Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can change 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. Contact your insurance provider to see if it covers ADHD evaluations for adults.
The Diagnosis Process
A psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse will be required to assess adults in order to make a proper diagnosis. These are the only healthcare providers who are able to identify ADHD among adults.
A detailed interview about your symptoms and how you are feeling is usually the first step in an initial evaluation. The healthcare professional will be interested in knowing how long it has been a problem and how they affect your daily life. They may also ask to talk to an immediate family member or friend about your symptoms.
The evaluation process may also include questions about your childhood. Current guidelines allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without proving that the disorder was present in childhood. So the healthcare professional will need to examine your school records and talk to people who knew you as in your early years. They may also inquire whether you've ever experienced any mental health issues, like depression or anxiety.
In some cases an evaluator might suggest cognitive tests, such as IQ testing or assessments for memory or learning problems. They may also recommend that you take other kinds of medical tests to rule out physical conditions which could cause your symptoms.
If a healthcare professional believes that your symptoms are caused by ADHD, they will recommend additional diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity. These tests will likely include urine and blood tests, a medical exam and, possibly, educational or psychological testing.
Tests will be used to determine the levels of specific chemicals that are associated with ADHD in your body, for example serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. They will also test your heart rate and blood pressure. You could also receive an spirometry test, which measures lung capacity. They might also suggest a brain imaging scan to check for any functional or structural problems. In certain instances, the evaluator may suggest that you or your child be evaluated for other disorders that exhibit similar symptoms similar to ADHD, such as depression and anxiety, or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are numerous ADHD questions and tests that can be used as a screening tool prior to scheduling an appointment with your doctor. These tests can alert you to the possibility that you have 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 may influence their symptoms. The doctor may also inquire about any history of addiction to drugs or depression since these issues 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. The clinician will also want to review the student's school records and speak with teachers. If the patient is an older adult, they could also interview a spouse or a family member. Personal experience can provide details that are not available through questionnaires.
Some doctors rush through this procedure or insist on only seeing a patient one time rather than completing a complete examination. This could lead to a misdiagnosis. This is a red-flag in the event that the physician is not adamant about the criteria for diagnosing ADHD.
The evaluator could ask adults to rate each symptom on an ADHD checklist, and then provide examples of how these afflictions have affected their lives. The evaluator then compares the ratings to the checklist and assesses for ADHD.
For some adults, it can be a relief to be diagnosed with ADHD. However, the underlying emotions- such as guilt for not living up to expectations, or the grief that the disorder wasn't noticed until later in life -are often complicated. ADHD is characterized by impulsivity and a lack of attention. These traits can lead to serious consequences in many areas, including relationships work, health, and careers.
getting diagnosed with adhd as an adult of getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a difficult and difficult process. It requires a lot of paperwork, interviews, and tests. The best method to prepare is to seek recommendations from family, friends and doctors you trust. Check out the credentials of the specialist and make sure that they are a match for your requirements. It is essential to find an expert who is specialized in ADHD diagnosis. This is to ensure that you or your child is getting an accurate assessment and the best treatment possible.
The first step of an ADHD assessment is an interview with an evaluation expert. The evaluator might ask you or your child questions to learn more about your symptoms. The evaluator wants to know how the symptoms impact your daily life and if they affect work, school or relationships. The evaluator may also use rating scales to assess your ADHD symptoms. They typically 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 often miss appointments, or you might be asked how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators will also request people who know you and your child well to fill in questionnaires about their observations of your behavior. For adults, this could be spouses or children for children. It could be coaches, teachers and nannies, or daycare workers. Personal experience can provide information that isn't possible to obtain through 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 look for mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or depression, or incipient psychosis. They might even screen for underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and seizure disorders.
Some evaluators will provide your child or you an ADHD screening test that measures how you respond to targeted and non-target stimuli. For instance the TOVA (Timed On-Only Visual Attention) is an FDA-approved computerized test that assesses your ability to pay attention and recall a series of geometric shapes. The evaluator will look at how often you react to non-target stimuli, and how long it takes you to respond to the stimuli you are targeting. This will help the evaluators identify the type of ADHD you have: Inattentive or impulsive.
Follow-up
Multiple mental health professionals are certified to diagnose ADHD and provide ADHD evaluations. This could be a psychologist or psychiatrist or psychologist or neurologist. The specialist will want to know the cause of your concern and how long the problems have been present for. The doctor will also inquire about any family history of ADHD. It is thought that the disorder is 70%-80 percent inheritable, and that genes play a significant role in whether you or your child is likely to suffer symptoms.
The expert will want to know how your your child's ADHD affects your daily life, including home, work and school. He will ask you or your child about their behavior in different settings because ADHD symptoms are different in different situations. To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your child require at least six symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity that affects everyday functioning. It must last for at least six months.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will have to rule other conditions out. Other psychiatric conditions, anxiety and mood disorders as well as intellectual disabilities may be included. Certain medical disorders that affect brain function, like thyroid problems, can be a possibility. Additionally, the doctor will inquire about your or your child's sleeping patterns and any accidents or injuries that may have affected the development of your or your child's brain.
The doctor will also consider whether the symptoms of ADHD in your child or you are caused by any health condition or medications that you or your child take. Side effects of stimulant medications such as those used to treat ADHD can include stomachaches and trouble sleeping. These side effects could also be caused by other drugs such as sleep medications, antidepressants and certain sleep aids.
The doctor will also have to determine if there's a comorbidity. This means that you or your child could be suffering from another illness that could cause symptoms of ADHD. This could include depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will go through all the data and make the diagnosis.