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ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
Finding an accurate diagnosis is the first step in understanding and addressing symptoms. Find a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists or neurologists, family doctors) who is experienced in ADHD evaluations.
The expert will conduct an interview structured to review your past. They might want to look at old report cards and speak with teachers, relatives or friends about your childhood habits.
Symptoms
Children and adults who have symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have trouble with paying close attention, listening attentively and following directions--things that come naturally to others. These symptoms can also cause problems with learning and relationships at home, school and at work. If you or your child exhibit these symptoms, consult an GP. They aren't able to officially diagnose ADHD but they can discuss your concerns with you and refer you to specialist services, if needed.
A GP will be able to determine if you suffer from ADHD symptoms by asking questions, reviewing medical records and your health history, and conducting a physical exam. You can also provide the background of ADHD in your family to help with diagnosis. The GP will then refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to conduct a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation may include a description of your symptoms as well as questionnaires and scales filled out by your caregivers, you and teachers, a psychiatric history and physical examination and laboratory tests.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose ADHD in adolescents and children with the help of established guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. They will look for patterns of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that lasts for at least six months, and evaluating whether these symptoms are affecting your daily routine at home, work and school.
Adults may be diagnosed with ADHD in the same manner but their symptoms tend to manifest differently as they age. They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or a combination of both.
If you meet the criteria for diagnosis and your symptoms are adult-specific You may be prescribed medication. Psychostimulants, which affect neurotransmitters in the brain, are often prescribed to treat ADHD in adults. These medications help improve concentration and focus, as well as increasing alertness and energy. These medications may be given in extended-release versions to reduce the effects of side effects. Antidepressants can be employed to treat the inattention symptoms of ADHD in adults. These medications, such as Wellbutrin and Effexor, affect neurotransmitters and can improve mood and concentration.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can assist you in taking control of symptoms which may affect your personal and professional life. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologist or family doctors) can conduct a psychiatric assessment. To receive treatment for ADHD, a person with an underlying symptom-based diagnosis (such as ADHD) must meet certain criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association.
During an ADHD evaluation your healthcare provider will inquire about your child's behavior at home, school and social environments. The medical history of your child and development history, as well as the family history will be studied. Then, they will evaluate your child's behavior to the behavior of other children their age. They could use standardized rating scales that measure the frequency of certain behaviors, like difficulty paying attention, forgetting things or interrupting other children.
There are three presentations of ADHD - predominately inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined. To be diagnosed with ADHD, your child must meet six of the nine symptoms that fall under either the inattentive or the hyperactive-impulsive categories. They must occur in two or more settings, affect your child's functioning and cause disruption, and have been present for at least six months.
If your child does not meet all of the criteria needed to be diagnosed of inattentive ADHD the healthcare professional will assign them unspecified ADHD. They might also decide that your child does not have a hyperactive-impulsive presentation of the condition and not give them an official ADHD diagnosis.
A complete psychiatric examination could include tests for psychological and cognitive abilities that are computer-based and psychological and neuropsychological tests. Your healthcare provider will also examine your child's blood pressure and complete a physical exam to identify any medical issues that may be related to ADHD symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman, 2015). They may also request an extensive history of the problem from parents and teachers and perform a thorough interview with your child as well as family members. They will also consider whether there is an ancestral history of ADHD since ADHD is highly hereditary.
Treatment
If a person has been diagnosed as having ADHD the person may require treatment or medication for their behavior. Behavioral therapy may include individual and family counseling as in addition to group therapies, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). To begin treatment, you need to locate a specialist who is skilled in ADHD diagnosis and is covered by insurance. You can begin by contacting your insurer or asking your local mental health support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD, for names of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. Certain doctors utilize computer programs, like continuous tests for performance, to look for attention and impulsivity problems. Others use brain scans, such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to search for any abnormalities. Experts agree that the patient's interview is the most important element of an assessment.
During the interview, the therapist will review the symptoms that led up to the appointment. The doctor might also seek out anyone who is familiar with the patient, such as their spouse, parent, or sibling for information. The clinician will also interview teachers, coaches, nannies and other adults who spend a lot of time with the patient. This is a thorough procedure that can take an hour or more. The clinician will prepare the report, and then discuss the results with the patient.
It is essential to remember that a diagnosis of ADHD will depend on the degree to which the symptoms impact the individual's daily activities. This means that symptoms must be significantly affecting two main settings, such as at work and at home. The impairment must be present for at least six months to be considered an appropriate diagnosis of ADHD.
During the interview, the doctor will discuss with the patient their medical and psychiatric histories and determine if they are in compliance with the diagnostic criteria laid out by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision DSM-5. adhd diagnosis in adult of ADHD requires at minimum three of the following five symptoms: difficulty paying attention to details, making careless errors or omissions, difficulty staying focused on other tasks or activities, and difficulty listening to someone's voice when they speak.
Prevention
Most people with inattentional ADHD symptoms aren't identified. They're not as disruptive as hyperactive or impulsive forms of ADHD and can be easily ignored. However, their problems can have consequences: they may underperform at school, clash with classmates or struggle to find a job. These people must be treated too.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official term used to describe the condition. The term ADD can be used from time to time, but it is not the most popular. The newer designation takes into account the fact that children could suffer from inattentive symptoms alone.
While many of the symptoms are present in all instances, there are differences in how the disorder manifests itself between girls and boys. Girls and children assigned female at birth (AFAB) tend to show more inattentive symptoms, which are less noticeable, than the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. This increases the likelihood that they go undiagnosed and receive less treatment.
A thorough examination by a healthcare professional is required to establish an accurate diagnosis. That includes a clinical interview, medical history review, and a physical examination. It is a process of examining reports from teachers, parents or other adults with a good understanding of the individual and normative rating scales completed both by loved ones as well as teachers. These can be helpful in determining if the symptoms are present in a way that impacts the functioning.
A thorough evaluation is important to determine if the symptoms are caused by a different medical or mental illness, such as anxiety or depression. In some instances the treatment of these other disorders will help relieve or eliminate the ADHD symptoms.
Anyone diagnosed with the disorder should be aware of what is expected of their treatment and possible medication adverse effects. They should also remain in contact with their physician or nurse to make sure that the medications are functioning exactly as they should.
The most common treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant medications that can aid in improving concentration and reduce impulsive behavior. Other treatments, such as cognitive behavior therapy and parent training are very efficient for both adults and children with this condition too. People who are prescribed ADHD medications are advised to seek regular checks with their health care providers because some patients require adjustments in dosage or other treatment options.