Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
Getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a life altering experience. This is why some people struggle with issues like staying focused, following directions and being organized.
Ask your family doctor or therapy provider to refer you a specialist. Also make sure to check with your insurance to see if they will cover ADHD evaluations for adults.
The Diagnosis Process
A psychologist, psychiatrist, or specialist nurse will be required to assess adults in order to establish a correct diagnosis. They are the only healthcare experts who can diagnose ADHD in adults.
Often, an initial assessment will begin with a thorough interview about your life and symptoms. The healthcare professional might also inquire about how long you have had symptoms and how they affect you. They might ask you to talk to a friend or family member about your symptoms.
The process of evaluating you may include questions about your childhood. The current guidelines allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without any evidence that the disorder was present during childhood. Therefore, the healthcare professional will need to review your school records and speak to people who knew you as in your early years. They may also inquire if you have had any other mental health problems like anxiety or depression.
In certain instances the evaluator might recommend cognitive tests, such as IQ tests or assessments for learning or memory problems. They might also suggest other medical exams to rule out physical issues that could be the cause of your symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or seizure problems.
If a healthcare professional is convinced that your symptoms are caused by ADHD they will suggest additional diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine its severity. These tests may include urine and blood tests, a medical exam, and possibly educational or psychological testing.
Tests are conducted to determine the concentrations of certain chemicals that are associated with ADHD in your body, like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. They will also assess your blood pressure and heart rate. You may also be offered a spirometry, which measures lung capacity. They may also suggest an imaging scan of your brain to check for any functional or structural issues. In certain instances your evaluator may suggest that you or a child be tested for any conditions that have similar symptoms to ADHD, like anxiety and depression, or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are many ADHD tests and quizzes that can be used as a screening tool, before making an appointment with your physician. These tests could provide you with the information that you suffer from ADHD However, the clinical interview with your doctor is the only method to confirm the diagnosis.
The process could last between 2 to 3 hours. It involves explaining to the patient about ADHD and the possible impact it has on their symptoms. The doctor may also inquire about any history of addiction to drugs or depression since these problems can co-occur along 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. In addition, the clinician will want to review the school records and speak with teachers. If the patient is an older adult, they may also interview a spouse or family member. Personal experience can reveal details that aren't possible to obtain from questionnaires.
Some doctors rush through this process or insist on seeing a patient once instead of conducting a thorough examination. This can cause to a doctor making an incorrect diagnosis. If the doctor is too rigid about the criteria for diagnosing ADHD and stipulates that a patient must display six or more symptoms for a diagnosis it's a red flag.
For adults, the evaluator might request the patient to fill out ratings for each symptom on an ADHD checklist and then provide examples of how those symptoms have impacted the patient's life. The evaluator will then compare the scores with the checklist and determine if they are a good indicator the severity of ADHD.
For some adults, it could be a relief to be diagnosed with ADHD. However, the emotions that accompany it -- such as guilt for not living up to expectations, or the grief that the disorder was not recognized until later in lifeit can be a challenge. ADHD is defined by impulsivity and lack of concentration. These characteristics can have serious consequences in many areas including relationships work, health, and careers.
The Tests
The process of getting an ADHD diagnosis is a challenging and confusing process. It requires a lot of paperwork and interviews, as well as tests. You can prepare by obtaining recommendations from reliable doctors or family members, as well as friends. You must also research the doctor and their credentials to ensure they are a good fit to your needs. It is crucial to find a professional who specializes in diagnosing ADHD. This is to ensure you or your child is getting an accurate evaluation and the best treatment possible.
An interview with an evaluator is the first step in an ADHD evaluation. The evaluation will ask questions about your child or you to learn more about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how the symptoms affect you and whether they impact your work, school or your relationships. The evaluator may also use rating scales that measure your ADHD symptoms. They typically consist of checklists that ask you or someone who is close to you several questions. You may be asked if you often forget appointments or how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators will also ask people who know your child or you to fill out questionnaires regarding what they have observed. Adults may be asked to complete questionnaires by their spouses or siblings. Children may be required to complete questionnaires by teachers, coaches, daycare workers or nannies. Personal experience can reveal information that cannot be gleaned from a survey.
The evaluators can also conduct cognitive tests to determine if learning or mental disabilities are contributing factors to your symptoms. They may also test for mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or depression, incipient psychosis or substance abuse. They may even screen for underlying conditions such as seizure disorders and hypothyroidism.
Some evaluators may give you or your children an ADHD screening test to gauge how you respond both to stimuli that are targeted and non-target. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computerized test cleared by the FDA that tests your ability to pay attention to detail and recall a variety of geometric shapes. The evaluator will examine how often you respond non-target stimuli, and how long it takes for you to respond to targeted stimuli. This can help evaluators to determine if you suffer from an impulsive ADHD or inattentive ADHD.
The Follow-Up
Multiple mental health professionals are able to diagnose ADHD and offer ADHD evaluations. This could be a psychiatrist, psychologist psychotherapist, neurologist, or psychotherapist. The specialist will want know the cause of your concern and how long the issues have been recurring for. The specialist will also ask if there is a family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be between 70 and 80% hereditary. Genes play a major role in whether your child or you suffer from symptoms.
He will ask about how ADHD affects you or your child at home, at school and at work. He will inquire about your your child's behavior in various environments, since the signs of ADHD differ when they occur in different settings. To be diagnosed with ADHD either you or your child will also be required to show six or more symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity that interferes with everyday functioning. The symptoms must last for at minimum six months.
To determine diagnosed with adhd , the doctor will have to rule other conditions out. Other psychiatric conditions, mood and anxiety disorders and intellectual disabilities might be considered. Certain medical disorders that affect brain function, like thyroid problems, can be a possibility. Additionally, the doctor will inquire about your child's sleeping patterns as well as any accidents or injuries that could have affected the development of your child's brain.
He will also take into consideration whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are linked to any other health issues or medications that you or your child is taking. For instance, stimulant medications used to treat ADHD can sometimes cause side effects such as stomachaches and insomnia. 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 is present, which 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 an eating disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will go through all the information and make the diagnosis.