Who Can Diagnose ADHD?
ADHD is generally diagnosed by a clinician trained in differential diagnosis (so that they can determine if symptoms relate to one condition, such as ADHD, or if they fit with something else such as autism). Generally this is a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist.
In adults over 16 years old, specialist assessors (APC) and educational psychologists are able to identify if ADHD is highly likely and this level of identification can be used to gain support at university and work, DSA funding and Access to Work funding. Please contact Dyslexia South to organise an adult ADHD assessment (educational diagnosis).
The medical route (which requires diagnosis by a psychiatrist) would have the potential to provide specific medications for ADHD that can help to control impairing levels of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and associated emotional lability. Several medications are safe and effective for treating ADHD and for preventing many adverse outcomes (Faraone et al, 2021). These are recommended by NICE (2008, 2018) as first line treatments for the reduction of impairing levels of ADHD symptoms and may have a considerable impact on improving educational performance and other aspects of ADHD. The NICE guidance recommends a holistic approach when planning treatment and highlights the importance of discussing strengths and weaknesses of both pharmacological and alternative interventions with people with ADHD. It should be noted that NHS services are limited in this area.
ADHD Checklist
If your child fits many of the criteria below, you may wish to seek further professional advice around ADHD.
The child is much less likely than the other children in class to pay attention to school work, and makes seemingly inexplicable mistakes.
The young person appears to have substantially more difficulty sustaining concentration when engaged in practical or play activities.
The child is described as failing to listen, even when spoken to directly.
When the child is given a task which they are motivated to engage with, they do not complete it.
The child does not seem able to get hold of themselves and the set task sufficiently to be able to organize their thoughts and plan a reasonable plan of action, yet they do understand what is expected of them when questioned about the task.
The young person will actively avoid, and clearly dislikes, tasks and activities that demand sustained concentration and thought.
Teachers and parents complain that the child always manages to lose things. This becomes particularly apparent with respect to school essentials like pens, pencils etc. but they will also be mislaying items precious to them such as toys.
The child is easily distracted; when observed, they appear to turn toward movement and noise. The child appears to be over alert.
Routine tasks are often forgotten, leading to frustration in those who have to manage the child, who may complain of the child deliberately avoiding routine tasks.
When observed, the child appears much more restless than peers. For instance, when on the carpet they may squirm from one side of the carpet to the other, seemingly oblivious to what they are doing.
There is a very clear pattern of wandering around the classroom when the task demands the children are seated. They appear to be on the look out for any reason to leave their seat.
The child will take any opportunity to engage in running around or climbing; this is particularly noticeable when it is an inappropriate activity and other children in the class are not engaging in these activities.
Quiet play is not something you would associate with the child.