How to Get an Assessment of ADHD
The NHS provides a "Right to Request Scheme' which allows you to ask your GP to refer you to an ADHD assessment. This is often quicker than waiting for an expert psychologist or psychiatrist to become available.
Rating scales and tests can help confirm or rule out an ADHD diagnosis, although these measures are not without problems in terms of sensitivity and specificity.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of adhd can be difficult to determine. While everyone has trouble in focusing or staying organized occasionally The symptoms of ADHD can have a wide-ranging, long-lasting consequences in many areas of life that affect the ability of a person to be at ease at work and at home. A doctor who performs a psychiatric evaluation will examine the person's symptoms as well as how long they've been occurring and how much they impact their daily life. They will also consider other factors, such as family history, education level and the environment.
There are three general types of ADHD and one of the primary requirements for an ADHD diagnosis is the presence of significant problems in two or more areas of their lives, including school and home. They also must have a combination of inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms and the symptoms must be present for at least six months. Additionally a medical professional will use their clinical expertise to determine what kind of ADHD they are diagnosing.
Inattention ADHD manifests as a lack of attention and staying on task. This type of ADHD is characterised by careless mistakes made in school or at work, forgetting things, unable to finish tasks in time, and getting distracted by unrelated thoughts and stimuli. They are unable to stay focused during reading or conversations. Children may get up from their seats when they are required to sit down and be unable to remain in their seats.
The symptoms of the disorder known as impulsive ADHD include rapid and intense responses to other stimuli. These people often blurt out answers before a question is completed, have trouble waiting for their turn in a conversation and frequently interrupt other people or intrude on games or activities. Children often have trouble controlling their behavior and are unable stop themselves from touching things that they shouldn't touch. Adults and older adolescents are often in a state of confusion and can be easily influenced.
Adults can take advantage of a variety of self-assessment tests in order to determine if they suffer from ADHD. The Adult ADHD symptoms Scale and the Women's ADHD Self Assessment Symptom Inventory are two of the tools available. The Women's ADHD Self-Assessment Tool is a tool developed by two specialists in treating females with ADHD. It is a tool that takes into consideration some of the particular challenges females face with ADHD. The Adult ADHD Symptom Scale is designed to measure the typical impulsive and inattentive behaviors that are typical of ADHD.
Family History
Some experts believe that ADHD is a family trait. The doctor will ask about your family history. She may ask you whether you have any family members who suffer from ADHD or if your siblings do. She will want to know if your parents or grandparents suffered from it as children.
Certain doctors utilize self-assessment tools or checklists to detect the signs of ADD/ADHD, but only a specialist can determine the disorder. Specialists in this field are typically psychologists or psychiatrists, but they can be social workers, nurses or dieticians, too. These professionals will also interview you, as well as someone who knows you well (spouses, parents, siblings teachers, coaches, or the nannies for children) in addition to using these tools. They can offer you insights that are difficult to get from self-assessments or questionnaires.
The doctor will examine your previous behavior to determine whether you exhibit enough signs to warrant a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD. In children, this means that you must have six or more symptoms in one of the two main categories -- inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity -- over the past six months. Adults it's five or more symptoms over the past six months. These symptoms should significantly interfere with school, work or home life as well as social interactions. The symptoms must start before the age of 12 and must persist for a period of six months before you are eligible for the diagnosis of ADHD/ADD.
Your specialist may suggest a physical exam, including a hearing and vision screening to rule out medical causes of your symptoms. She will also discuss your family history, lifestyle and current and previous health issues. You could also undergo an assessment of your personality and take some psychological tests. Some of these tests examine your memory, decision making abilities, and thought processes to rule out any other condition out, like depression or anxiety. Other testing examines how your brain processes information, like a neuropsychological exam. This helps her determine the root of your symptoms, and suggest the most effective treatment option.
Self-Assessment Tools
There are many ratings scales and questionnaires that can be used to assess ADHD symptoms. These instruments are quick and easy and can provide a professional with a wealth of information when looking into ADHD.
These ratings can either be done by the person who is doing them or their parents, teachers or by another person such as a therapist or clinician. They can assist the professional determine the type of ADHD symptoms are present, in which locations they occur (home at school, at work, etc.) and over what period of time. They can also be used to identify any co-occurring conditions that might contribute to the symptoms of ADHD.
The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, v1.1, is among the most frequently used and highly regarded rating scales to identify adult ADHD. It is a symptom-based screening tool, and the assessment of ADHD symptoms includes questions assessing inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, and comorbidity. It can be used for screening or monitoring over time and is often found in national and international ADHD guidelines.
However, even the best scoring tools have their limitations. They are affected both by bias and mistakes. There are many reasons for people to screen positively even if they don't have ADHD. It is important to understand that ADHD is a continuum, not a list of symptoms. To be diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms must be causing significant impairment in two or more life domains.
It is also important to recognize that rating scales are not necessarily sensitive or specific enough. Sensitivity is the capacity of a measure to discriminate between people who have and those without a disorder. Specificity on the other hand is how precise the measure is in identifying those who do have an illness.
It is therefore very important that the results from these types of scales for rating be evaluated by an expert and this can only be done through an evaluation conducted by a qualified mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, or a therapist that specializes in ADHD. These professionals will ask about the patient's symptoms, perform neuropsychological tests and use other methods such as observations or clinical interviews to identify ADHD.
Tests
A diagnosis of ADHD can be a source of relief for the person who suffers from it, or their parents. It is also a challenge, since the disorder is associated with a variety of difficulties in life including low school or work performance, strained relationships and strained finances. The condition can also hinder the quality of a person's sleep and can cause anxiety, depression and weight gain.
Neuropsychological testing can be utilized alongside a thorough medical record to determine the effect symptoms have on an individual's ability to function. This type of assessment typically involves computers to assess the performance of a person in a number of different environments and can give more accurate information than subjective measures alone.
Standardized rating scales are also used to evaluate the severity of a person's symptoms as well as their behavior. They include the Conners abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire and the CBCL. These rating scales employ a series of questions that ask about the frequency with which someone has difficulty staying still or easily distracted. They also ask about a person's tendency to interrupt others, make impulsive mistakes, or simply forget things. The CBCL includes additional questions regarding issues at home and on the job.
These standardized questionnaires are administered by anyone who is familiar with the patient. They can be completed in person, on the phone or via internet. These types of rating scales have high sensitivity and specificity, however they do not always predict the presence or absence of a disorder with 100% accuracy.
he said -5 criteria for ADHD define the disorder as a combination of attentional and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms that occur "often" and "interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, academic or occupational functioning. "15
To be eligible for an ADHD diagnosis, one must exhibit symptomatic behavior in at least two or more environments such as at home, in school or on the job. The symptoms must be severe and cannot be caused by a different disorder like anxiety or depression.
Those who are considering taking a ADHD screening should begin by preparing an inventory of their or their child's symptoms. They should also be ready to answer questions about their past medical history and any relevant family history.