ADHD Diagnosis
Adults can be more difficult to diagnose than children. A clinical interview with an ADHD expert is the first step to an accurate diagnosis.
Bring any medical or academic records with you to your appointment. You can bring questionnaires and rating scales to provide details on your symptoms.
Symptoms
A doctor will conduct a physical examination and interview you to determine if ADHD is present. dig this may inquire about a person's childhood and their family history and utilize checklists to note symptoms. The evaluator may also review the person's school and work records, and may also want to speak with teachers or others 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. These criteria include that the person has several symptoms that last for at least 6 months and that the symptoms manifest in more than one location -- such as at home, at work or school. The examiner will also look for other conditions that may cause similar symptoms, for example depression, anxiety or a thyroid condition.
In adults, the evaluator will assess how severe the symptoms are and how they impact the way that they work or interact with others. The evaluator might also ask the person how they feel about their symptoms and if they interfere with their daily functioning.
Many people with ADHD are unable to recall the exact date they began experiencing problems. For that reason, the specialist will usually interview someone who knows the person well like siblings or spouses for an adult, or a parent or teacher for a child. The examiner may utilize checklists for adults and for children there is a list of behavior to look out for.
Contrary to the previous guidelines for diagnosing An adult cannot be diagnosed with ADHD until the symptoms have been identified prior to the age of 12. This change is designed to prevent people with ADHD who were diagnosed as children being wrongly diagnosed as having other disorders, for example, depression and anxiety.
Medical Histories
If you suspect your child or yourself may have ADHD the first step is to speak with an expert who will conduct an exhaustive assessment. Consult your physician or an experienced local mental health expert for suggestions, or consult the phone book under "psychiatry" or "psychology." You can also contact a support group for adults with ADHD since many of them have worked with local experts who are able to provide referrals.
During the ADHD diagnostic evaluation, a healthcare professional will look over the patient's medical and family history. They will inquire about how the symptoms affect functioning in different environments, like at work, home or in relationships. It is essential to determine the severity of the symptoms, as the APA's guidelines for ADHD stipulate that the symptoms must cause significant impairment to be classified as ADHD.
The healthcare professional will interview the patient, but may also seek information from parents siblings, friends, and parents 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 be valuable sources of information.
The APA's Diagnostic Guidelines state that symptoms should be frequent and interfere with performance. This is important, as other conditions like mood disorders or learning disabilities could present in a similar way as ADHD (Austerman 2015). In addition, a medical exam may be performed to identify other possible causes of the symptoms, like thyroid problems, vision and hearing issues, or the use of certain medications like stimulants or sedatives.
Family History
In certain instances there is a history of ADHD within the family may be a major factor in making the diagnosis. It is a hereditary condition, and a careful examination of the patient's and his or her relatives histories can help determine the presence of a genetic pattern.
It is crucial that healthcare professionals get a complete picture about the symptoms of their patients, including whether or not they occur at work, in school, or social situations. A doctor should also be able to determine the degree of how symptoms impact the patient's daily activities. This is a more accurate test than simply looking at symptom counts or examining the patient's intelligence.
A doctor can interview teens or children, and also the parents. In many cases, a pediatrician psychiatrist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD. For adults, a thorough interview is required by a mental health specialist who has extensive knowledge of ADHD and is able to carefully evaluate each patient's presentation.
A comprehensive evaluation usually includes a physical exam, that can rule out certain health conditions that can cause similar symptoms to ADHD. A complete medical record is also taken. For children, this could include prior medical and school records as well as an evaluation of psychological health by a school counselor or psychologist. For adults the old school records can be helpful in determining whether symptoms began in childhood.
When diagnosing adults in particular, it is crucial to determine if the symptoms affect everyday functioning. A thorough psychiatric evaluation might be required, including scoring scales and questions asked by caregivers and patients, as well as an interview with a clinician and referral to medical examination. Adults can also undergo a neuropsychological or psychometric test to determine the connection between their symptoms and learning disorders.
Interviews
A provider will ask you or your child questions regarding their issues at school, home and in the community. The provider will also ask about the child's or yours's medical, family and personal history and will review any records that you might bring along including old school reports. This information will assist the doctor to determine if you or your child should take a test for diagnosing 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 home and school. The ratings should be given by people who know your child or yourself well, including teachers, coaches as well as Scouts, religious leaders and parents.
To be diagnosed with ADHD children and adults must have symptomatic behavior that is a source of distress and hinders daily functioning in multiple settings, such as at school, at work, or at play. Symptoms must begin in the early years of childhood, usually before age 12. They can't be caused by another mental health issue.
Psychometric and neuropsychological tests that measure IQ, brain function and cognitive functioning can improve the sensitivity and specificity of ADHD assessments. However, they should be utilized as part of an assessment process that includes a clinician interview and rating scales. These tests could include the use of a standardized questionnaire like the ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Adults (DIVA), or an adaptive test that is computerized that can measure the speed of response, short-term memory and executive functions. In the future digital technology like virtual reality and head movement sensors for continuous performance tests, may help improve ecological validity by giving people the opportunity to immerse in their natural surroundings instead of being in a clinic.
Tests
If your doctor or mental health professional suspects ADHD they may refer you to an ADHD specialist. A thorough assessment will consist of a thorough interview, information from other sources such as your spouse or significant others, and the standardized scales of behavior ratings for ADHD. Depending on the clinical impression, the evaluator may also request tests to check for other conditions that could influence your symptoms, like depression, learning disabilities, or a medical condition.
To conduct an exhaustive ADHD evaluation, the evaluator must determine if your symptoms have a significant impact on your life and performance. dig this can be in a variety settings such as your work, home or school, as well as social interactions. The evaluator should ask how your symptoms have impacted your life in each of these settings. This will help the evaluator make a diagnosis and develop treatment recommendations.
In addition to the symptom rating The complete assessment typically includes one or more standardized performance test for ADHD. These instruments for testing are based on research and compare the behavior of people with ADHD to those without it. assessment adhd improve on the limitations of a traditional clinical interview by focusing more on specific behaviors rather than an individual's overall functioning. These tests can also aid in identifying when the person is not being honest or attempting to cheat on the test this issue has been recognized for many years in the field of neuropsychological testing.
A thorough ADHD evaluation will include a brain scan or other neuroimaging procedures in addition to the typical test and symptom rating scales. However these tests aren't often used in a clinic setting due to the expense and expose patients to ionizing radiation.