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Getting adult diagnosis adhd of ADHD can change your life. It explains why some individuals have difficulty staying organized, following directions or staying focused. Ask your family doctor or therapist to refer you to an expert. Contact your insurance provider to see if it covers ADHD assessments for adults. The Diagnosis Process A psychologist, psychiatrist, or specialist nurse will be required to examine adults to determine the correct diagnosis. These are the only healthcare professionals who can determine ADHD in adults. A detailed interview about your health and symptoms is often the first step in the initial assessment. The healthcare professional may also inquire about how long you have had symptoms and how they are affecting your life. They might ask you to talk to a family member or friend about your symptoms. The evaluation process will also include questions about your childhood. Because current guidelines do not permit a doctor to diagnose ADHD in adults without evidence of the disorder's presence in childhood, the healthcare professional may wish to look at your school records or talk with teachers or other people who knew you as a child. They may also inquire if you have had any other mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. In certain instances an evaluator might suggest cognitive tests such as IQ testing or tests for memory or learning problems. They may also recommend that you undergo other types of medical tests to rule out physical conditions which could be causing your symptoms. If your healthcare professional is convinced that your symptoms are due to ADHD, they may recommend additional tests to confirm and determine the severity of the condition. These tests may include urine and blood tests as well as a medical examination and perhaps educational or psychological tests. Tests will be used to determine the levels of specific chemicals that could be linked with ADHD in your body, such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. They will also check your blood pressure and heart rate. You may also be offered a spirometry, which measures lung capacity. They may also recommend that you undergo an MRI of your brain to check for functional or structural issues. In some cases, the evaluator may suggest that you or your child be evaluated for other conditions that have similar symptoms to ADHD such as depression and anxiety or mood and personality disorders. The Interview There are numerous ADHD quizzes and questions that can be used as a screening tool before making an appointment with your physician. These tests can provide you with the information that you have ADHD however the clinical interview with your doctor is the only method to confirm the diagnosis. This process could take anywhere from about 2 to 3 hours. It includes a time spent explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it might affect their symptoms. The clinician may also ask about any history of substance abuse or depression 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. Additionally, the therapist will be required to review school records and talk to teachers. If the patient is an older adult, they could also interview a spouse or family member. Personal insight can provide details that are not available through questionnaires. Some doctors are overloaded and do not complete this step, or they might insist on seeing a patient only once, instead of conducting an extensive assessment. This can lead to incorrect diagnosis. If the clinician is too firmly rooted in the criteria for diagnosing ADHD and insists that a patient needs to display six or more symptoms to receive a diagnosis, that's a red flag. For adults, the evaluator could ask the patient to complete ratings for each of the symptoms on an ADHD checklist and then provide examples of how the symptoms have impacted his or her life. The evaluator then compares the ratings to the checklist and assesses for ADHD. For certain adults, it may be a relief to finally be diagnosed with ADHD. The deep-seated emotions, such as guilt or sadness for not meeting expectations or that the disorder wasn't noticed until later in the life, may be complicated. The inattention and impulsivity that are typical of ADHD can have severe implications throughout a person's life, including relationships, work and health. The Tests It can be a challenge and confusing to get an ADHD diagnosis. It requires a lot of paperwork and interviews as well as tests. The best way to prepare is to ask for recommendations from family, friends and doctors you trust. You must also research the doctor and their credentials to make sure they're a good match for your needs. It is crucial to find a doctor who is skilled in diagnosing ADHD. This will ensure that your child or you receives a precise diagnosis and the most effective treatment. The first step of an ADHD assessment is an interview with the evaluation expert. The assessor will ask questions of your child or you to collect information about your symptoms. The evaluator will want to know how the symptoms affect you and whether they interfere with your schoolwork, work or social relationships. The evaluator may also use rating scales to assess your ADHD symptoms. These are typically checklists in which you or someone you know is asked a series of questions. For instance, you might be asked if you often miss appointments, or you might be asked how often you interrupt other people. Many evaluators also ask people who know you or your child well to fill out questionnaires based on their observations of your behavior. For adults, this could be spouses and siblings; for children, it might be teachers, coaches and nannies, or daycare workers. Personal experience can provide information that isn't feasible to collect from a questionnaire. Certain evaluators might also conduct cognitive tests to determine if you have learning or mental disorders contribute to your symptoms. They may also test for mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder or depression, incipient psychosis or substance abuse. They could also test for underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism or seizures. Some evaluators may give you or your children an ADHD screening test to measure your response to non-target and target stimuli. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computer-based test approved by the FDA that tests your ability to pay attention and remember a number of geometric shapes. The evaluator will examine the frequency with which you respond to non-targeted stimuli and how long it takes for you to respond to target stimuli. This will help the evaluators identify which subtype of ADHD you are whether you are inattentive or impulsive. The Follow-Up Many kinds of mental health professionals can offer ADHD evaluations and provide a diagnosis. This could include a psychiatrist, psychologist psychotherapist, neurologist, or psychotherapist. The doctor will want to know what your concerns are and how long the problems have been present for. He will also ask whether there any family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be 70-80 percent hereditary. Genes play a major influence on whether your child or you be affected. The expert will be interested in how your or your child's ADHD affects your life, including home, work, and at school. He will inquire with you or your child about their behavior in different situations since ADHD symptoms differ in different settings. To be diagnosed with ADHD either you or your child need to have at least six or more signs of hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity that hinders the daily activities. This must last at minimum for six months. To make a correct diagnosis, the specialist will have to rule other conditions out. This could include psychiatric conditions that are not listed above such as mood and anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities and medical conditions that affect the brain, for example, thyroid disorders. In addition, the specialist will ask about your or your child's sleeping patterns as well as any injuries or accidents that might have affected the development of your or your child's brain. He will also look into whether your or your child's ADHD symptoms are linked to any other health conditions or medications that you or your child are taking. For example, stimulant medications used to treat ADHD can cause side effects, such as stomachaches and insomnia. These side effects could also be caused by other drugs, including sleep medications, antidepressants, and some sleep aids. Finally, the expert will determine if a comorbidity is present, which means that your child or you is suffering from another illness that could cause symptoms of ADHD like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, or an eating disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will go through all the data and make the diagnosis.