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Getting an ADHD Diagnosis

Getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a life altering experience. This is why some people struggle with issues such as staying focused in their work, following directions and remaining organized.

Ask your family doctor or therapist to refer you to an expert. Also, contact your insurance provider to see if they will cover ADHD evaluations for adults.

The Diagnosis Process

A psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse will be required to evaluate adults in order to establish a correct diagnosis. They are the only healthcare experts who can diagnose ADHD in adults.

An in-depth interview about you and your symptoms is usually the first step in an initial evaluation. The healthcare professional may be able to inquire about the length of time you've had symptoms and how they are affecting you. They might also want to speak to your family member or close friend about your symptoms.

The process of evaluating you will include questions about your childhood. Since current guidelines don't permit a doctor to diagnose ADHD in adults without evidence of the disorder's presence in childhood, your healthcare provider might want to review your school records or talk with teachers or other people who were with you as a child. They will also ask if you have ever had any mental health issues, like depression or anxiety.

In some cases the evaluator may suggest cognitive testing for example, IQ tests or assessments for learning or memory problems. They may also recommend that you undergo other types of medical tests to rule out any physical issues that may be causing your symptoms.

If a healthcare professional believes that your symptoms are caused by ADHD they will suggest additional tests to confirm the diagnosis adhd adults and determine its severity. These tests could include blood and urine tests, a medical examination as well as psychological or educational testing.

Tests will be used to determine the concentrations of certain chemicals that may be associated with ADHD in your body, for example dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. They will also examine your heart rate and blood pressure. You could also receive the spirometry test to determine your lung capacity. They may also recommend that you undergo an examination of your brain to look for functional or structural abnormalities. In certain instances the evaluator could suggest that you or your child be examined for other conditions that may have similar symptoms to ADHD, such as depression and anxiety or mood and personality disorders.

The Interview

There are a variety of ADHD tests and quizzes that can be used as a screening tool, before making an appointment with your physician. These tests can alert you to the possibility that you have ADHD, but the clinical interview with your doctor is the only method to confirm the diagnosis.

This process could take anywhere from between 2 and 3 hours. It includes a time spent explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it could affect their symptoms. The doctor may also inquire about substance abuse or depression as 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 be required to review school records and interview teachers. If the patient is an adult, a spouse or family members could also be interviewed. Personal experience can provide information that is not possible to obtain through questionnaires.

Some doctors rush through this step or insist on only visiting a patient once instead of completing a full evaluation. This could lead to a incorrect diagnosis. If the clinician is too firmly rooted in the criteria used to diagnose ADHD and states that a patient has to show at least six symptoms to receive a diagnosis this is an indication of trouble.

For adults, the evaluator may ask the patient to complete scores for each symptom on an ADHD checklist and then provide examples of how these symptoms have affected his or her life. The evaluator compares the scores with the checklist and assesses for ADHD.

For some adults, it can be a great relief to be diagnosed with ADHD. But the underlying emotions -- such as guilt for failing to live up to expectations, or grief that the disorder was not recognized until later in life -are often complicated. The impulsivity and inattention that characterize ADHD can have a significant impact in a variety of areas of a person's life, including relationships, career, and health.

The Tests

Finding an ADHD diagnosis is a challenging and difficult process. It requires a lot of paperwork as well as interviews and tests. The best method to prepare is to seek recommendations from friends, family and doctors you are confident with. You should also research the physician and their professional credentials to make sure they are a good fit to your needs. It is important to locate an expert who is specialized in ADHD diagnosis. This is to ensure you or your child receives an accurate assessment and the best possible treatment.

An interview with an evaluater is the initial step in an ADHD evaluation. The evaluator will ask you or your child questions in order to know more about your symptoms. The evaluator would like to know how the symptoms affect your life and if they affect school, work or relationships. The evaluator can also use rating scales to measure your ADHD symptoms. These usually comprise checklists that ask you or someone around you to answer a series of questions. You may be asked if you frequently forget appointments or how often you interrupt others.

Many evaluators also solicit people who know you or your child well to fill out questionnaires based on their observations of your behavior. Adults might be asked to complete questionnaires by their spouses or children. Children may be asked to fill out questionnaires from coaches, teachers daycare workers, coaches, or the nannies. Personal experience can provide information that isn't feasible to collect from a questionnaire.

Some evaluators will also perform cognitive testing to see if learning or intellectual disabilities are contributing to your symptoms. They could also test for mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder as well as for signs of psychosis in the early stages or drug abuse. They could also test for medical conditions that are underlying such as hypothyroidism and seizures.

Certain evaluators will offer you or your child an ADHD screening test that measures how you respond to target and non-target stimuli. For instance, the TOVA (Timed On-Only Visual Attention) is an FDA-cleared computer-based test that tests your ability to pay attention and recall geometric shapes. The test examines how often you respond to non-targeted stimuli, and how to get diagnosed with adhd adult long it takes you to respond to the stimulus you want to respond. This can help evaluaters determine the type of ADHD you are: Inattentive or impulsive.

Follow-up

Multiple mental health professionals are certified to diagnose ADHD and provide ADHD evaluations. It could be a psychiatrist or psychologist or psychologist or neurologist. The specialist will want to know what your concerns are and how long the issues have been recurring for. He will also ask if there any family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be between 70 and 80 percent hereditary. Genes play a major role in whether your child or you experience symptoms.

The professional will want to know how your your child's ADHD impacts your daily life at home, work, and school. He will inquire about your your child's behavior in various settings, because the symptoms of ADHD are different when they are encountered in different environments. To be eligible for a diagnosis of ADHD you or your child must display six or more established symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity and an impulsiveness that hinder daily functioning for at least 6 months.

To determine the correct diagnosis, the specialist will need to rule other conditions out. These may include psychiatric conditions that are not listed above, anxiety and mood disorders, intellectual disabilities, and certain medical conditions that affect the brain, like thyroid disorders. In addition, the specialist will ask about your or your child's sleep patterns and any accidents or injuries that could have affected the development of your or your child's brain.

The doctor will also determine whether the symptoms of ADHD in your child or you are connected to any health issues or medications that you or your child are taking. For instance, stimulant medicines used to treat ADHD can sometimes result in side effects like stomachaches and trouble sleeping. These side effects can be caused by other drugs such as sleep medications, antidepressants and a few sleep aids.

Finally, the expert will determine if a comorbidity is 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 psychiatrist or psychologist will examine all of the information and determine an assessment.