ADHD Diagnosis
Finding out if you have ADHD in adults can be more difficult than diagnosing ADHD in children. A clinical interview with an ADHD expert is the first step towards an accurate diagnosis.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. It's also helpful to bring rating scales and interview transcripts that provide information about your health issues.
Signs and symptoms
A doctor will conduct a physical exam and interview you to determine if ADHD is present. The evaluator may inquire about a person's childhood and their family history and use checklists to record symptoms. The evaluator may also look over documents from the workplace and school, and may also want to speak with teachers or other individuals 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 is that the person has several symptoms that last for at least 6 months, and that the symptoms occur in more than one setting -- such as at home, work or school. The evaluator will also look for other ailments that could trigger similar symptoms, for example depression, anxiety or a thyroid problem.
In adults the evaluator will determine how severe the symptoms are and how they impact the way that they work or interact with others. The evaluator will also ask how the person feels about his or her symptoms and how much they impact daily life.
Many people with ADHD are unable to remember when their problems began. This is why a specialist will usually interview someone who is familiar with the person for example, an adult sibling or spouse for an adult or parents or teachers for children. The evaluator might utilize checklists for adults and for children there is a list of behavior to be on the lookout for.
In contrast to the past, current diagnostic guidelines stipulate that an adult cannot be diagnosed with ADHD unless symptoms were present before age 12. This change is intended to avoid people suffering from ADHD who were diagnosed as children from being wrongly diagnosed as having other disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
Medical Histories
If you suspect that your or your child has ADHD the first step is to find an expert who can perform an exhaustive evaluation. Ask your doctor or a mental health professional in your area for recommendations or look up the phone book by "psychiatry" and "psychology." You can also join an adult ADHD support group, since many of them have worked with local specialists who could provide recommendations.
A healthcare professional will review the person's medical history as well as background information regarding the family during the ADHD diagnostic evaluation. how much is an adhd assessment will ask what the symptoms hinder functioning in various settings, such as at home, at work, or with relationships. It is essential to determine the severity of the symptoms since the APA's guidelines for ADHD stipulate that the symptoms must cause significant impairment to be classified as ADHD.
The healthcare professional will typically interview the patient, however, they might also request to talk to parents, siblings, and other family members who are familiar with him. Some healthcare professionals will ask people to fill out questionnaires or rating scales, including ADHD symptoms checklists as well as standardized behavior ratings. Teachers and other caregivers can also be valuable sources of information.
It is essential to evaluate the extent to which the individual's symptoms interfere with functioning in different situations, since the APA's diagnostic guidelines stipulate that symptoms have to occur frequently and affect performance. This is important because other disorders, such as mood disorders and learning disabilities, may present similar to ADHD (Austerman, 2015). A medical exam may also be conducted to determine if there are any other possible causes for the symptoms. These include thyroid problems, vision or hearing issues, or medication such as stimulants and sedatives.
Family History
In some cases there is an ancestor's history of ADHD is a key aspect in obtaining an diagnosis. It is highly inherited and a look at the patient and their relatives' histories will help determine if there is any family-related pattern.
It is crucial for healthcare professionals to get a complete picture of the symptoms a patient is experiencing, regardless of whether they occur at work, school or in social settings. A healthcare professional must also consider the degree to which the patient's symptoms affect their daily functioning. This is a more accurate method than simply examining the number of symptoms or looking at a patient's IQ.
For teens and children, a doctor may interview the teen or child and their parents. In many instances, a pediatrician or psychiatrist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD. A mental health specialist who has extensive experience in ADHD is required to conduct an in-depth interview for adults.
A thorough evaluation typically includes a physical examination, which can rule out specific medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms to ADHD. A complete medical history is also obtained. For children, this can include previous medical and school records, as well as a psychological evaluation by a school counselor or psychologist. For adults, old school records can be helpful in determining if symptoms started in the early years of life.
When diagnosing adults, it is especially important to determine if the symptoms impact everyday functioning. A thorough psychiatric examination may also be necessary with regard to questionnaires and rating scales for the patient and their caregivers, a medical interview and referral for a medical exam. Adults may also undergo a psychometric or neuropsychological assessment to determine the relationship between their symptoms and learning disorders.
Interviews
A healthcare professional will ask you or your child questions regarding their problems at school, home and in the community. The provider will inquire about your or child's medical personal, family, and medical history, and will also review any documents you might bring, such as old school report cards. This information will help the doctor 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 typically conducted over the course of six months which includes both home and school. The rating must be performed by those who are familiar with your your child's behaviors like teachers, religious and Scout leaders, coaches, and parents.
Adults and children who are diagnosed with ADHD have symptoms that are debilitating, and interfere with daily functioning whether at work, school or playing. The signs must be evident in the early years of childhood, typically before age 12. They cannot be caused by any other mental health condition.
The sensitivity and accuracy of ADHD assessments can be enhanced by using psychometric and neuropsychological tests that measure IQ and cognitive functioning. They should be used in conjunction with a physician's assessment and rating scales as part of a comprehensive assessment plan. These tests could include the administration of a standardized questionnaire like the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA) or an adaptive test that is computerized that allows for measurement of responses speed, short-term memory and executive functions. In the future, digital technology such as virtual reality for continuous performance tests and head movement sensors may aid in improving the ecological validity of these ADHD assessment tools by permitting the person being evaluated to be in their environment instead of sitting in the clinical office.
Tests
If your physician or mental health professional suspects ADHD, he or she may refer you to an ADHD specialist. A thorough assessment should include an extensive interview, data from independent sources such as your spouse or significant others, and standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD. The evaluator will conduct tests in accordance with the clinical impression and will screen for any conditions that might affect your symptoms. This includes depression, learning disabilities, or a medical condition.
A thorough ADHD evaluation is required by the evaluator to determine whether your symptoms are significantly affecting your life and functioning. The impairment can occur in a variety of settings such as at home, at work, in school, or with your social relationships. The evaluator should ask how your symptoms have impacted you in each situation. This will allow the evaluator to establish a diagnosis, and develop treatment recommendations.
A comprehensive assessment will comprise in addition to rating of symptoms and standard performance tests for ADHD. These tests are based on research comparing the behavior of people suffering from ADHD to those who do not. These instruments can help overcome the limitations of a standard clinical interview since they focus more on specific behaviors rather than an individual's overall functioning. These measures can also aid in identifying when an individual is lying or trying to cheat the test which 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 and symptom rating scales, a thorough ADHD evaluation should include brain scans and other imaging techniques for the brain. However these tests aren't commonly used in a clinical setting due to the expense and expose the patient to ionizing radiation.