ADHD Assessment - What Happens When a Doctor Diagnoses ADHD?
To determine an ADHD diagnosis, doctors will review your symptoms to see whether they fit the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-V). A majority of professionals also conduct a clinical interview based on one or more ADHD rating scales.
It's best to find a specialist who is specialized in diagnosing ADHD and is covered by your insurance plan. Contact the local support group to find the names of specialists.
Signs and symptoms
When your pediatrician evaluates you for ADHD He or she will ask questions about your symptoms and past history. They will also examine you to determine the cause of your problem. This could be due to a hearing loss, vision issue or a medical condition.
The primary characteristic of ADHD is difficulty staying focused or paying attention. This can lead to impulsive mistakes and inability to finish tasks (e.g. chores or schoolwork). Teens and children with ADHD have difficulty listening to others and seem distracted or daydreaming. In adults who suffer from ADHD problems, these can cause problems at work or home and in relationships.
Another sign of ADHD is difficulty sitting still or being still for long periods of time. Some people who suffer from ADHD have trouble concentrating, squirming or jog while waiting for others or during an event. They may also talk too much or interrupt others often.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5TR(tm), is utilized by doctors to make their diagnoses. They assess whether a person has at least six traits of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity to determine what type of ADHD they have.
To determine if you have ADHD, your pediatrician will consider the way you behave in different settings, including at school or in other social activities. The doctor will speak with you and your family members, teachers and other caregivers about your behavior. The doctor will utilize checklists and scales to assess ADHD symptoms.
Your child may be subjected to a physical examination or blood tests to eliminate any other medical issues like a thyroid disorder, a vision problem, or a hearing loss. A mental health professional will also test your child’s ability to focus on instructions, follow through and complete tasks.
Neuropsychological testing isn't typically used to diagnose ADHD however it could be useful in certain circumstances. It involves measuring brain activity, such as beta waves, by using an EEG or by using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Some studies suggest that people with ADHD have lower beta wave activity in the frontal lobes of their brains, and that they produce too many theta waves.
Diagnosis
A doctor can diagnose ADHD based on a person's symptoms, his or her family history and the results of a range of assessment and screening tools. There are many tools that can be used to diagnose ADHD, such as rating scales and continuous performance tests. For each instrument it is crucial to know its sensitivity and specificity - the likelihood that the test is able to identify those who have the disorder versus those who don't.
The first step in evaluating ADHD is to conduct an interview with the patient. It is a one-hour session with a specialist, during which the patient will be asked about their symptoms and previous experiences. A specialist might also ask the help of teachers and other caregivers in gathering details, particularly when diagnosing children. The specialist will look over the child's medical and school records, and ask them to fill out questionnaires that teachers and parents have completed.
The physician may also request for school records from adults who are being evaluated for ADHD to determine if the affliction began in the earliest years of childhood. He or she might also talk to the spouse, siblings and other family members of the person about their experiences. A specialist may also decide to speak with other people who are familiar with the individual, such as Scout and religious leaders, or former teachers, in order to gain insight into how the individual interacts in various settings.
For an adult or adolescent to be diagnosed with ADHD, the person must demonstrate several of the symptoms in a variety of environments, including school, work, and home. These symptoms must interfere in the person's ability to function and cannot be explained by any other condition. For adolescents the symptoms should have been consistent and present since the time of their childhood. For adults, they must have at least five ongoing symptoms and have experienced them for at least six months. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5) offers criteria for diagnosing the disorder.
Treatment
If your child or adult has been diagnosed with ADHD There are a variety of treatment options. These may include therapy, medication or a combination of both. Your doctor and you will determine the best option for your child based upon their symptoms and the length of time they have been present. Your doctor will also rule out other things out that could cause symptoms, like mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression or medical conditions such as thyroid disorders.
If you or your child is struggling at school, it's essential to speak to an educator about the issue. Teachers can spot ADHD symptoms in kids and determine if the issue is ADHD or something else.
Your assessment could include a conversation with a clinician as well as the completion of ADHD symptoms lists and other questionnaires as well as psychological tests, information about your family and friends, and medical background. It is crucial to be as specific as you can about the difficulties you or your child may be experiencing. This will assist your physician to understand the complexities and provide a precise diagnosis.
Adults and older teens will undergo the same procedure of evaluation, but their symptoms will be assessed differently, as they are generally associated with their work or other activities. In addition to a detailed description of the issues, your psychologist or psychiatrist will want to know how these problems affect your daily life. For instance, do the problems interfere with your social or professional relationships? How much, if at all? This information will be used by your clinician to determine whether your symptoms are moderate or mild.
Psychosocial treatments for adults suffering from ADHD are typically more effective than medication. These treatments can teach you and your family how to deal with the disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for example can help you change negative thoughts into positive ones and manage emotions. Group and family therapy can help you develop new skills and strategies to improve your relationship with your spouse or partner. For adolescents and younger children the need for behavior training is a must prior to attempting any medication. This includes parent training in behavior management for children up to age six and other forms of training and therapy for older teens and adults.
Follow-up
As with any diagnostic procedure the results of an adhd assessment must always be evaluated by a qualified clinician. This ensures that the patient receives the appropriate treatment for their condition. It also minimises the risk of false positive results, when a test suggests that a person has ADHD when they really don't. This could happen if a test that is used for evaluating isn't valid or if the examiner doesn't have the necessary experience to interpret the results correctly.
The doctor will look at the beginning and duration of the symptoms, as well as how they compare with the mental age estimate (i.e. is the patient's behavior significantly "below" or above" their age). They will also take into consideration the duration and onset of the symptoms, aswell being able to compare them with a mental age estimate (i.e. is the patient's behavior disproportionately 'below' or 'above' for their age).
Additional Info is a great tool to determine ADHD symptoms, in addition to interviews with a psychologist and observation. Some tests have been specifically designed to assess the most important symptoms of ADHD such as hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. The Quantified Behavior Test for children (6-12 years) and the Qb+(c) for adults (12 years and older) are two of these tests. These tests utilize motion-tracking technology to track head movements and generate indicators of activity, such as the amount of time spent moving faster than 1 cm/s, distance or surface covered, as well as microevents such as small movements greater than 1 millimeter. They also provide estimates of omission errors and commission errors which are the two main components of ADHD's executive dysfunction.
It is essential that the physician conducts a thorough assessment. They will ask about the patient's health and development history, including childhood, school and work histories, family life, and the use of alcohol and drugs to determine any contributing factors that may contribute to symptoms. They will then apply the SWAN and the patient or parent ratings, and objective cognitive testing to arrive at their diagnosis.