Assessment and Diagnosis
Think you might have ADHD?
Psycom.net have developed a short (~2mins) self-assessment quiz using the official DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. This won’t give you the definitive diagnosis but it’s a good place to start!
Think your child might have ADHD?
The first challenge you are likely to face is persuading either your GP or school to make a referral to CAMHS (or paediatrics in the case of younger children).
While you may suspect ADHD, it is important at this stage to consider issues that may be contributing to the problems that your child faces.
Assessment and diagnosis
Professor Peter Hill (Child and adolescent psychiatrist)
There are very clear guidelines for the diagnosis of ADHD in both children and adults.
The first challenge is in persuading either your GP or school to make a referral to CAMHS (or paediatrics in the case on younger children). Whilst you may suspect ADHD, it is important to consider that there may be other issues contributing to the problems that your child faces, and that these must also be considered.
In simple terms:
For a child of school age to be diagnosed, information has to be collected from both parents and school.
Clinicians may send rating scales (e.g. Connor’s) to you and the school, or more general screening questionnaires like the SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties).
Before attending any appointment, or even seeking a referral, it is worth keeping a running list of the difficulties that you and your child are experiencing, and any signifianct incidents that occur.
Note the date and time and just brief details of what happened.
Also worth noting are any anomalies that you may have noticed in early development such as when language developed, toilet trainings, crawling and walking etc. These can be difficult to remember unless you think about where you were at the time.
Finally, note anything that was ‘unusual’ about your child when they first started playgroup or school, as well as issues around sleep and eating, or the way your child played.
Image by Boyoun Kim
Not all difficulties are the result of ADHD.
Be prepared for other possible answers.
If the information suggests that ADHD may be a possibility, you will be called for a clinical interview, at which your child may be observed.
This is a contentious process because some young people can self-regulate in clinical or novel settings and appear not to have problems.
The clinicians will want to know about the home situation, family history, evidence of disorders in your families (ADHD is very heritable and tends to run in families), and the general health of your child.
If ADHD is diagnosed, clinicians may recommend ‘parent training’ sessions as the first option.
This is in the national guidelines for all but the most severe cases.
Image by Davide Bonazzi
Don’t be put-off by the suggestion that changes to parenting might be of help. No-one is criticising you as a parent.
The techniques suggested are based on solid experience and can shine a light on why certain behaviours occur, for example, in understanding the difference between ‘meltdowns’ and ‘tantrums’.
If your child’s symptoms are severe, or if they persist, you may be offered medication.
Before medication can be offered, certain medical checks must be carried-out and particularly any irregularities in the cardio system.
Your clinician should alert you to both the benefits and the possible side-effects of medication.
Keep asking the question, is the treatment doing what we want it to do?
Has it improved my child’s quality of life?
Here are some key points to consider:
Work out why medication may be of help. What is it you and your child wants to change?
Involve your child and help them to understand that the medication is to help them and is not primarily for the adults around them.
Explain what the medication does and that it is NOT designed to control them. This website is excellent for explaining ADHD and treatment to children (and parents!!).
Finding the right level and type of medication may take some time. It is not possible to predict in advance which type will be the best. So be prepared to change if one appears to be ineffective, or if there are significant side effects.
Monitor any side effects carefully and make sure that these are communicated to your clinician, especially if they concern you or your child. Think in particular about changes to sleep patterns and eating behaviour.
Ask yourself if there are any other difficulties that are not being addressed by the medication.