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ADHD Assessment in the UK A thorough diagnostic assessment is required for a correct diagnosis. This includes screening questionnaires distributed prior to as well as an interview with you, ideally someone who has a good understanding of you since childhood, analysis of historic school reports (if available) and a full mental health consultation. The NHS has guidelines that must be followed in order to make an ADHD assessment. However, many people choose to go through a private healthcare provider to accelerate the process and avoid lengthy waiting lists. What is an ADHD assessment? A healthcare professional can listen to your concerns and assist you to get to the bottom of them with an ADHD assessment. You will work with a qualified psychiatrist to determine what is happening and how it could be impacting your daily life. They will evaluate you using various tools including symptoms checklists and scales of behaviour. They will also take into account any family history of mental health issues and your past experiences. The psychiatrist can then confirm which of three major subtypes you may be suffering from. The doctor will also confirm the absence of any other medical or psychological conditions that may mimic the symptoms of ADHD. This is vital since if a different disorder is mistaken for ADHD it could mean that you are treated incorrectly and the symptoms of your ADHD may not improve. The specialist will also determine the severity of the symptoms and how these affect your daily activities using the same criteria as an NHS specialist. It is recommended to make a list of questions or concerns that you have ahead of time. This will help ensure that all your needs are addressed and that nothing is missed. It is also a good idea to make notes of any particular problems you've experienced. You will be able to remember these issues better when you record them. It can help in getting an ADHD diagnosis more effective. It is recommended that you bring any relevant documentation with you to your appointment. You can bring old work or school report cards or even performance evaluations. If you have any medical or educational records that can be used to show the impact of ADHD on your life, they can be beneficial for the doctor to have on hand also. Iampsychiatry may be asked to fill out pre-screening questionnaires before your appointment. These can be accessed when you log in to your portal dashboard. They are generally available to fill out prior to your appointment with the psychiatrist. It is recommended to do this as soon as you can, since it can cut down your waiting time. How do I get an ADHD assessment? A diagnosis of ADHD may be the first step towards getting the help and support you require. In the UK, GPs cannot diagnose ADHD but can refer for an assessment to a psychologist or psychiatrist who are the only healthcare professionals in the nation who are qualified to determine the diagnosis (and prescribe medication when needed). An NHS-funded ADHD assessment will involve a specialist psychologist or psychiatrist and typically takes between 45 and 90 minutes. You will be asked questions regarding your general mental health and your family's mental health history and the symptoms you are experiencing. The doctor will also take into consideration any other medical and psychological conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms. Your specialist will also ask you whether you've had similar problems. Current guidelines for diagnosing ADHD stipulate that ADHD is only diagnosed as an adult when symptoms have been present since childhood. If you've experienced these symptoms as an adult Your doctor will inquire if your problems have improved or worsened over time. They will also look into any other factors that could affect your symptoms, like anxiety and stress. They may also suggest that you join an online group-based ADHD education and support programme or suggest other therapies, like cognitive therapy for behavior. If you live in England and are having difficulty getting an NHS-funded ADHD assessment, you are able to benefit from your Right to Choose. You can choose to have your assessment privately when the NHS wait time is too long or you don't want to wait around at all. Private assessments are more expensive but will give you direct access to treatment. Your specialist will write complete reports that you can take to your GP and will go over any recommended medications or other treatment options with you. If you request, they'll also send a recommendation letter to your workplace or school. The cost will vary based on how long it takes to write the letter. What happens during a ADHD assessment? A psychiatric assessment is the first step in an ADHD assessment. Your doctor will go over your symptom history and ask questions about your development, health, family and lifestyle. They will also utilize standard questionnaires that will be mailed to you in advance. They will also want to interview other people, like spouses, siblings or parents, and may ask friends and teachers to share their thoughts as well. The interviews aren't designed to slam you, but to help identify other factors that could be causing your symptoms, like depression or anxiety. During the interview, your doctor may review any documents you bring in, such as copies of your previous psychological tests or old school reports. The evaluation will also involve talking to the person who is the closest to you like your spouse, sibling or parent. This is to gather information on your childhood experiences as you might have forgotten certain details or the behaviours might have changed as you got older. The psychiatrist will also analyse any information you have provided in the standardised questionnaires prior your appointment, so they will have a clear picture of your symptoms. They will also look at any other information from your past like old school reports or an exam for neurodevelopmental or medical conditions. This is to make sure that you meet the standard criteria for ADHD. For children, this is at least six established ADHD behaviors in one of the two categories of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity over a period of six months. Adults must exhibit at least five symptoms established within the same timeframe. Your psychiatrist will then conduct a psychiatric interview in person with you after collecting all the relevant information. The psychiatrist will review all the information collected to determine if you are suffering from ADHD symptoms. This process involves evaluating your symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). If your doctor determines that you do have ADHD They will prepare a report for your GP. The doctor will then decide on the best treatment plan, which could include pharmacological treatment (medication) and psychological therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you have a legal right to select your preferred healthcare provider, which means you can visit your private doctor for an ADHD assessment in the event that you don't want to wait for the NHS. What happens following an ADHD assessment? A professional ADHD diagnosis can transform your life. It can assist you in obtaining treatment and reduce the feeling of confusion and self-doubt about your symptoms. The first thing you should do if you suspect you or your child has ADHD is to talk to your GP. They can refer you to a specialist psychiatrist or psychologist, who are the only healthcare professionals certified in the UK to diagnose ADHD. NHS patients have to wait months to get a referral, so many choose to use private instead. Once you have been referred to an assessment, the doctor will conduct an interview with you or your child in person. The interview will include subjects like development, health, family history, as well as lifestyle. The doctor may request to speak to other people such as teachers or daycare providers. This is not an attempt to check your answers, but rather to discover how your symptoms impact your child or different situations. The doctor will also utilize rating scales to determine the frequency you experience specific symptoms, like restlessness and difficulty staying focused. This will determine if are in line with the criteria for ADHD. They will also determine if there are any other problems that you might have such as anxiety or depression. If you have an ancestral history of ADHD it is important to telling your physician about this also, since there are genetic influences that affect the likelihood of developing the disorder. Following the psychiatric examination, your clinician will prepare a thorough report that you can bring to your GP. This will include a detailed diagnosis and a treatment recommendation. If you've been diagnosed as an adult suffering from ADHD If you have been diagnosed as an adult with ADHD, your GP might suggest you take a medication. If the medication works, you should tell the DVLA and your insurance company, as you'll have to update your driver's license. Your therapist may recommend that you and your child attend a parenting class to study together how to manage ADHD. This can help improve your relationship with your child and make you more confident and a better parent.