During an initial consultation, you should expect your doctor to review the ADHD criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V (DSM-V). Intelligence tests, broad-spectrum scales, computer tests, and even brain scans may follow to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
The assessment may include: a physical examination, which can help rule out other possible causes for the symptoms. a series of interviews with you or your child. interviews or reports from other significant people, such as partners, parents and teachers.
A medical, physical or neurodevelopmental exam identifies if you or your child meets the criteria for ADHD symptoms, including hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity. Recording symptoms using rating scales and other sources of information ensures you or your child meets standardized criteria.
Brain MRI is a new and experimental tool in the world of ADHD research. Though brain scans cannot yet reliably diagnose ADHD, some scientists are using them to identify environmental and prenatal factors that affect symptoms, and to better understand how stimulant medications trigger symptom control vs. side effects.
Research has shown that in children with ADHD, the prefrontal cortex matures more slowly than typically developing kids. It is also slightly smaller in size. Similarly, the cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala are also thought to be smaller in volume in kids with ADHD.
Yes, ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). There are several types of disabilities, including but not limited to: learning disability. cognitive disability.
The easiest way to get diagnosed and treated for ADHD if you are an adult is to approach your GP. Most GPs have a good understanding of ADHD. More importantly, as community-based health workers GPs have a wide-ranging understanding of medical and social issues that can affect one's cognitive function.
Seeing a Psychologist
You might benefit from referral to a psychologist for an assessment, and to help you develop strategies to address issues that you are concerned about. Psychologists are highly trained and qualified to diagnose and treat people with ADHD using a range of methods based on best available research.
I suspect I may have ADHD. How do I get a referral to an ADHD specialist for an assessment? Make a 10 minute appointment with your GP and simply say you want a referral to an adult ADHD specialist for an assessment. Take along the list of symptoms (with the relevant ones circled) which can be found in our library here.
For adults, doctors may use: Adult ADHD Clinical Diagnostic Scale (ACDS): This is an interview of 18 questions about ADHD symptoms. Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Symptom Assessment Scale (BADDS) for Adults: This is a set of 40 questions that look at attention, memory, and mood issues.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
Similar to the hyperactive symptoms, impulsive symptoms are typically seen by the time a child is four years old and increase during the next three to four years to peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age.
How much does an assessment cost? $370. This includes up to two hours of work done by the psychologist consisting of: Review of the results of the assessment pack.
Can I get a Medicare rebate or Private rebate for an ADHD assessment? Unfortunately it isn't possible to get a rebate via Medicare as Medicare only allows a rebate for treatment and not assessment or testing.
ADHD Assessment & Treatment Centres
To legally protect the rights of people with ADHD in Australia, under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), a person's ADHD must be classed as a disability according to the criteria as specified in the DDA. DDA disability definition criteria relevant to people with ADHD: 1.
Your GP should take you seriously, and ask why you think you might have ADHD. Following this conversation, they may ask you to fill in a screening tool called an 'ASRS form', which you must complete before you can be referred for an assessment.
Getting help
It's also a good idea to speak to a GP if you're an adult and think you may have ADHD, but were not diagnosed with the condition as a child.
A GP is not able to complete an ADHD assessment and diagnosis, as it's a specialist mental health assessment, unless they've done further training in assessing and treating ADHD.
Is ADHD considered a mental illness or disorder? ADHD is considered a psychiatric disorder because its symptoms involve mental functioning and cause significant impairment.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Those with ADHD are often highly creative, especially when given a goal-oriented task. Living with ADHD also requires people to approach tasks differently, which means they can become great problem solvers. Those with ADHD often think of unusual solutions because of their different perspectives.
Adults diagnosed with ADHD often blame themselves for their problems or view themselves in a negative light. This can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, or depression.