Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with an ADHD diagnosis can be a life changing experience. It explains why some individuals struggle to stay focused, following directions or staying focused.
Ask your family doctor or therapist for a referral to a specialist. Also be sure to contact your insurance provider to see if they will cover ADHD evaluations for adults.
Diagnosis Process
For adults, a valid diagnosis will require an assessment by a psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse. They are the only healthcare providers who are able to identify ADHD among adults.
A thorough interview with your health and symptoms is usually the first step in a preliminary assessment. The healthcare professional will also be looking to determine how long it has been a problem and how they affect your daily life. They may also ask to speak to an immediate family member or friend about your symptoms.
The evaluation process will also include questions regarding your childhood. Current guidelines allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without proving that the disorder existed in the early years of childhood. So the healthcare professional will need to examine your school records and talk to people who knew you when you were a child. They will also discuss whether you have had any other mental health problems like depression or anxiety.
In certain instances, an evaluator may recommend cognitive tests, like IQ tests or tests for learning or memory issues. They may also recommend that you undergo other types of medical tests to rule out physical ailments that could be causing your symptoms.
If a healthcare professional is confident that your symptoms are related to ADHD They will suggest further diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine its severity. These tests could include blood and urine testing, a medical exam, and possibly educational or psychological testing.
Tests will be used to determine the levels of specific chemicals that could be linked with ADHD in your body, such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. They will also test your blood pressure and heart rate. You may also be offered the spirometry test to determine your lung capacity. They may also suggest an imaging scan of the brain to check for any functional or structural problems. In some cases the evaluator could recommend that you or your child be examined 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 tests and quizzes that you can use as a screening tool before making an appointment with your doctor. These tests can alert you to the possibility that you may have ADHD however a doctor's clinical interview is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
The process can take between 2 and 3 hours. It involves explaining to the patient the concept of ADHD and the possible effects on their symptoms. The doctor may also inquire about a history or addiction to drugs or depression 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. Additionally, the doctor will need to look over the school records and speak with teachers. If the patient is an older adult, they might also interview a spouse or family member. Personal experience can reveal information that can't be gleaned from questionnaires.
Some doctors rush through this step or insist on only seeing a patient one time instead of completing a full assessment. This could lead to a misdiagnosis. If a doctor is too fundamentalist about the criteria for diagnosing ADHD and insists that a patient must display six or more symptoms to be diagnosed it's an indication of trouble.
The evaluator may ask adults to rate each symptom on an ADHD checklist and then provide examples of how these symptoms have affected their lives. The evaluator will then compare the ratings with the checklist and determine if they are a good indicator the severity of ADHD.
For some adults, it could be a great relief to be diagnosed with ADHD. But the underlying emotions -like guilt for not meeting expectations, or grief that the disorder was not noticed until later in life -are often complicated. ADHD is defined by impulsivity and lack of attention. These traits can have grave consequences in a variety of areas such as relationships, careers, and health.
The Tests
It can be a challenge and confusing to get an ADHD diagnosis. It involves lots of paperwork, interviews and tests. The best method to prepare is to ask for suggestions from family members, friends and doctors you are confident with. Examine the credentials of the doctor and make sure they're a good match for your needs. It is essential to find a specialist who is specialized in diagnosing ADHD. This will ensure that you or your child receives an accurate diagnosis and the best treatment.
The initial step of an ADHD assessment is an interview with the assessor. The evaluator may ask you or your child questions to find out more about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how the symptoms impact your daily life and whether they affect school, work or relationships. The evaluator may also use rating scales to assess your ADHD symptoms. They usually consist of checklists that ask you or someone who is close to you to answer a series of questions. For instance, you might be asked if you frequently forget appointments, or be asked how often you interrupt other people.
Many evaluators also request people who know you or your child to fill out questionnaires about what they have observed. For adults, this could be spouses or siblings; for children, it could be coaches, teachers or even daycare workers. Personal insights can provide information that isn't possible to obtain from a survey.
Certain evaluators might also conduct cognitive tests to determine if you have learning or mental disabilities 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 disorders like seizure disorders and hypothyroidism.
Some evaluators may give you or your children an ADHD screening test to gauge the way you react to stimuli that are targeted and non-target. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computerized test that has been approved by the FDA that measures your ability to pay attention to detail and recall a variety of geometric shapes. The examiner will assess how often you respond to non-target stimuli, and the length of time it takes you to respond to the stimulus you want to respond. diagnose adhd can help evaluators to determine if you suffer from an impulsive ADHD or inattentive ADHD.
The Follow-Up
Multiple mental health professionals are qualified to diagnose ADHD and provide ADHD evaluations. This could be a psychologist or psychiatrist as well as neurotherapist or psychotherapist. The doctor will ask you what your concerns are and how long these problems have been affecting you for. He will also ask if there any family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be between 70 and 80% heritable. Genes play a major influence on whether your child or you be affected.
The expert will be interested in how your your child's ADHD affects your daily life at home, work, and at school. He will inquire about your your child's behavior in different situations, as the signs of ADHD are different when they are present in different situations. To be diagnosed with ADHD either you or your child require six or more symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity that interferes with everyday functioning. It must last for at minimum six months.
To aid the doctor in making an accurate diagnosis, they must rule out any other conditions. This could include psychiatric conditions that are not listed above, mood and anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities, and certain medical disorders that affect the brain, such as thyroid disorders. Additionally, the doctor will inquire about your child's sleeping patterns and any accidents or injuries that may have affected the development of your or your child's brain.
He will also take into consideration whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are linked to any other health issues or medications you or your child are taking. The side effects of stimulant medication like those used to treat ADHD, can include stomachaches as well as difficulty sleeping. These side effects could also be caused by other medications, including sleep medications, antidepressants and certain sleep aids.
The specialist will also need to determine if there's a comorbidity, which means you or your child could be suffering from another illness that could cause symptoms of ADHD. This can include bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety disorder. The psychiatrist or psychologist will examine all of the information and come up with a diagnosis.