5 Getting An ADHD Diagnosis Lessons Learned From The Pros
Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It is the reason why people struggle with issues such as staying focused in their work, following directions and remaining organized.
Ask your family doctor or therapist to refer you to an expert. Also be sure to contact your insurance provider to see if they cover ADHD evaluations for adults.
The Diagnosis Process
For adults, a correct diagnosis will require an evaluation by a psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse. These are the only healthcare professionals who are able to determine the presence of ADHD among adults.
A detailed interview about you and your symptoms is usually the first step in a preliminary assessment. The healthcare professional could also ask how long you've been suffering from symptoms and how they are affecting your life. They might also suggest that you talk to an immediate family member or friend about your symptoms.
The evaluation process will also include questions about your childhood. Since current guidelines don't allow a doctor to diagnose ADHD in adults without evidence of the disorder being present in childhood, the healthcare professional might want to review your school records or talk with teachers or other people who knew you as a kid. They will also discuss whether you have had any other mental health problems like depression or anxiety.
In some cases an evaluator could suggest cognitive tests, such as IQ testing or assessments for memory or learning problems. They may also suggest that you take other kinds of medical tests to rule out any physical issues that may cause your symptoms.
If your healthcare provider is convinced that your symptoms are due to ADHD They may suggest additional diagnostic tests to verify and determine the severity of the problem. These tests may include urine and blood tests, a medical examination and, possibly, psychological or educational testing.
Tests are conducted to determine the concentrations of certain chemicals that may be associated with ADHD in your body, like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. They will also test your heart rate and blood pressure. You may also be offered the spirometry test to determine your lung capacity. They may also suggest an imaging scan of your brain to check for any functional or structural problems. In some instances the evaluator might suggest that you or your child be tested for other disorders that exhibit similar symptoms similar to ADHD such as anxiety and depression, or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are a variety of ADHD quizzes and questions that you can use as a screening tool before making an appointment with your doctor. These tests can be helpful in identifying the possibility of ADHD However, the only way to make an accurate diagnosis is to consult an experienced medical professional who conducts a thorough interview and isn't rushed into prescribing medications.
The process can take between 2 to 3 hours. It includes explaining to the patient about ADHD and its possible effects on their symptoms. It could also include the clinician asking about a past history of depression or substance abuse, as those problems may co-exist 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. Additionally, the doctor will be required to review the school records and speak with teachers. If the patient is an adult spouse or family members could also be interviewed. Personal insight can uncover details that aren't possible to obtain from questionnaires.
adhd diagnosis adult uk are rushed and skip this step, or they might insist on seeing a patient only once, rather than conducting an extensive assessment. This can lead to a doctor making a wrong diagnosis. This is a red-flag if the clinician is too rigid about the criteria for diagnosing ADHD.
For adults, the evaluator could request the patient to fill out ratings for each symptom on an ADHD checklist and provide examples of how those symptoms have affected the patient's life. The evaluator will then compare the ratings with the checklist and assess the patient for ADHD.
It's a great feeling for some adults to finally get an ADHD diagnosis. However, the emotions that accompany it -such as guilt over not living up to expectations, or the grief that the disorder wasn't noticed until later in lifeare often complicated. The inattention and impulsivity that characterize ADHD can have serious implications throughout an individual's life, such as relationships, work, and health.
The Tests
It can be a challenge and confusing to receive an ADHD diagnosis. It requires lots of paperwork as well as tests, interviews and other forms of testing. The best method to prepare is to seek recommendations from friends, family and doctors you trust. Research the specialist's credentials and make sure that they are a match for your needs. It is essential to find a specialist who is specialized in diagnosing ADHD. This is to ensure you or your child gets an accurate assessment and the best treatment possible.
An interview with the evaluater is the initial step in an ADHD assessment. The evaluator might ask you or your child questions to learn more about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how the symptoms impact your daily life and if they impact school, work or relationships. The evaluator might also employ rating scales that measure your ADHD symptoms. These are typically checklists in which you or someone you know is asked a set of questions. For instance, you could be asked if it is common to miss appointments, or be asked how often you interrupt other people.
Many evaluators also request people who know you or 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, nannies or daycare workers. Personal insight can provide information that isn't feasible to collect from a questionnaire.
Some evaluators may also perform cognitive tests to determine if learning or mental disorders contribute to your symptoms. They may also test for mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder or depression and incipient psychosis, or substance abuse. They might even screen for underlying medical conditions like hypothyroidism or seizure disorders.
Some evaluators may give you or your children an ADHD screening test to measure the way you react to stimuli that are targeted and non-target. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computer-based test cleared by the FDA that evaluates your capacity 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, and the length of time it takes you to react to the stimulus you want to respond. This will help the evaluators determine whether you have an impulsive ADHD or inattentional ADHD.
The Follow-Up
Multiple mental health professionals are able to diagnose ADHD and offer ADHD evaluations. It could be a psychologist or psychiatrist or a psychotherapist or neurologist. The specialist will want know the cause of your concern and how long they have been recurring for. The doctor will also inquire about any family history of ADHD. It is believed that the disorder is about 70% to 80% heritable and that genes play a significant role in whether you or your child will have symptoms.
The expert will be interested in how your or your child's ADHD affects your daily life at home, work and at school. He will ask about your your child's behavior across various settings, because the symptoms of ADHD differ when they are present in different environments. To be diagnosed with ADHD either you or your child require at least six symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity that affects the daily activities. This must last at minimum for six months.
To aid the doctor in making an accurate diagnosis, he must rule out other conditions. These may include psychiatric disorders that are not listed including mood and anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities, and medical conditions that affect the brain, like thyroid disorders. In addition, the doctor will inquire about your child's sleep patterns and any previous accidents or injuries that may have affected the development of your child's brain.
He will also look into whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are linked to any other health condition or medications you or your child is taking. For instance, stimulant medications used to treat ADHD can cause side effects such as stomachaches and difficulty sleeping. Other drugs, such as antidepressants and some sleep medicines, can also have these adverse effects.
The expert will also need to determine whether there is a comorbidity. This means that you or your child could be suffering from another illness that could cause symptoms of ADHD. This could be bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorder. The psychiatrist or psychologist will go through all the data and come up with the diagnosis.