ADHD Diagnoses: 11 Things You're Not Doing ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses

The first step in managing symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis. Find an accredited mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, or family doctor) who is skilled in ADHD assessments and diagnoses.

The expert will conduct an interview structured to review your past. They might want to look at old report cards and speak to parents, relatives or even friends about childhood behaviors.

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. The symptoms can also interfere with learning and relationships at school, work and at home. If you or your child is suffering from these symptoms, consult an GP. I Am Psychiatry to officially diagnose ADHD but they can discuss your concerns with you and refer you to specialist services, if necessary.

A GP can determine if you are suffering from ADHD symptoms by asking questions, examining medical documents and your health history, and performing an examination. You may also mention the history of ADHD in your family to aid in the diagnosis. The GP will then recommend you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to complete a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation could include the description and scales of your symptoms that are completed by you and your caregivers and a physical exam, lab tests and a psychiatric exam.

Psychology and psychiatry can help diagnose ADHD among adolescents and children using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association. They look for hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity patterns that last for at least six months, and evaluate whether these symptoms affect your family life, at home at work, or in school.

Adults can be diagnosed with ADHD in the same manner however, their symptoms tend to manifest differently as they grow older. They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or a combination of both.

If you meet the requirements for diagnosis and your symptoms are specific to adults you could be prescribed medication. Adults who suffer from ADHD are usually prescribed psychostimulants to affect neurotransmitters. These medications boost energy and alertness, while also improving concentration and focus. They are available in extended-release forms to lessen side effects. Adults who suffer from inattentive ADHD might be treated with antidepressants. These medications, including Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine) alter neurotransmitters in the brain and enhance mood and focus.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of ADHD can assist you in taking control of symptoms which may be affecting both your professional and personal lives. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologist or family doctors) can conduct a psychiatric examination. A person who has an underlying symptom-based diagnosis such as ADHD must follow certain guidelines set forth in the American Psychiatric Society's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition for treatment for ADHD.

During the ADHD assessment, you will be asked questions about your child's behavior at home, at school, and in social situations. Your child's medical history as well as family history and development will be studied. They will then assess your child's behavior with the behaviors of other children who are who are similar to them. They can use standard ratings scales to determine the frequency of certain behavioral problems, such as inability to pay attention, forgetting about things, and interrupting others.

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 a variety of settings, affect your child's functioning and cause dysfunction, and have been present for at least six months.

If your child does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis 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 thorough psychiatric assessment could include neuropsychological and psycho-psychological tests, as well as computer-based cognitive tests. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination and check your child's heart rate to rule out medical conditions such as thyroid disorders and head injuries that may be similar to ADHD symptoms. Teachers may also ask and caregivers to provide a full background and conduct an extensive interview with your child as well as family members. They'll also look into whether there is an ancestry of ADHD in the family, since it is highly genetically inherited.

Treatment

If a person has been diagnosed with ADHD the person might require medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy can include family and individual counseling as in addition to group therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). The first step in getting treatment is to locate an specialist in the field of diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. Start by contacting your insurance provider or a local mental health support group, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or CHADD to find a professional who specialize in ADHD in your region. Some doctors use computer programs, such as continuous tests for performance, to look for attention and impulsivity problems. Other doctors use brain scans, like single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to look for any abnormalities. Experts agree that the patient interview is the most important element of an evaluation.

During the interview, the clinician will review the symptoms that led to the appointment. The clinician will also seek information from someone who is familiar with the patient well like siblings, spouses or a parent. The clinician will also interview teachers or coaches, nannies, and other adults who spend considerable time with the patient. It is a long procedure that can last up to an hour. The doctor will then write an assessment report and discuss the results of the assessment with the patient.

It is extremely important to remember that the diagnosis of ADHD depends on how the symptoms impact the person's daily life. This means that the individual's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two main settings, such as work and home. In order for ADHD to be considered a diagnosis the condition must have been present for at minimum six months.

During the interview, the doctor will discuss the person's medical and psychiatric history, and determine whether or not the person meets the diagnostic criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5). A valid diagnosis of ADHD is based on at least three of the five symptom categories: trouble paying close attention to details and making careless mistakes, difficulty staying focused on work or activities or tasks, difficulty in listening to what you are being talked to or daydreaming, or seeming distracted.

Prevention

People who have inattentive ADHD are typically not diagnosed. They aren't as disruptive as hyperactive or impulsive forms of ADHD and can be easily overlooked. The issues they face can have severe consequences. They may not perform well in school, have conflicts with their classmates or struggle to find a job. These people also need to be treated with respect.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official name of the condition. The term ADD may still be used from time to time, but it is not the most common. The newer version takes into account that children can suffer from inattentive symptom.

While many of the symptoms are present in all cases, there are a few differences in how the disorder manifests between boys and girls. Girls and children assigned female at birth (AFAB) tend to show more inattentive symptoms, which are less noticeable, than the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. This means they are more likely to be undiagnosed and less likely to receive treatment.


A reliable diagnosis requires a thorough assessment by a health care professional. That includes an interview with a clinician, a medical history review and a physical examination. It also involves reviewing reports by teachers, parents or other adults who know the patient well as well as standard ratings scales that are that are completed by family members and teachers. These are helpful in determining if the symptoms are present to a degree that they affect the way you function.

A careful evaluation is also crucial to determine if the symptoms are caused by a different psychiatric or medical condition like depression or anxiety. In some cases, treating these other disorders can alleviate or eliminate ADHD symptoms.

People who are diagnosed with the disorder need to be aware of possible side effects and treatment. They should also stay contact with their physician or nurse to make sure that the medications are functioning in the way they should.

The most common treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant medications that can aid in improving concentration and decrease impulsive behavior. Other treatments, such as cognitive behavior therapy and parent training, can be very beneficial for adults and children who suffer from this condition, too. Those who are prescribed ADHD medication should be advised to have regular checks with their healthcare providers because some patients require adjustments to dosages or other treatment options.