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ADHD Evaluations and Diagnoses The first step in managing symptoms is to obtain a diagnosis Find an accredited mental health professional or physician psychiatrist or neurologist family doctor who is specialized in ADHD assessments and diagnoses The expert will conduct an organized interview to review your background They may ask to see old reports and speak to teachers family members or friends to get information about your childhood habits Symptoms Children and adults who have symptoms of attentiondeficithyperactivity disorder ADHD often have trouble with paying close attention listening attentively and following directionsthings that come naturally to others These symptoms can also interfere with relationships and learning at home school and work If you or your child have these symptoms talk to a GP Theyre not able to definitively diagnose ADHD however they can discuss your concerns with you and recommend specialist services if needed A GP will be able to determine if you suffer from ADHD symptoms by asking questions reviewing medical records and your medical history and performing a physical exam You can also discuss the history of ADHD in your family to aid in diagnosis The GP will then recommend you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to conduct a psychiatric examination The evaluation may consist of an explanation of your symptoms as well as questionnaires and scales filled out by you your caregivers and teachers a psychiatric history and physical exam and lab tests Psychology and psychiatry can help diagnose ADHD among children and adolescents using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association They look for inattention hyperactivity and impulsivity patterns that last for a period of six months or more and determine if these symptoms impact your daily life at home at work and in school Adults may be diagnosed with ADHD in the same way but their symptoms are more likely to present differently as they get older They can have a predominantly inattentive presentation of the disorder a predominantly hyperactiveimpulsive presentation or a combination of both If you meet the requirements for diagnosis and your symptoms are adultspecific you could be prescribed medication Adults suffering from ADHD are often prescribed psychostimulants that affect neurotransmitters These drugs boost energy and alertness improving concentration and focus They can be prescribed in extendedrelease form to reduce the risk of adverse effects Adults who present with inattentive ADHD might be treated with antidepressants These medications such as Wellbutrin bupropion and Effexor venlafaxine alter neurotransmitters in the brain and enhance mood and focus Diagnosis A diagnosis of ADHD can assist you in taking control of symptoms which may affect your personal and professional life A psychiatric examination is performed by a licensed mental health professional or a physician psychiatrist neurologist family doctor or any other kind of medical specialist To receive treatment for ADHD a person with a symptom based diagnosis such as ADHD must follow certain criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association During the ADHD evaluation youll be asked questions about your childs behavior at home at school and in social situations They will also review your childs development medical and family history Then they will compare your childs behavior against that of other children their age They can employ standardized ratings scales to determine the frequency of certain behavior issues such as the inability to pay attention ignoring things or interrupting other people There are three presentations of ADHD predominately inattentive hyperactiveimpulsive and combined To be diagnosed with ADHD your child must meet six of the nine symptoms that fall under either the inattentive or the hyperactiveimpulsive categories They must occur in more than one setting affect your childs functioning and cause disruption and be present for at least six months If your child is not able to meet all of the criteria needed to be diagnosed of inattentive ADHD the healthcare professional will assign them an unspecified ADHD They might also decide that your child does not have a hyperactiveimpulsive presentation of the condition and not give them an official ADHD diagnosis A thorough psychiatric examination may include neuropsychological and psychological tests as well as cognitive tests that are computerbased Your healthcare provider will also conduct a physical examination and examine your childs heart rate to determine if there are medical conditions like thyroid disorders or head injuries that can be a cause of ADHD symptoms They might also request details about the issue from parents and teachers 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 with ADHD and has been diagnosed with ADHD they might require medication andor therapy for behavioral issues Behavioral therapy may include individual and family counseling as well as group therapy such as dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive therapy The first step in getting treatment is to locate an expert in the field of diagnosing ADHD who is covered by your insurance You can start by contacting your insurance provider or a local mental health support group such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI or CHADD to find professionals who specialize in ADHD in your area Some doctors employ computerbased tests like continuous performances tests to check for problems with attention and impulse control Others use brain scans like singlephoton emission computed tomography SPECT to search for abnormalities However experts agree that the most significant element of an examination is an interview with the patient During the interview the doctor will discuss the symptoms that led up to the appointment The clinician may also seek out someone who is very familiar with the patient such as their spouse parent or sibling for details The doctor will also speak with teachers coaches nannies and other adults who spend much time with the patient This is a thorough procedure that can be a long time The doctor will write the report and then discuss the findings with the patient It is crucial to keep in mind that a diagnosis of ADHD will be based on the extent to which the symptoms impact the persons everyday life This means that the patients symptoms must cause significant impairment in at minimum two major environments like the workplace and at home In my latest blog post for ADHD to be diagnosed the impairment must have been present at minimum six months During the interview the doctor will discuss the persons medical and psychiatric history and determine whether or not the patient is in compliance with the diagnostic criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition Text Revision DSM5 A valid diagnosis of ADHD is based on at least three of the five symptom categories trouble paying attention to the smallest of details and making careless mistakes difficulty staying focused on work or activities or tasks difficulty in listening to what you are spoken to and daydreaming or appearing distracted The following is a list with preventions People with inattentional ADHD are often not diagnosed Theyre not as disruptive or as impulsive as hyperactive ADHD and can be ignored Their issues can have serious consequences They may not perform well in school have disagreements with their peers or struggle to keep an occupation These people also need to be treated Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the official term used to describe the condition The term ADD can be occasionally used however it is not the most popular The newer definition takes into account that children might only be suffering from an inattention symptom While many of the symptoms are common to all cases there are some distinct ways in which the disorder manifests between girls and boys Girls and children assigned female at birth AFAB tend to show more inattentive symptoms which are less noticeable than the hyperactiveimpulsive symptoms This increases the likelihood that they go undiagnosed and receive less treatment A thorough evaluation by a healthcare professional is required to make an accurate diagnosis This may include an assessment of medical history along with a medical interview and a physical exam It is also a matter of reviewing reports from teachers parents or other adults who know the patient well as well as normed rating scales that are completed by family members and educators These are helpful in determining whether the symptoms are present in a way that impacts the functioning It is important to conduct a thorough assessment to determine if the symptoms are caused by another medical or psychiatric condition such as anxiety or depression In some cases treatment of other disorders can aid in reducing or eliminating ADHD symptoms People who have been diagnosed with the disorder must be aware of what to expect from their treatment and possible medication adverse effects They should also keep in contact with their physician to ensure that the medication is functioning in the way it should Stimulant drugs are the most popular treatment of inattention ADHD They can help improve concentration and reduce the risk of impulsive behavior Adults and children suffering from ADHD who are inattentive can benefit from other treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or parent training People who are prescribed ADHD medications should also be advised to have regular checks with their healthcare providers as some patients require adjustments in dosage or other treatment options