician) who is specialized in ADHD evaluations and diagnoses.
The specialist will conduct an interview designed to look at your past. They may want to see old reports and speak with parents, relatives or even friends about childhood behaviors.
Signs and symptoms
Children and adults who have symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have trouble with paying close attention, listening attentively and following directions--things that come naturally to others. These symptoms can cause issues with learning and relationships at school, at home and work. If you or your child exhibit these symptoms, talk to a GP. They aren't able to officially diagnose ADHD however, they can discuss your concerns with you and refer you to specialist services, if needed.
A GP can help you determine if your symptoms are related to ADHD by asking questions, looking over your medical and health records, and performing an examination. You can also mention the history of your family's ADHD to aid in determining the cause. The GP will then recommend you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to conduct a psychiatric examination. The evaluation could include a description and scales of your symptoms, completed by you and your family members, as well as physical examination, lab tests and a psychiatric exam.
Psychiatrists and psychology can diagnose ADHD among adolescents and children using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association. They look for hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity patterns that last for six months or longer, and evaluate whether these symptoms impact your daily life, at home, at work, and in school.
Adults can be diagnosed with ADHD in the same way but their symptoms tend to manifest differently as they get older. They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or a combination of both.
If your adult symptoms are in line with the requirements for diagnosis, you could be treated with medication. Adults suffering from ADHD are usually prescribed psychostimulants to affect neurotransmitters. These drugs improve concentration and focus, as well as increasing energy and alertness. They are available as extended-release versions to reduce the risk of adverse effects. Adults who suffer from inattention ADHD may be treated with antidepressants. These medications, including Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine), affect neurotransmitters in the brain to improve focus and mood.
Diagnosis
Finding out if you have ADHD is the first step in controlling the symptoms that could be affecting your life both personally and professionally. A psychiatric evaluation can be conducted by an accredited mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist, neurologist, family doctor, or any other kind of medical specialist). To receive treatment for ADHD or other disorders, a person who has a symptom based diagnosis (such as ADHD) must follow certain guidelines set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association.
During an ADHD evaluation Your healthcare provider will ask questions about your child's behavior at the home, school and social settings. Your child's medical history and development history, as well as the family history will be reviewed. They will then compare your child's behavior to the behavior of other children of similar age. They may use standardized rating scales to measure the frequency of certain behavioral problems such as difficulty in paying attention, forgetting things or interrupting other children.
There are three presentations of ADHD - predominately inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined. To be diagnosed with ADHD, your child must meet six of the nine symptoms that fall under either the inattentive or the hyperactive-impulsive categories. They must be present in at least two environments that cause your child to function poorly and last for at least six months.
If your child is not able to meet all the criteria for a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD the healthcare professional will assign them unspecified ADHD. They might also decide that your child does not have a hyperactive-impulsive presentation of the condition and not give them an official ADHD diagnosis.
A comprehensive psychiatric assessment could include tests for psychological and cognitive abilities that are computer-based, as well as neuropsychological and psychological testing. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination and check your child's heart rate to rule out medical issues like thyroid disorders and head injuries that may be a cause of ADHD symptoms. They can also ask teachers and caregivers for a detailed history of your child's development and conduct a thorough interview with your child and family. They'll also be looking into whether there is a history of ADHD in the family, as it is highly heritable.
Treatment
If someone has been diagnosed with ADHD, he or she may need medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy can include family and individual counseling as in addition to group therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). The first step to get treatment is to find an specialist in diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. Start by contacting your insurer or asking the local mental health support group, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD for names of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. Some doctors use computer programs, like continuous tests of performance, to test for attention and impulsivity problems. Some doctors also use brain scans like single photon emission computed Tomography (SPECT) to look for abnormalities. However, experts agree that the most important element of an evaluation is a patient-patient interview.
During the interview, the doctor will review the symptoms that led to the appointment. The clinician will also request details from someone who knows the patient very well like siblings, spouses or a parent. The clinician will also talk to teachers, coaches, nannies and other professionals who spend much time with the patient. This is a thorough process and can take an hour or more. The clinician will complete a report, and discuss the results with the patient.
It is important to remember that a diagnosis of ADHD will be based on the extent to which the symptoms impact the individual's daily activities. This means that the patient's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two major settings, such as home and work. The impairment must have been present for at least six months to be considered an appropriate diagnosis of ADHD.
During the interview, the doctor will go over the patient's medical and psychiatric history more info and determine whether or not the patient is in compliance with the diagnostic criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5). A valid diagnosis of ADHD requires at least three of the following five symptoms that include difficulty paying attention to specifics, making erroneous mistakes or omissions, difficulty staying focused on other tasks or activities, and trouble listening to someone when they speak.
The following is a list of preventions.
People with inattentional ADHD are often not diagnosed. They aren't as disruptive or impulsive as people with hyperactive ADHD and are often ignored. The issues they face can have severe consequences. They might not do well at school, have conflicts with their classmates or struggle to hold jobs. They require treatment, too.
The term ADD is still used infrequently however the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines the condition as an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The new definition is based on the fact that children can suffer from inattentive symptoms alone.
There are differences in the manner in which the disorder is exhibited by girls and boys. Girls and children assigned female at birth (AFAB) tend to show more inattentive symptoms, which are less noticeable, than the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. This makes it more likely that they will go undiagnosed and receive less treatment.
A reliable diagnosis requires a thorough examination by a health professional. That includes the clinical interview, medical history review and physical examination. It is a process of examining reports from teachers, parents or other adults with a good knowledge of the individual, and normative rating scales completed both by family members and teachers. These are helpful in determining if the symptoms are present to a degree that they affect the way you function.
It is crucial to conduct a thorough examination in order to determine whether the symptoms are due to another medical or psychiatric condition like anxiety or depression. In some cases the treatment of these other disorders can aid in reducing or eliminating the ADHD symptoms.
People who are who have been diagnosed with the disorder should be aware of potential adverse effects and treatments. They should also stay in contact with their physician to make sure that the medication is functioning exactly as it should.
Stimulant medications are the most commonly used treatment of inattention ADHD. They can help improve concentration and decrease the impulsive behavior. Other treatments, like cognitive behavioral therapy and parent training, can be very efficient for both adults and children with this condition as well. Patients who are prescribed ADHD medications are advised to schedule regular checks with their health professionals since some patients may require adjustments to dosages or other treatment options.