How to Get an Assessment of ADHD
The NHS offers a 'Right to Request Scheme' that means you can ask your GP to refer you to an ADHD assessment. This is often quicker than waiting for a specialist psychiatrist or psychologist to become available.
Rating scales and tests can be used to confirm or rule out the ADHD diagnosis, but these measures have problems with sensitivity and specificity.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of adhd can be difficult to determine. While everyone experiences difficulty concentrating or getting organized at times, symptoms of ADHD have far-reaching, long-lasting consequences in many areas of life that impact the ability of a person to function normally at work and home. A doctor who conducts a psychiatric evaluation will take into account the person's symptoms, how long they have been occurring and how much they are affecting their daily life. They will also consider other factors such as family history, education and environment.
There are three kinds of ADHD. One of the primary requirements for determining ADHD is that the person has significant issues in at least two different areas of their lives, which includes 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 healthcare professional will apply their clinical knowledge to determine what type of ADHD they are diagnosing.
Attention-deficit ADHD is characterized by difficulty paying attention and difficulty staying focused. People suffering from this type of ADHD often make mistakes at work and school, forget things, struggle to finish tasks on time, and are easily distracted by non-essential thoughts or stimuli. They have difficulty staying focused when reading or talking. Children can get up from their seats when they have to sit and be unable to remain in their seats.
The signs of the disorder known as impulsive ADHD are rapid and dramatic responses to extraneous stimuli. These people are known to blurt out their answers before the question has been completed and are unable to wait for their turn in an interaction, and are often interrupt other people. Children often have trouble controlling their behavior and are unable to stop themselves from touching things they shouldn't. As they get older and mature they are in a state of confusion and may be easily influenced by others' opinions and desires.
There are several self-assessment tools available for adults to determine if they might have ADHD. This includes the Women's ADHD Self-Assessment Symptom Inventory and the Adult ADHD Symptom Scale. The Women's ADHD Self-Assessment Tool is a tool developed by two clinicians specializing in treating females suffering from ADHD. It is a tool that takes into consideration certain particular challenges females face with ADHD. The Adult ADHD Scale is designed to measure the typical impulsive, inattentive and impulsive behaviors that are characteristic of ADHD.
Family History
Some experts believe that ADHD occurs in families. The doctor will ask about your family history. She might ask whether you have other family members with ADHD, or whether any of your siblings suffer from it. She may be interested in knowing if your parents or grandparents had 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. These specialists are usually psychologists or psychiatrists, but they could also be nurses, social workers or dieticians, too. These professionals will also interview you, as well as someone who knows you very well (spouses siblings, parents teachers, coaches, or the nannies for children) in addition to using these tools. They can offer you insights that are difficult to obtain from self-assessments or questionnaires.
The specialist will review your past behavior and determine whether you meet the criteria to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. 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 must exhibit five or more symptoms within the past six months. These symptoms must be a significant hindrance with school, work as well as home and social situations. The symptoms must manifest before the age of 12 and last for at least six months in order to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.
Your doctor may suggest an examination for your body, which could include a hearing and vision screening, to rule medical causes of your symptoms. They will also discuss your family history, lifestyle, and any previous and present health issues. You could also take an assessment of your personality, and take a few psychological tests. These tests examine your memory, ability to make decisions, and thinking processes to determine if you have other conditions such as depression or anxiety. Neuropsychological tests, for instance test the way your brain processes data. This can help her determine the cause of your symptoms and suggest the best treatment option.
Self-Assessment Tools
There are numerous different scales and questionnaires that can be used when assessing ADHD symptoms. These tools can provide a wealth of information to an expert making an assessment of ADHD, and they are usually quick and easy to complete.
These ratings can be made by the person themselves, their parents, teachers or a third party such as a clinician or therapist. They can assist an expert identify what ADHD symptoms are present and the locations they occur. They can be used to determine co-occurring disorders that could contribute to symptoms of ADHD.
The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, v1.1, is one of the most commonly used and highly regarded rating scales used 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 is used to screen or monitor over time, and is usually included in national and international ADHD Guidelines.
Even the most effective rating tools have their limitations. They are susceptible to mistakes and biases and there are a myriad of reasons why people may be screened positively on these tools, even if they don't have ADHD. It is important to understand that ADHD is a continuum of symptoms, not an exhaustive list of symptoms. To be able to be classified as ADHD, the symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two life domains.
Second, it is crucial to realize that rating scales are not necessarily specific or sensitive enough. Sensitivity is the ability of a measure to distinguish between people with and without a disorder. Specificity however is the degree of accuracy a measure is at correctly identifying people who do have an illness.
It is therefore very important that the results of these kinds of rating scales are interpreted by a professional and this can only be done through an assessment performed by a qualified mental health professional, like a psychiatrist or an therapist who is specialized in ADHD. They will inquire about the symptoms of the patient, perform neuropsychological tests and use other methods such as clinical interviews or observational methods to identify ADHD.
Tests
The obtaining of an ADHD diagnosis can be a relief to the person who suffers from it or their parents. It can be a challenge too, as the disorder is often accompanied by other problems in life such as poor performance at school or work, strained relationships, and financial strain. The condition can even hinder the quality of a person's sleep and can result in anxiety, depression and weight increase.
In addition to taking a thorough medical history, doctors may conduct neuropsychological tests to evaluate the impact of the symptoms on the functioning of an individual. This kind of test uses computerized tests to assess the performance of an individual in different situations. It can provide more reliable information than subjective assessments.
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 provide a set of questions to determine how often an individual is unable to sit still or gets easily distracted. They also inquire about the person's tendency to interrupt others, make careless mistakes or forget things. The CBCL includes additional questions about problems at home as well as on the job.
These standard questionnaires can be administered in person, over the phone or online and can be completed by anyone who knows the patient well. These scales of rating are extremely specific and precise, but they do not always accurately determine the presence or absence of a disorder.
The DSM-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 receive an ADHD diagnosis, one must exhibit symptomatic behavior in two or more settings such as at home, in school or on the job. The symptoms must be severe and not be caused by a different disorder like depression or anxiety.
Prepare for an ADHD screening by making a list with your symptoms or those of your child. They should be prepared to answer questions about their previous medical history, as well as any relevant family history.