ADHD Assessment - How to Get an Accurate Diagnosis
Doctors often begin the screening process for adults with a clinical assessment and a standardized rating scale. They also utilize broad-spectrum questions to check for comorbid disorders, like mood disorders and learning disabilities.
The doctor may interview family members, spouses, siblings and other family members to gain additional information about the symptoms. Monitoring the patient and getting information from school staff and teachers is also important.
Signs and symptoms
ADHD symptoms are often difficult for people to identify. It's important to describe how the symptoms affect your daily routine when you see your primary medical doctor. A physical exam is performed to rule out other medical reasons for the symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or seizure disorders. The doctor will look over your family and personal medical history. A thorough mental health assessment will be conducted as well.
A trained specialist who has been experienced in the diagnosis of ADHD will use standard ADHD symptom checklists and questionnaires to get an overall picture of the individual's behavior. The specialist will interview the person as well as their parents or spouse and any other significant people in their life like teachers. They will ask questions about the past symptoms and their severity, and how they impact the individual's life.
A specialist will also look at any other diagnoses that the patient might have, and the symptoms that are often associated with ADHD such as depression and anxiety. The provider will also look at the present situation of the individual and the factors that are causing most issues at home, at school or at work.
The specialist will then use the information gathered from diverse sources to make an accurate diagnosis. They will determine if the person has the characteristics of ADHD and if the symptoms are mild, moderate or severe. The most current diagnostic manual recommends that doctors document the way that symptoms affect a person in different environments and the reasons for the impairment.
The person being tested for ADHD will undergo an extensive medical exam that includes an eye and hearing test. They will be asked to provide an exhaustive list of their symptoms and how they have affected their life over time. They will usually be interviewed by a psychologist or psychiatrist and for children, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician. They will be asked questions regarding their medical history, their social background, family relationships and driving history, employment, and any drug or alcoholic abuse they may have experienced. The evaluation will look over any documents that the person brought to the appointment, like old school records or performance reports and work reports.
Diagnosis
It's important that you get an accurate diagnosis if you suspect you may have ADHD. This could be a child, parent or even an adult. To receive the most accurate diagnosis, you must seek an expert in mental health. Find a therapist within your area who is skilled in treating ADHD. You can find one using our Therapist Locator tool. You might also want to contact your insurance provider and ask for suggestions from those who have received treatment for ADHD.
The method of evaluating whether someone has ADHD varies from practitioner to practitioner and a competent clinician will take the time necessary to get a thorough description of the symptoms and how they impact the person's life. The clinical interview includes a discussion of the person's family and personal history, as well as a review of any medical issues that could have contributed to their current problems.
It is important that the person being evaluated speaks openly and honestly to the doctor. Many people are afraid of revealing that they have difficulty focusing on their work for fear of being considered a failure. Hidden secrets can lead to incorrect diagnosis, or a condition that interferes with the ability of a person.
The diagnostician may also ask about the child's performance in schools and in other social situations for a period of six months. To be diagnosed with ADHD the child's symptoms must manifest in more than one setting and cause significant dysfunction. They must have been present before the age of 12 years old.
For adults, diagnosing ADHD is more difficult because the DSM-5 symptom guide was developed primarily for diagnosing children. The diagnosis of adult ADHD requires a specialist to conduct a thorough and carefully-planned clinical interview.
Certain doctors use computerized tests to check for problems with attention or impulsivity, and some may even perform brain scans. They aren't required to diagnose a problem, but they can be useful in determining the type of ADHD and whether there are any co-occurring disorders that require treatment, as well.
Treatment
There are medications that can help adults and children with ADHD manage symptoms. link can help them improve their ability to focus, pay attention, and complete tasks. They can also reduce impulsiveness and risky behavior. Parents should collaborate closely with their child's health doctor to determine if medications are right for their family.
Some people who suffer from ADHD have found that they do better at the classroom or at work by taking medications or receive therapy. Some people with ADHD may also experience less problems at home and in their relationships. It is imperative that those suffering from ADHD seek treatment as soon as possible. Untreated ADHD can cause issues in the life of a person that might not be obvious initially, like difficulties in keeping a job, financial difficulties or marital problems.
ADHD can be treated in many ways, including with behavioral therapy as well as education, counseling, special teaching methods at school and parent-training programs. Families can help by changing their behavior and expectations for their child. Some families may want to include their child's teacher in these discussions, too. Teachers are usually aware of the problems raised by ADHD but are unable to diagnose or prescribe medication for students.
It is essential for health care providers to understand that both boys and girls are equally likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and that the disorder does not affect only children assigned male at birth (AMAB). They should be cautious about using outdated stereotypes to evaluate their patients.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision of the American Psychiatric Association must be used by health care providers to evaluate ADHD. These guidelines outline the criteria for diagnosing ADHD. A diagnosis should be determined by the description of symptoms provided by the patient, information gathered from sources outside of the patient's family, such as relatives and teachers, completion of various rating scales by the patient and other psychometric tests. To be diagnosed with ADHD, symptoms must also be present before 12 years old and cause problems in multiple settings.
Prevention
At some point, all children have trouble paying attention, controlling their impulsive behavior (acting without thinking) and being active. These problems can be signs of ADHD if they persist and are too severe to cause issues at home, school or with family members.
Children's ability to be attentive, calm down, and manage their actions develop little by little as they grow older. Some people, however, never improve their skills. This could be due to a chemical imbalance within the frontal lobe, which controls planning, attention and self-control. It's possible that their parents or teachers may have an impact on how they develop or not.
A doctor will diagnose ADHD in light of the results of a medical exam, which includes hearing and sight tests, and also a background from teachers and parents. The pediatrician will also ask about the child's behavior in two or more situations, such as school and with children of the same age. It is important for a doctor to know how a child behaves in various situations since other mental health issues like anxiety, depression or sleep disorders, may exhibit similar symptoms.
For someone to be diagnosed with ADHD, they must have 6 or more of the 9 symptoms of the inattentive type or 6 or more of the hyperactive/impulsive type. The symptoms must last at minimum 6 months and be present in more than 1 setting which includes work, school or playing.
The most popular treatment is medication. However, cognitive therapy and behavioral training approaches can also be helpful. These therapies teach people suffering from ADHD better study and organizational abilities, and help them learn how to manage their frustrations, and offer exercises that improve their ability to focus.
People with ADHD face more challenges in the adolescent and adulthood stages than other however, these challenges can be overcome through early diagnosis and treatment. Maintaining a strong family relationship can help everyone cope with the challenges associated with ADHD. It is essential to inform people about ADHD and correct misconceptions, particularly since many of the negative behavior associated with the disorder is caused by misperceptions.