Assessing for ADHD Can Be A Long Drawn Out Process With Few Assurances
Assessing for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is unlike many other conditions where there is a definitive test or procedure performed ultimately arriving at a near certain conclusion.
There are numerous different questionnaires used when assessing for ADHD, most of which are tweaked by the medical profession. The long list of questionnaires would include such names as the Conners' Rating Scales for ages 3 through 17, the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales, Wender Utah Rating Scale, and the Comprehensive Teacher/Parent Rating Scales.
While all of the questionnaires above for assessing ADHD have their differences the bottom line is that they all fit the basic criteria for diagnosis outlined in the American Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders.
Since there are so many different approaches for testing for ADHD with each being tailored to an interpretation of the disorder it simply boils down to subjectivity.
Which brings up questions such as as will your doctor be willing to confirm a diagnosis if the patient is female? What about adults? Does your doctor feel as if ADHD is a condition primarily seen in children? If hyperactive behavior is not part of the equation will they be willing to give a diagnosis on the symptom of inattention alone?
These are questions that should be asked before entering into the evaluation process.
So when assessing for ADHD and ultimately testing for ADHD much will be riding on your medical professionals interpretation of the condition.
As testing for ADHD moves forward your healthcare provider will want to learn more about past and present behaviors. This process will take time and may consist of multiple visits to secure a positive diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The bottom line is that you will be spending a grat deal of time communicating with your doctor/pediatrician about your (or your child's) performance in school, social interactions, and past behaviors.
Now for adults the deck for assessing ADHD is stacked against them in many different ways. For instance, the changes of an ADHD adult remembering everything that went on in their third grade math class may be a little foggy at best. Additionally, your doctor may want to talk to a close family member or friend to confirm behaviors, and quite honestly most people will not want to drag their friends or family members to an ADHD evaluation session to be grilled.
As your doctor grinds through the evaluation process he will also be looking for signs of other conditions that could possibly affect behavior such as trouble seeing or hearing, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, seizure disorders, speech problems, or bi-polar disorder.
After all this time, effort, and expense your doctor may want a second opinion from a specialist (psychologist, psychiatrist, or neurologist) to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment
After assessing for ADHD along with testing for ADHD has been completed finding an effective treatment option is an important next step. The most common form of treatment currently are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine. Despite their name they generally do not produce additional overactive behaviors.
While effective, all stimulant medications come with a number of serious label warnings. The risk of side effects, or perhaps lack of success with stimulants, has prompted many to investigate other options.
A couple examples of this are behavior modification therapy and/or natural remedies. Natural remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription alternatives.
There are numerous different questionnaires used when assessing for ADHD, most of which are tweaked by the medical profession. The long list of questionnaires would include such names as the Conners' Rating Scales for ages 3 through 17, the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales, Wender Utah Rating Scale, and the Comprehensive Teacher/Parent Rating Scales.
While all of the questionnaires above for assessing ADHD have their differences the bottom line is that they all fit the basic criteria for diagnosis outlined in the American Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders.
Since there are so many different approaches for testing for ADHD with each being tailored to an interpretation of the disorder it simply boils down to subjectivity.
Which brings up questions such as as will your doctor be willing to confirm a diagnosis if the patient is female? What about adults? Does your doctor feel as if ADHD is a condition primarily seen in children? If hyperactive behavior is not part of the equation will they be willing to give a diagnosis on the symptom of inattention alone?
These are questions that should be asked before entering into the evaluation process.
So when assessing for ADHD and ultimately testing for ADHD much will be riding on your medical professionals interpretation of the condition.
As testing for ADHD moves forward your healthcare provider will want to learn more about past and present behaviors. This process will take time and may consist of multiple visits to secure a positive diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The bottom line is that you will be spending a grat deal of time communicating with your doctor/pediatrician about your (or your child's) performance in school, social interactions, and past behaviors.
Now for adults the deck for assessing ADHD is stacked against them in many different ways. For instance, the changes of an ADHD adult remembering everything that went on in their third grade math class may be a little foggy at best. Additionally, your doctor may want to talk to a close family member or friend to confirm behaviors, and quite honestly most people will not want to drag their friends or family members to an ADHD evaluation session to be grilled.
As your doctor grinds through the evaluation process he will also be looking for signs of other conditions that could possibly affect behavior such as trouble seeing or hearing, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, seizure disorders, speech problems, or bi-polar disorder.
After all this time, effort, and expense your doctor may want a second opinion from a specialist (psychologist, psychiatrist, or neurologist) to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment
After assessing for ADHD along with testing for ADHD has been completed finding an effective treatment option is an important next step. The most common form of treatment currently are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine. Despite their name they generally do not produce additional overactive behaviors.
While effective, all stimulant medications come with a number of serious label warnings. The risk of side effects, or perhaps lack of success with stimulants, has prompted many to investigate other options.
A couple examples of this are behavior modification therapy and/or natural remedies. Natural remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription alternatives.
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