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ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses The first step to manage symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis. Find an accredited mental health specialist or physician (psychiatrist, neurologist, family physician) who is skilled in ADHD assessments and diagnoses. The specialist will conduct an interview that is designed to look at your past. They may want to see old report cards and speak to parents, relatives or even 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 also cause problems with learning and relationships at home, school and work. Speak to your GP when you or your child displays these symptoms. They are unable to diagnose ADHD in a formal way, but they can discuss your concerns and refer you to specialists if required. A GP can assist you in determining whether your symptoms are linked to ADHD by asking questions, looking over your medical history and health records, and performing an examination. You can also mention the history of your family's ADHD to aid in determining the cause. The GP can then refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to conduct a psychiatric assessment. The evaluation could include the description of your symptoms, questionnaires and scales completed by you, your caregivers and teachers along with a psychiatric assessment, physical exam and lab tests. Psychiatrists and psychologists can diagnose ADHD in adolescents and children by following established guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. They look for hyperactivity, inattention 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 in school. Adults can be diagnosed with ADHD however 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 you meet the requirements for diagnosis and your symptoms are adult-specific You may be prescribed medication. Adults suffering from ADHD are usually prescribed psychostimulants that alter neurotransmitters. These drugs improve concentration and focus, while increasing energy and alertness. They can be prescribed in extended-release form to minimize the risk of side effects. Adults who suffer from inattention ADHD may be treated with antidepressants. These drugs, like Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Effexor (venlafaxine), affect neurotransmitters in the brain and improve focus and mood. Diagnosis Finding out if you have ADHD is the first step in controlling the symptoms that could be affecting your life, professionally and personally. A psychiatric examination can be performed by a licensed mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist, family doctor or other type of medical specialist). A person who is diagnosed with an underlying symptom-based diagnosis, such as ADHD must follow certain guidelines laid out in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, to receive treatment for ADHD. During an ADHD assessment Your healthcare provider will ask questions about your child's behavior at the home, school and social environments. The medical history of your child as well as family history and development will be reviewed. Then, they will evaluate your child's behavior against those of children who are their age. They may use standardized rating scales to measure the frequency of certain behavior problems, such as difficulty paying attention, forgetting 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 two or more settings and affect your child's performance and cause problems, and have been present for at least six months. If your child is not able to meet the criteria to qualify for a diagnosis of inattentive ADHD the healthcare professional 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 thorough psychiatric assessment could include neuropsychological and psycho-psychological testing, and computer-based cognitive tests. Your healthcare provider will also assess your child's blood pressure, and perform a physical exam to rule out any medical conditions that could be a cause of ADHD symptoms like thyroid disorders or head injuries (Austerman 2015). They can also ask teachers and caregivers to provide a full history of your child's development and conduct a thorough interview of your child and your family. They will also consider whether there is an ancestral history of ADHD since the condition is highly genetically inherited. Treatment If someone has been diagnosed with ADHD and has been diagnosed with ADHD, they may need medication and/or behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy could include family and individual counseling as in addition to group therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). The first step to receive treatment is to find an specialist in the field of diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance. You can begin by contacting your insurer or asking a local mental health support group like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD, for names of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. Some doctors use computer programs, like continuous tests for performance, to look for attention and impulsivity problems. Others utilize brain scans, such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), to look for signs of abnormalities. Experts agree that the interview with the patient is the most important component of an assessment. During an interview, the clinician will review the symptoms that prompted the appointment. The clinician will also request details from someone who knows the patient well for example, a spouse, sibling or parent. The doctor will also speak with teachers, coaches, nannies and other adults that spend long periods of time with the patient. This is a very thorough process and can take up to an hour. The doctor will write a report, and discuss the findings with the patient. comorbidities is crucial to keep in mind that the definition of ADHD depends on the extent to which the symptoms affect the person's daily life. This means that the individual's symptoms must cause significant impairment in at least two main environments, like home and work. For ADHD to be diagnosed the disorder must have been present at least six month. During the interview, the doctor will review the patient's medical and psychiatric history and determine whether or not the patient is in compliance with the diagnostic criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition Text Revision (DSM-5). A valid diagnosis of ADHD requires at minimum three of the following five symptoms that include difficulty paying attention to particulars, making mistakes, difficulty staying focused on work or other activities, and trouble listening to someone's voice when they speak. Prevention People with inattentional ADHD are usually not diagnosed. They aren't as disruptive or as impulsive as hyperactive ADHD and can be ignored. But their problems do have consequences: they could underperform at school, clash with peers or struggle to hold a job. These people also need to be treated. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official name of the condition. The term ADD is still used from time to time but it's not the most popular. The newer name takes into account that children can be suffering from an inattention symptom. While many of the symptoms are present in all instances, there are distinct ways in which 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 increases the likelihood that they will not be diagnosed, and less likely to receive treatment. A reliable diagnosis requires a thorough evaluation by a health care professional. This may include an assessment of medical history, a clinical interview and a physical exam. It includes analyzing reports from parents, teachers, or other adults with a good knowledge of the individual, and normative rating scales that are completed by loved ones and by teachers. These are useful in determining whether the symptoms are serious enough to cause impairment in functioning. A thorough examination is essential to determine if symptoms are caused by a different medical or psychiatric condition, such as anxiety or depression. In some cases, treating these other disorders will aid in reducing or eliminating the ADHD symptoms. Those diagnosed with the disorder need to be aware of possible adverse effects and treatments. They should also remain in touch with their physician or nurse to make sure that the medications are working exactly as they should. The most common treatment for inattentive ADHD is stimulant drugs that can aid in improving concentration and reduce impulsive behaviors. Other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and parent training can be extremely efficient for both adults and children with this condition too. Patients who are prescribed ADHD medications are advised to schedule regular checks with their health care providers because some patients require adjustments in dosage or other treatment options.