Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with an ADHD diagnosis can be a life changing experience. It is the reason why some people have difficulty staying organized and following directions, or staying focused.
Ask your family doctor or therapist for a referral to a specialist. Also be sure to check with your insurance to determine if they cover ADHD evaluations for adults.
Diagnosis Process
For adults, a valid diagnosis requires an evaluation by a psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse. They are the only healthcare providers who are able to diagnose ADHD among adults.
Usually, an initial assessment will begin with a detailed interview about your life and symptoms. The healthcare professional may also ask how long you've been suffering from symptoms and how they are affecting you. They may also ask to speak to your family member or close friend about your symptoms.
The process of evaluating you may include questions about your childhood. Since current guidelines don't allow a doctor to diagnose ADHD in adults without evidence of the disorder's presence in childhood, the healthcare professional may wish to look at your school records or talk to teachers or other individuals who knew you as a kid. They may also inquire whether you've ever experienced any mental health issues, like depression or anxiety.
In some cases, an evaluator may suggest cognitive tests, such as IQ testing or tests for learning or memory problems. They may also recommend that you take other kinds of medical tests to rule out any physical ailments that could be causing your symptoms.
If your healthcare provider is confident that your symptoms are related to ADHD, they will recommend additional tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity. These tests could include urine and blood tests and a medical exam and perhaps educational or psychological testing.
The tests are used to determine the levels of certain chemicals in your body that could be related to ADHD like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. They will also test your heart rate and blood pressure. You may also be offered a spirometry, which measures lung capacity. They might also suggest an imaging scan of your brain to determine if there are any functional or structural problems. In some cases, your evaluator might suggest that you or your child be examined for any conditions that have similar symptoms to ADHD such as anxiety and depression, or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are many ADHD tests and questionnaires that can act as a screening instrument before you schedule an appointment with your doctor. These tests could provide you with the information that you suffer from ADHD, but an interview with a doctor is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
This process can take between 2 and 3 hours. It includes explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it may affect their symptoms. It could also include the clinician seeking out a history of substance abuse or depression since these conditions are often co-occurring 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 school records and interview teachers. If adhddiagnosis is an adult or spouse, a family members could also be interviewed. The personal perspective of a person can provide details that are not available through questionnaires.
Some doctors are overloaded and do not complete this step, or they may insist on seeing a patient just one time, rather than carrying out a full assessment. This could lead to a misdiagnosis. This is a red flag if the clinician is too rigid in their criteria to diagnose ADHD.
For adults, the evaluator could ask the patient to complete ratings for each of the symptoms on an ADHD checklist and then provide examples of how these symptoms have affected his or her life. The evaluator will then compare the scores with the checklist and assesses for ADHD.
For some adults, it could be a relief to receive a diagnosis of ADHD. The underlying emotions, such as guilt or resentment for not living up to expectations or the fact that the disorder was not noticed until later in life, may be complicated. The impulsivity and inattention that are characteristic of ADHD can have serious implications in a variety of areas of the life of a person, including relationships, work and health.
The Tests
The process of getting an ADHD diagnosis is a challenging and difficult process. It involves a lot of paperwork and interviews, as well as tests. The best method to prepare is to ask for recommendations from family, friends and doctors you are confident with. You should also research the specialist and their credentials to ensure they're a good match for your needs. It is essential to find a professional who is specialized in diagnosing ADHD. This will ensure that your child or you receives a precise diagnosis and the most effective treatment.
An interview with an evaluater is the initial step in an ADHD assessment. The evaluator will ask questions about your child or you to collect information about your symptoms. The evaluator wants to know how the symptoms impact your life and whether they affect work, school or relationships. The evaluator could also use rating scales that measure your ADHD symptoms. These are typically checklists in which you or someone you know is asked a set of questions. You may be asked if you are prone to forgetting appointments or how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators also ask people who are familiar with your child or you to fill out questionnaires regarding what they have observed. For adults, this could include spouses and siblings for children. It might be teachers, coaches, nannies or daycare workers. Personal insight can uncover information that cannot be gleaned from a questionnaire.
The evaluators can also perform cognitive testing to see whether intellectual or learning disabilities are contributing to your symptoms. They can also test for mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder or an underlying psychosis. They may even screen for underlying conditions such as seizures and hypothyroidism.
Some evaluators will give your child or you an ADHD screening test that tests the way you react to target and non-target stimuli. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computer-based test that has been approved by the FDA that tests your ability to pay attention and retain a variety of geometric shapes. The examiner will look at the frequency at which you respond to non-target stimuli, and the time it takes you to respond to target stimuli. This can help evaluators determine whether you have an impulsive ADHD or inattentional ADHD.
The Follow-Up
Many kinds of mental health professionals are able to provide ADHD evaluations and provide a diagnosis. This could be a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, or neurologist. The specialist will inquire about what your concerns are, and how long they have been happening. He will also inquire about any family history of ADHD. It is thought that the disorder is about 70%-80 percent inheritable, and that genes play a significant role in determining if you or your child will have symptoms.
The specialist will be interested in how your or your child's ADHD affects your daily life at home, work and at school. He will inquire with you or your child about their behavior in different situations since ADHD symptoms vary in different settings. To be eligible for a diagnosis of ADHD the parent or child must exhibit at least six distinct signs of hyperactivity or inattention and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning for a minimum of 6 months.
To aid the doctor in making an accurate diagnosis, he will need to exclude other conditions. These may include psychiatric disorders that are not listed including mood and anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities and certain medical disorders that affect the brain, like thyroid disorders. The specialist will also ask about your child's or your own sleep habits and any accidents or injuries in the past that could have affected your child or yourself's brain development.
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 are taking. The adverse effects of stimulant medications, such as those used to treat ADHD may include stomachaches and trouble sleeping. Other drugs, such as antidepressants and some sleep medicines are also prone to these side effects.
Finally, the doctor will need to determine if a comorbidity present this means that you or your child is suffering from a different condition that may cause symptoms of ADHD for example, bipolar disorder, depression anxiety disorder, or eating disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will review the information and make an assessment.