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ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses Making an accurate diagnosis is the first step to understanding and addressing symptoms. Find a licensed mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, family physician) who specializes in ADHD diagnosis and evaluation. The specialist will conduct an interview structured to examine your past. They may want to see old reports and talk to family members, teachers or classmates 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 also may interfere with relationships and learning at work, school and home. Speak to your GP in the event that you or your child displays these signs. They aren't able to officially diagnose ADHD, but they can discuss your concerns with you and recommend specialist services, if needed. A GP can help you determine whether your symptoms are related to ADHD by asking questions, looking over your health history and medical records and conducting physical examination. You may also provide the background of ADHD in your family to help with the diagnosis. The GP can then recommend you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to conduct a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation may include an explanation and scales of your symptoms, completed by you and your caregivers and physical examination, lab tests and a psychiatric evaluation. 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 will look for an inattention pattern, hyperactivity and impulsivity that lasts for six months or more, and evaluating whether these symptoms have a significant impact on your life at work, home and school. Adults may also be diagnosed with ADHD however their symptoms are likely to manifest 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 your adult symptoms are in line with the requirements for diagnosis, you can be treated with medication. Adults with ADHD are often prescribed psychostimulants to affect neurotransmitters. These drugs boost energy and alertness, as well as improving concentration and focus. They are available as extended-release versions to reduce side effects. Antidepressants are sometimes used to treat the inattention manifestation of ADHD in adults. These medications, such as Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine) can affect neurotransmitters in the brain and improve mood and focus. Diagnosis Finding out if you have ADHD is the first step to controlling the symptoms that may be affecting your daily life, professionally and personally. A licensed mental health professional (psychiatrists, neurologist or family physicians) can conduct a psychiatric evaluation. To receive treatment for ADHD, a person with a symptom based diagnosis (such as ADHD) must meet certain guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association. During an ADHD assessment your healthcare provider will inquire about your child's behavior in home, school and social environments. They will also discuss your child's development medical and family history. They will then compare your child's behavior with the behavior of other children of similar age. They can use standard rating scales to measure the frequency of specific behavior problems, like difficulty paying attention, ignoring things and interrupting other children. 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 more than one setting that affect your child's behavior and cause disruption and be present for at least six (6) months. If your child does not meet all of the criteria to qualify for a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD, your healthcare provider 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 comprehensive psychiatric evaluation could include neuropsychological and psycho-psychological testing, and cognitive tests that are computer-based. Your doctor will check your child's blood pressure and complete an examination to rule out any medical conditions that may mimic ADHD symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman, 2015). They may also request a detailed history of the problem from teachers and caregivers and perform a thorough interview with your child and family members. They will take into consideration whether there is an ancestral history of ADHD because the condition is highly heritable. Treatment If someone has been diagnosed as having ADHD, they may need treatment with medication 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). To start treatment, you need to locate a specialist who is skilled in ADHD diagnosis and is covered by insurance. Start by contacting your insurance company or the local mental health support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD for the names of professionals 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. Other doctors utilize brain scans, such as single photon emission computed Tomography (SPECT) to look for abnormalities. Experts agree that the patient's interview is the most important element of an evaluation. During the interview, the therapist will discuss the symptoms that led up to the appointment. The clinician may also request anyone who is familiar with the patient, such as their spouse, parent or sibling, for details. The clinician will also interview teachers, coaches, nannies and other adults who spend considerable time with the patient. This is a thorough procedure that can last up to an hour. The doctor will write an evaluation report and then discuss the findings with the patient. It is essential to remember that a diagnosis of ADHD will depend on the extent to that the symptoms affect the person's everyday life. This means that the patient's symptoms must result in significant impairment in at least two main situations, including the workplace and at home. The impairment must have been present for at least six months to be considered an appropriate diagnosis of ADHD. During the consultation, the doctor will discuss with the patient their medical and psychiatric history 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 must be supported by at least three of the five symptoms: trouble paying attention to the smallest of specifics and making mistakes, difficulty remaining focused on work or activities, trouble listening when spoken to and daydreaming or seeming distracted. Prevention Most people with inattentional ADHD symptoms don't get diagnosed. They aren't as disruptive as those with hyperactive or impulsive forms of ADHD, and they are often missed. But their problems do have consequences: they could underperform at school, clash with their peers, or find it difficult to find an occupation. They must be treated too. 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 version is based on the fact that children can have symptoms of inattention. There are some differences in the way that the disorder is manifested by 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 means they are more likely to go undiagnosed, and less likely to receive treatment. A thorough examination by a medical professional is required to establish an accurate diagnosis. iampsychiatry.uk includes a clinical interview, medical history review, and a physical examination. It includes analyzing reports from parents, teachers, or other adults with a good understanding of the person, as well as normative rating scales that are completed by family members and educators. These can assist in determining if the symptoms are present to a degree that impacts the functioning. A careful evaluation is also essential to determine if symptoms are due to another psychiatric or medical condition like anxiety or depression. In some cases the treatment of these other disorders will alleviate or eliminate ADHD symptoms. People who have been diagnosed with the disorder must be aware of what to expect in terms of their treatment and possible medication adverse effects. They should also stay in contact with their physician to ensure that the medication is working in the way it should. The most common treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant drugs which can help improve 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 essential to remind those who are prescribed ADHD medication to visit their doctors regularly, as some patients may need adjustments in dosages or other treatment options.