Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It explains why people struggle with things like staying focused, following directions and being organized.
Ask your family doctor or therapist for a referral to an expert. Also be sure to check with your insurance to see if they cover ADHD evaluations for adults.
Diagnosis Process
For adults, a valid diagnosis will require an assessment by a psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse. These are the only healthcare providers who can determine the presence of ADHD among adults.
A typical initial evaluation will begin with a thorough interview about your life and symptoms. The healthcare professional will be looking to determine how long your symptoms have been present and how they impact your daily life. They may ask you to speak to a close family member or friend about your symptoms.
The process of evaluation will also include questions about your childhood. The current guidelines do allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without proving that the disorder existed in the early years of childhood. So, the healthcare professional will want to review your school records and speak to those who knew you as a child. They will also ask whether you've had any mental health issues, like depression or anxiety.
In some cases, the evaluator will recommend cognitive testing, such as IQ tests or assessments for memory or learning problems. They might also suggest other medical exams to rule out physical conditions that might be the cause of your symptoms, like thyroid disorders or seizure problems.
If your healthcare professional is certain that your symptoms are due to ADHD they might suggest additional diagnostic tests to confirm and determine the severity of the condition. These tests may include blood and urine tests, a medical examination as well as psychological or educational testing.
Tests are conducted to measure levels of certain chemicals that may be associated with ADHD in your body, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. They will also test your heart rate and blood pressure. They might also suggest a a spirometry test, which evaluates your lung capacity. They might also suggest that you undergo an examination of your brain to look for functional or structural issues. In certain instances the evaluator could suggest that you or your child be tested for other conditions that may have similar symptoms similar to ADHD such as depression and anxiety, or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are many ADHD quizzes and questions that you can use as a screening tool, before scheduling an appointment with your physician. These tests could alert you to the possibility that you suffer from ADHD however the clinical interview with your doctor is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
This process could take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours and includes time explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it might affect their symptoms. It could also include the clinician asking about a history of depression or substance abuse 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. In addition, the clinician will want to review school records and talk to teachers. If the patient is an older adult, they could also interview a spouse or family member. Personal insight can uncover facts that cannot be gleaned from questionnaires.
Some doctors rush through this step or insist on visiting a patient once rather than completing a complete evaluation. This could lead to a incorrect diagnosis. This is a red flag when the doctor is too rigid in their criteria to diagnose ADHD.
For adults, the evaluator might ask the patient to complete scores for each of the symptoms on an ADHD checklist and provide examples of how those symptoms have affected his or her life. The evaluator will then compare the scores with the checklist and assess the patient for ADHD.
It's often a relief for some adults to be given an ADHD diagnosis. However, the underlying emotions- such as guilt for failing to live up to expectations, or the grief that the disorder was not recognized until later in life -it can be a challenge. The inattention and impulsivity that are characteristic of ADHD can have severe implications throughout a person's life, including relationships, career, and health.
The Tests
The process of getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a difficult and complicated process. It involves a lot paperwork and interviews as well as tests. You can prepare by obtaining advice from trusted doctors family members, friends and relatives. Research the specialist's credentials and make sure they are a match for your needs. It is important to locate an expert who is specialized in ADHD diagnosis. This is to ensure you or your child gets an accurate assessment and the best possible treatment.
The first step of an ADHD assessment is an interview with the assessor. The evaluator will ask questions about your child or yourself to learn more about your symptoms. The evaluator would like to know how symptoms affect you and if they affect your school, work or your relationships. The evaluator might also employ rating scales to assess your ADHD symptoms. They usually comprise checklists that ask you or someone around you a series of questions. For instance, you could be asked if you frequently forget appointments, or you might be asked how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators will also request those who know you or your child well to complete questionnaires based on their observations of your behavior. Adults could be asked to fill out questionnaires by their spouses or siblings. Children might be asked to fill out questionnaires from coaches, teachers, daycare workers, or parents. Personal experience can reveal facts that cannot be gleaned from a questionnaire.
The evaluators can also conduct cognitive tests to determine if you have learning or mental disorders are contributing factors to your symptoms. They might also screen for mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder, incipient psychosis or substance abuse. They may even screen for underlying conditions such as hypothyroidism and seizure disorders.
Some evaluators will give you or your child an ADHD screening test that tests the way you react to target and non-target stimuli. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computer-based test that has been approved by the FDA that tests your ability to pay close attention and recall a variety of geometric shapes. The examiner will assess the frequency at which you respond to non-target stimuli, as well as how long it takes you to respond to the target stimuli. This will help the evaluators determine whether you have impulsive ADHD or inattentional ADHD.
Follow-up
Multiple mental health professionals are qualified to diagnose ADHD and offer ADHD evaluations. This can be a psychiatrist or psychologist, psychologist or neurologist. The doctor will ask you what your concerns are, and how long these problems have been occurring for. He will also ask about any family history of ADHD. It is believed that the disorder is 70%-80 percent inheritable and that genes play a significant role in determining if you or your child will suffer from symptoms.
He will inquire about how ADHD affects you or your child at school, home and at work. He will inquire about your your child's behavior across various situations, as the signs of ADHD differ when they occur in different environments. In addition, to qualify for an assessment of ADHD the parent or child must display at least six distinct signs of hyperactivity or inattention and an impulsiveness that hinder daily functioning for at least 6 months.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will need to rule other conditions out. adhd diagnosis in adult www.adhddiagnosis.top may 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 habits of sleep and any injuries or accidents that occurred in the past that could have impacted your child's or your own brain development.
The doctor will also consider whether the symptoms of ADHD in your children or yourself are related to any health conditions or medications that you or your child take. For instance, stimulant medications used to treat ADHD can result in side effects like stomachaches and trouble sleeping. These side effects can also be caused by other medications like antidepressants, sleep medications, and certain sleep aids.
Finally, the expert will need to determine if a comorbidity is present, which means that your child or you has another condition that can cause symptoms of ADHD like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or an eating disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will go through all the information and come up with an assessment.