ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses
Making an accurate diagnosis is the first step towards understanding and addressing symptoms. Find a licensed mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, or family doctor) who is specialized in ADHD diagnosis and evaluation.
The expert will conduct a structured interview to examine your history. They may ask for old report cards and speak with family members, teachers or classmates about childhood behavior.
img width="359" src="
">
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 also may interfere with learning and relationships at work, school and at home. Consult your GP in the event that you or your child exhibits these signs. They are unable to diagnose ADHD in a formal manner, but they can discuss your concerns and recommend you to specialists when needed.
A GP can assist you in determining if your symptoms are related to ADHD by asking questions, looking over your health history and medical records, and performing physical examination. It is also possible to mention the background of ADHD in your family to aid in diagnosis. The GP will then recommend you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to conduct a psychiatric examination. The evaluation may include a description of your symptoms, questionnaires and scales completed by you, your caregivers and teachers as well as a psychiatric history, physical examination and laboratory tests.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose ADHD in 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 assess whether the symptoms impact your daily life, at home at work, or at school.
Adults can also be diagnosed with ADHD however their symptoms will likely present differently as they get 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 criteria for diagnosis and your symptoms are adult-specific, you may be prescribed medication. Psychostimulants, which affect neurotransmitters in the brain, are often prescribed to treat ADHD in adults. These drugs improve focus and concentration, while improving alertness and energy. These medications may be given in extended-release versions to lessen the effects of side effects. Adults who present with inattentive ADHD can be treated with antidepressants. These medications, such as Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine) alter neurotransmitters in the brain and improve focus and mood.
Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with ADHD is the first step towards taking control of symptoms that could be affecting your daily life, professionally and personally. A psychiatric examination is conducted by a licensed mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, or family physician or another type of medical specialist). To receive treatment for ADHD or other disorders, a person who has an underlying symptom-based diagnosis (such as ADHD) must follow certain guidelines set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association.
During an ADHD evaluation your healthcare provider will ask questions about your child's behavior at home, school and social environments. They will also go over your child's development, medical and family history. They will then compare your child's behaviors to those of other children who are similar to them. They can employ standardized 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 occur in a variety of settings, affect your child's functioning and cause problems, and have been present for at least six months.
If your child doesn't meet the requirements for an inattentive ADHD diagnosis Your healthcare provider could 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 thorough psychiatric evaluation can include computer-based psychological and cognitive tests as well as neuropsychological and psychological testing. Your doctor will examine your child's blood pressure and complete an examination of the body to determine if there are any medical conditions that could be a cause of ADHD symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman, 2015). They may also request an extensive history of the problem from parents and teachers and perform a thorough interview with your child and family members. They'll also look into whether there is a history of ADHD in the family, since it is highly genetically inherited.
Treatment
If someone has been diagnosed as having ADHD, they may need treatment with medication or behavioral therapy. https://www.iampsychiatry.com/private-adhd-assessment may include individual and family counseling, and group therapy, such as dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. To begin treatment, you need to locate a professional who has expertise in ADHD diagnosis and is covered by insurance. You can start by calling your insurance provider or asking your local mental health support group, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD for names of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. Certain doctors utilize computer tests, like continuous performances tests, to determine problems with attention and impulse control. Others use brain scans, like single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), to look for any abnormalities. But experts agree that the most significant element of an examination is a patient-patient interview.
During an interview, the doctor will review the symptoms that led to the appointment. The doctor may also ask anyone who is familiar with the patient, like their spouse, parent or sibling, for information. The clinician will also talk to teachers as well as coaches, nannies, and other adults who spend a lot of time with the patient. This is a very thorough process that could be a long time. The doctor will write the report, and then discuss the findings with the patient.
It is extremely important to remember that the diagnosis of ADHD depends on how the symptoms interfere with the life of a person. This means that the patient's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two major settings, such as home and work. The impairment must have been present for at least six months to be considered an acceptable diagnosis of ADHD.
During the interview, the doctor will discuss with the patient their medical and psychiatric histories and determine if they are in compliance with the diagnostic criteria set forth by the American Psychiatric Assocation's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision DSM-5. A valid diagnosis of ADHD must be supported by at least three of the five symptom categories: trouble paying attention to small details and making careless mistakes, difficulty in staying focused on tasks or activities and difficulty listening when being talked to or daydreaming, or appearing to be distracted.
Prevention
In many cases, people who have inattention ADHD symptoms aren't diagnosed. They aren't as disruptive or impulsive as people with hyperactive ADHD and are often dismissed. However, their issues can have consequences: they may not perform well at school, get into trouble with their peers, or find it difficult to keep an occupation. These people also need to be treated.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official name for the condition. The term ADD is still occasionally used but it's not the most popular. The newer name is based on the fact that children can have symptoms of inattention.
While many of the symptoms are present in all instances, there are variations in the way that the disorder manifests itself between 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 makes it more likely that they will go undiagnosed and receive less treatment.
A thorough evaluation by a healthcare professional is essential to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. This may include an interview with a clinician, a medical history review and physical examination. It also involves reviewing reports by teachers, parents or other adults who know the person well, as well as normed rating scales used by loved ones and teachers. These can be helpful in determining whether the symptoms are severe enough to cause impairment in functioning.
It is important to conduct a thorough assessment in order to determine whether the symptoms are due to other psychiatric or medical condition, such as anxiety or depression. In some instances treating these other disorders can help relieve or eliminate the ADHD symptoms.
Anyone diagnosed with the disorder must be aware of what to expect from their treatment and possible medication side effects. They should also keep in contact with their physician to make sure that the medication is functioning in the way it should.
The most popular treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant medications that can aid in improving concentration and decrease impulsive behavior. Children and adults with inattentive ADHD may benefit from other treatment options such as cognitive behavioral therapy or parent training. It is important to remind those prescribed ADHD medication to see their doctor regularly, since some patients may require adjustments in dosages or other treatment options.
![[PukiWiki]](image/pukiwiki.png "[PukiWiki]")
