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Getting an ADHD Diagnosis A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It is the reason why people have issues such as staying focused on their task, following directions and staying organized. Ask your family physician or your therapist to refer you to an expert. Also make sure to check with your insurance to determine if they cover ADHD evaluations for adults. Diagnosis Process For adults, a correct diagnosis requires an evaluation by a psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse. These are the only healthcare professionals who can diagnose ADHD among adults. A detailed interview about you and your symptoms is often the first step in the initial assessment. The healthcare professional will want to know how long your symptoms have been present and how they affect your daily life. They might suggest that you talk to a family member or friend about your symptoms. The evaluation process will also involve questions about your childhood. The current guidelines do allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without proving that the disorder was present in the early years of childhood. Therefore, the healthcare professional will want to look over your school records and talk to those who knew you when you were in your early years. They'll also ask if you've had any other mental health issues like depression or anxiety. In some cases the evaluator may recommend cognitive testing for example, IQ tests or assessments for memory or learning problems. They may also recommend different types of medical tests to rule out physical conditions that might be causing your symptoms, such as seizures or thyroid disorders. If your healthcare provider believes that your symptoms are related to ADHD, they will recommend further diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine its severity. These tests will likely include urine and blood tests, a medical exam, and possibly psychological or educational tests. Tests are used to measure levels of certain chemicals that are associated with ADHD in your body, for example serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. They will also examine your blood pressure and heart rate. They might also recommend a the spirometry test, which measures your lung capacity. They might also suggest that you undergo an examination of your brain to look for functional or structural issues. In some instances your evaluator may suggest that you or your child be evaluated for disorders that have similar symptoms with ADHD such as depression and anxiety or mood and personality disorders. The Interview There are a variety of ADHD quizzes and questionnaires that can act as a screening instrument before you schedule an appointment with your doctor. These tests can be useful in alerting you to the possibility of ADHD However, the only way to receive an accurate diagnosis is to consult a medical professional who conducts a thorough clinical interview and doesn't rush into prescribing drugs. The process could last between 2 and 3 hours. It includes educating the patient about ADHD and the possible impact it has on their symptoms. The clinician may also ask about a history or depression or substance abuse as these problems can co-occur along with ADHD. A good diagnostic interview will involve a discussion of the patient's symptoms and their impact, and the psychologist or psychiatrist will use a checklist designed to evaluate hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattentiveness. The psychologist or psychiatrist will also need to examine the patient's school records and talk to teachers. If the patient is an adult or spouse, a family members could also be interviewed. Personal insight can reveal details that aren't possible to obtain from questionnaires. Some doctors are overloaded and do not complete this step, or they may insist on seeing a patient only one time, rather than carrying out a full examination. This could lead doctors to make a wrong diagnosis. This is a red-flag when the doctor is too rigid in their criteria to diagnose ADHD. For adults, the evaluator might request the patient to fill out ratings for each of the symptoms on an ADHD checklist and give examples of how the symptoms have affected his or her life. The evaluator then compares the scores with the checklist and assesses for ADHD. For some adults, it can be a great relief to receive a diagnosis of ADHD. However, the underlying emotions- such as guilt for not living up to expectations, or grief that the disorder wasn't discovered until later in life- can be complicated. The inattention and impulsivity that are typical of ADHD can have serious implications in a variety of areas of an individual's life, such as relationships, career and health. The Tests It can be difficult and confusing to obtain an ADHD diagnosis. It requires a lot of paperwork as well as interviews and tests. The best method to prepare is to ask for recommendations from family, friends and doctors you trust. You should also research the specialist and their professional credentials to make sure they're a good fit to your needs. It is crucial to find a doctor who specializes in diagnosing ADHD. This will ensure that your child or you receives an accurate diagnosis and the best treatment. An interview with an evaluator is the first step in an ADHD evaluation. The evaluator might ask you or your child questions to learn more about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how your symptoms impact your daily life and whether they interfere with work, school or relationships. The evaluator may also use rating scales to measure your ADHD symptoms. They usually consist of checklists that ask you or someone who is close to you several questions. For instance, you might be asked if you frequently forget appointments, or you might be asked how often you interrupt other people. Many evaluators also solicit people who know you and your child well to fill out questionnaires about their observations of your behavior. For adults, this could be spouses and siblings and for children, it might be teachers, coaches and nannies, or daycare workers. Personal experience can reveal facts that cannot be gleaned from a questionnaire. The evaluators can also perform cognitive testing to see whether intellectual or learning disabilities are contributing to your symptoms. They might also look for mood disorders like bipolar disorder, depression, or incipient psychosis. They may also screen for medical conditions that are underlying such as hypothyroidism and seizure disorders. Some evaluators may give you or your children an ADHD screening test to determine your response to non-target and target stimuli. For instance, the TOVA (Timed On-Only Visual Attention) is an FDA-cleared computerized test that assesses your ability to pay attention and remember a series of geometric shapes. The examiner will look at the frequency with which you respond to non-target stimuli, and the time it takes you to respond to targeted stimuli. This can help evaluators determine if you suffer from an impulsive ADHD or inattentive ADHD. Follow-up Multiple mental health professionals are able to diagnose ADHD and provide ADHD evaluations. This could be a psychiatrist, psychologist psychotherapist, neurologist or. The doctor will ask you what the issues you are facing and how long these problems have been occurring for. He will also ask about any family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be 70-80% heritable. Genes play a major role in whether your child or you will suffer from symptoms. The specialist will be interested in how your your child's ADHD affects your daily life, including home, work, and at school. He will inquire about your your child's behavior in various settings, because the symptoms of ADHD are different when they are encountered in different situations. To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your child will also be required to show at least six symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity that hinders the daily activities. It must last for at least six months. To make diagnosis for adhd , the doctor will need to rule other conditions out. This could include psychiatric conditions that are not listed above, mood and anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities and certain medical conditions that affect the brain, for example, thyroid disorders. The doctor will also inquire about your child or yourself's habits of sleep and any injuries or accidents in the past that may have affected your child's or yourself's brain development. He will also consider whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are related to any other health issues or medications you or your child is taking. Side effects of stimulant medications such as those used to treat ADHD can include stomachaches and trouble sleeping. Other medications, including antidepressants as well as some sleep medications are also prone to these side effects. The expert will also need to determine whether there is a comorbidity. This means that you or your child may have a different condition that can cause symptoms of ADHD. This could be bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will look over the information and then make the diagnosis.