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ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
The first step to managing symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis. Find a licensed mental healthcare professional (psychiatrists, neurologists, family doctors) who is proficient in ADHD evaluations.
The specialist will conduct an interview that is designed to look at your past. They may want to see old reports 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 cause issues with relationships and learning at home, school and at work. Speak to adhd diagnosis for adults when you or your child displays these symptoms. They cannot diagnose ADHD in a formal way, but they can discuss your concerns and refer you to specialists if required.
A GP can assist you in determining whether your symptoms are linked to ADHD by asking questions, reviewing your health history and medical records and completing a physical exam. It is also possible to discuss the background of ADHD in your family to aid in diagnosis. The GP can then refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to conduct a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation could comprise the description and scales of your symptoms, completed by you and your family members, as well as physical examination, lab tests and a psychiatric exam.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose ADHD in children and adolescents by following established guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. This includes looking for an inattention pattern or hyperactivity, which lasts for six months or more and determining if these symptoms have a significant impact on your daily routine at home, at work or school.
Adults may also be diagnosed with ADHD however the symptoms of ADHD will likely 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. Adults who suffer from ADHD are often prescribed psychostimulants that alter neurotransmitters. These medications increase energy and alertness, improving focus and concentration. They may be given as extended-release versions to reduce the risk of adverse effects. Antidepressants are sometimes used to treat the inattention presentation of ADHD in adults. These drugs, like Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine) can affect neurotransmitters in the brain and improve focus and mood.
Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with ADHD is the first step to controlling the symptoms that could be affecting your life, professionally and personally. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologist or family physicians) can conduct a psychiatric assessment. A person with a symptom-based diagnosis such as ADHD must adhere to certain guidelines laid out in the American Psychiatric Society's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition for treatment for ADHD.
During the ADHD evaluation, you will be asked questions about your child’s behavior at home, at school and in social settings. Your child's medical history and development history, as well as the family history will be examined. They will then compare your child's behaviors to the behavior of other children who are similar to them. They may use standardized ratings scales to measure the frequency of certain behavioral problems, like inability to pay attention, forgetting about things, or interrupting other people.
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 be present in two or more settings that affect your child's behavior and cause dysfunction and be present for at least six (6) months.
If your child doesn't meet the requirements for an inattentive ADHD diagnosis, your healthcare provider may diagnose them with 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, as well as neuropsychological and psychological testing. Your healthcare provider will also assess your child's blood pressure, and perform an examination to determine if there are any medical conditions that may be related to ADHD symptoms such as thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman, 2015). Teachers may also ask and caregivers to provide a full history and conduct a thorough interview with your child as well as family. They will also consider whether there is any history of ADHD in the family, as it is highly genetically inherited.
Treatment
If a person has been diagnosed with ADHD, he or she may need medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy could 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 professional who has expertise in ADHD diagnosis and is covered by insurance. Start by contacting your insurance provider or a local mental support group, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or CHADD to find professionals who specialize in ADHD in your region. Certain doctors utilize computer-based tests, like continuous performances tests, to test for attention and impulse control problems. Others use brain scans, like single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to search for signs of abnormalities. However, experts agree that the most significant element of an evaluation is a patient-patient interview.
During an interview, the doctor will discuss the symptoms that led to the appointment. The doctor may also request someone who is very familiar with the patient like their spouse, parent, or sibling for information. The doctor will also interview teachers as well as coaches, nannies, and other adults who spend significant time with the patient. This is a thorough procedure that could take up to an hour. The clinician will prepare a report, and discuss the results with the patient.
It is crucial to keep in mind that the definition of ADHD is based on how the symptoms interfere with the life of a person. This means that the patient's symptoms must result in significant impairment in at minimum two major settings, such as work and home. The impairment must have been present for at least six months to be considered a valid diagnosis of ADHD.
During the interview, the clinician will review the patient's medical and mental health history and determine whether or not the patient is in compliance with the diagnostic criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition Text Revision (DSM-5). A valid diagnosis of ADHD must be supported by at least three of these five symptom categories: difficulty paying attention to small details and making erroneous mistakes, difficulty remaining focused on tasks or activities or tasks, difficulty in listening to what you are talking to others and daydreaming or seeming distracted.
Prevention
People who have inattentional ADHD are often not diagnosed. They're not as disruptive or impulsive as people with hyperactive ADHD and can be ignored. The issues they face can have severe consequences. They might not do well at school, have conflicts with their classmates or struggle to keep a job. They need to be treated, too.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official name for the condition. The term ADD may still be occasionally used but it's not the most common. The newer version is based on the fact that children might only have symptoms of inattention.
There are some differences in the way the disorder is manifested by 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 will be undiagnosed and less likely to seek treatment.
An accurate diagnosis requires a thorough evaluation by a health professional. This includes an assessment of medical history as well as a clinical interview, and physical examination. It also involves reviewing the reports of teachers or parents, or other adults who know the person as well as standard ratings scales that are completed by loved ones and teachers. These can be useful in determining whether the symptoms are severe enough to impact functioning.
It is crucial to conduct a thorough evaluation in order to determine whether the symptoms are caused by other psychiatric or medical condition like anxiety or depression. In some cases treating these other disorders can aid in reducing or eliminating the ADHD symptoms.
Those who are diagnosed with the disorder need be aware of potential side effects and treatment. They should also keep in touch with their doctor to make sure that the medication is working in the way it should.
The most commonly used treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant drugs which can help improve concentration and reduce impulsive behaviors. Other treatments, like cognitive behavior therapy and parent training are very effective for children and adults with this condition too. Patients who are prescribed ADHD medications should also be advised to have regular checks with their health care providers since some patients may require adjustments in dosage or other treatment options.