ADHD
Assessment

 

ADHD
Assessment

 

How Can ADHD Assessment Help?

For children or adults struggling with symptoms of ADHD, assessment is the first step towards getting help. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can cause a range of difficulties to everyday life including; having a short attention span, having problems with organisation, being forgetful, being easily distractible and having difficulties sticking to one particular task. Symptoms of hyperactivity are not present in all cases but where present, cause additional problems such as being unable to sit still, being impulsive, having a poor sense of danger, excessive talking and being unable to take turns. Problems associated with ADHD can have a significant impact on everyday life, preventing individuals reaching their full potential within relationships, at school or in the workplace. Unfortunately, due to the stress and impact of living with the condition, ADHD can also lead to other psychological difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Symptoms of ADHD are often misunderstood and people with ADHD can be incorrectly thought of as lacking in intellectual ability or willingness to behave appropriately.

What Does An Assessment Involve?

An ADHD assessment usually comes in two parts:

Part 1

Part 1 is an initial screening assessment to help establish whether it is appropriate for the individual to undergo full diagnostic assessment. It is a general neurodevelopmental screen meaning that ASD as well as ADHD can be considered, as needed. Consideration will also be given to mental health. The initial assessment usually comprises of one assessment appointment lasting up to 1.5 hours during which the clinician will explore the presenting issues and conduct a concise developmental history. Where required, questionnaire measures will also be administered.

As part of this assessment, the clinician will discuss with you whether there are enough concerns associated with ADHD to warrant full diagnostic testing – on our ADHD, ASD or combined ADHD/ASD assessment care pathway. If so, you will then need to confirm whether you wish to proceed to diagnostic assessment (part 2). 

Part 2

Part 2 is the diagnostic part of the assessment process. Our ADHD part 2 assessment usually comprises of one clinic-based appointment where further assessment is carried out. This usually includes some or all of the following:

  • Semi-structured interview designed to explore ADHD symptoms
  • Cognitive assessment e.g. tests of attention or executive functioning
  • Clinic or school-based observations
  • Review of reports/questionnaires from educational settings, the workplace and/or parents

 

Occasionally, additional assessment components may be required. In this case, any additional costs will be discussed with you.

What Can I Expect Following An Assessment?

Following administration of the necessary assessments, the clinician will analyse the results and will discuss the findings with you, writing a report to confirm the outcome and recommendations. If medication is determined as a treatment option, it will usually be necessary for the client to be prescribed this privately as NHS services do not usually agree to take over prescribing in the first instance following a private assessment. At some of our Purple House Clinics we have Psychiatrists available who can offer this service (please enquire locally). In order to issue prescriptions, a clinician at Purple House (or another provider) will need to carry out medication review appointments to check the client’s progress (and to measure height, weight and blood pressure). If there are no other issues, these appointments last no more than 30 minutes. The clinician will “titrate” the dose (gradually increase it depending on how it is helping and any side effects). Medication review appointments are usually every 4 weeks. Further to the cost of the appointments, you will need to pay for the cost of the medication at the chemist (approximately £25-30). You may also have to pay the chemist’s dispensing charges. If the client commences medication on a private prescription, the GP may agree to take over the prescribing under ‘shared care’ once the client is stabilised (or agree to make a referral to an NHS psychiatry service). ‘Shared care’ means that the GP would issue NHS prescriptions on repeat as long as the person continues to see a specialist psychiatric prescriber and is being monitored. You may want to ask your GP about this possibility prior to commencing assessment/ treatment with Purple House if you are concerned about the cost of private prescribing.

Other treatment options include psycho-education sessions, focusing on the management of symptoms. These may include advice about how to structure the home, school or work environment and how to maintain a good mental health. Treatment, in the form of medication or psychological therapy, can also be offered for secondary mental health symptoms including anxiety and depression. Regardless of the type of treatment undertaken, one of the most positive outcomes of ADHD assessment for many people is to have gained an understanding of their problems- for themselves and others around them.

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