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ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses Finding an accurate diagnosis is the first step towards understanding and managing symptoms. Find an accredited mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, family doctor) who is skilled in ADHD evaluations and diagnoses. The expert will conduct an interview designed to look at your past. They might want to look at old report cards and speak with teachers, relatives or 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. These symptoms can cause issues with relationships and learning at school, home and at work. If you or your child is suffering from these symptoms, speak to a GP. They are unable to diagnose ADHD formally, but can discuss your concerns and recommend you to specialists if needed. A GP will be able to determine if you suffer from ADHD symptoms by asking questions, examining medical records and your health history, and performing an examination. You can also mention the background of ADHD in your family members to aid in diagnosis. The GP can then recommend you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to conduct a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation may include an explanation of your symptoms along with questionnaires and scales that are completed by you, your caregivers and teachers as well as a psychiatric history, physical exam and lab tests. Psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose ADHD among children and adolescents using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association. They look for inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity patterns that last for a period of six months or more and assess whether the symptoms affect your family life, at home, at work, and at school. Adults may be diagnosed with ADHD, but their symptoms are likely to manifest differently as they age. They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder, a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or a combination of both. If your adult symptoms are in line with the guidelines for diagnosis, you may be treated with medication. Adults who suffer from ADHD are usually prescribed psychostimulants to affect neurotransmitters. These drugs improve focus and concentration, while increasing energy and alertness. These medications can be administered in extended-release form to lessen the effects of the effects of side effects. Adults who present with inattentive ADHD might be treated with antidepressants. These drugs, like Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine) alter neurotransmitters in the brain to 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 licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists or neurologists, or family physicians) can conduct a psychiatric assessment. A person who is diagnosed with a symptom-based diagnosis like ADHD must follow certain guidelines laid out in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition for treatment for ADHD. During an ADHD assessment your healthcare provider will ask questions regarding your child's behavior in home, school and social settings. The medical history of your child as well as family history and development will be reviewed. They will then compare your child's behavior against those of children who are of similar age. They could use standardized rating scales that measure the frequency of certain behaviors, like difficulty paying attention, forgetting 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 two or more settings that affect your child's behavior and cause problems, and have been present for at least six (6) months. If your child is not able to meet all of the criteria to qualify for a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD, your healthcare provider will assign them an 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. diagnosed with adult adhd may include neuropsychological and psychological testing, and cognitive tests that are computer-based. Your doctor will check your child's blood pressure and conduct an examination to identify any medical issues that may be related to ADHD symptoms like thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman, 2015). They might also request a detailed history of the problem from caregivers and teachers, and conduct a thorough interview with your child and other family members. They will take into consideration whether there is any family history of ADHD because the condition is highly genetically inherited. Treatment If a person has been diagnosed with ADHD, he or she might require medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy may include family and individual counseling, as well as group therapy, such as dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. The first step in getting treatment is to locate an specialist in diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. You can begin by contacting your insurance company or the local mental health support group, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD, for names of specialists in your area who specialize in ADHD. Some doctors make use of computer programs, such as continuous performance tests, to check for attention and impulsivity problems. Others use brain scans, such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to look for abnormalities. But experts agree that the most crucial element of an evaluation is an interview with the patient. During the interview, the doctor will discuss the symptoms that led to the appointment. The clinician will also request information from someone who knows the patient well for example, a spouse, sibling or parent. The clinician will also interview teachers as well as coaches, nannies, and other adults who spend considerable time with the patient. This is a thorough process and can take an hour or more. The doctor will write the report, and then discuss the findings with the patient. It is vital to keep in mind that the diagnosis of ADHD is determined by the extent to which the symptoms affect the person's daily life. This means that the person's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two major settings, such as home and work. In order for ADHD to be recognized the disorder must have been present for at least six month. During the interview the clinician will discuss with the patient their medical and psychiatric histories and determine if they satisfy the diagnostic criteria laid out by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision DSM-5. A valid diagnosis of ADHD requires at least three of the five symptoms such as difficulty paying attention specifics, making erroneous mistakes, difficulty staying focused on other tasks or activities, and difficulty listening to someone's words when they speak. Prevention Often, people with inattentive ADHD symptoms don't get diagnosed. They're not as disruptive, or as impulsive as hyperactive ADHD and are often dismissed. Their issues can have serious consequences. They may not perform well in school, have problems with their peers, or struggle to hold an occupation. These individuals also need to be treated. The term ADD is still used occasionally, but the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines the condition as an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The newer definition takes into account the fact that children could be suffering from symptoms of inattention on their own. While many of the symptoms are common to 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 them more likely to go undiagnosed, and less likely to seek treatment. A reliable diagnosis requires a thorough assessment by a health care professional. This may include an assessment of medical history along with a medical interview, and a physical exam. It includes analyzing reports from teachers, parents or other adults with an understanding of the individual and normative rating scales completed both by loved ones as well as teachers. These can assist in determining if the symptoms are present in a way that they affect the way you function. A thorough examination is important to determine if the symptoms are caused by another medical or psychiatric condition, such as anxiety or depression. In some instances treating these other disorders will alleviate or eliminate ADHD symptoms. People who are who are diagnosed with the disorder need to be aware of possible adverse effects and treatments. They should also keep in touch with their doctor or nurse to make sure that the medications are working exactly as they should. The most common treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant medications, which can help improve concentration and decrease impulsive behavior. Other treatments, like cognitive behavior therapy and parent training can be extremely effective for children and adults who suffer from this condition, too. It is essential to remind those prescribed ADHD medication to visit their doctor regularly, since some patients may require adjustments in dosages or alternative treatment options.