Diagnosing AD/HD: The Testing Process

by Brinkley C. Pearce, M.A.,

Contrary to some opinions, AD/HD cannot be accurately diagnosed just by talking to a doctor or filling out a questionnaire. Instead, properly diagnosing AD/HD requires a fairly lengthy and detailed testing process, like that offered here at the Neuropsychology Clinic.

When you come into our office for an AD/HD testing appointment, we begin by asking you to complete a checklist of commonly reported symptoms. We use this checklist as a starting point for the clinical interview, which is designed to gain an accurate understanding of all your symptoms and how they affect your daily life. During the interview, we ask a series of questions such as:

· When did you first notice your difficulties?

· Were you diagnosed with AD/HD before?

· Have you ever taken an attention enhancing medication?

· How do your symptoms affect your home or social life/ academic achievement/ job performance?

· How effectively do you manage your schedule and keep track of important obligations (e.g. deadlines, appointments, etc.)?

We will also ask about your medical history (e.g. are you currently or were you previously treated for any medical conditions? Are you currently taking any medications?) and educational background (e.g. what is the highest degree you have completed? What type of grades did you/do you currently make in school?) so we can keep in mind any medical conditions or medications that may contribute to your difficulties, along with any prior difficulties you may have experienced in school.

Following the interview is the actual testing process. We at the Neuropsychology Clinic offer two basic types of evaluations:

AD/HD Screen - using the screen, we can diagnose AD/HD and determine whether or not other common difficulties such as a learning disability or emotional dysfunction (e.g. anxiety, depression, etc.) are a likely contributing factor. The screen typically lasts two to three hours.

Full Evaluation – with the full evaluation, we can effectively diagnose AD/HD, learning disabilities, emotional dysfunctions, etc. and rule out other potential disorders. In addition, the full evaluation meets University of Alabama academic accommodations requirements. The full evaluation takes between four and six hours to complete and can be broken into two sessions, if needed.

If you’re not sure which evaluation is right for you or your child, we will be happy to discuss the specifics of each test and make a recommendation based on your individual difficulties and symptoms.

After the testing session(s) is complete, you will come back approximately one week later for the feedback appointment. During this appointment, you will receive the results of your evaluation, along with professional recommendations based on those results. This is also your time to ask questions about the diagnosis, potential treatments, etc.

After the feedback, we will send a copy of your report to your referring physician and, when applicable and with your permission, to other health care providers, schools, attorneys, insurance companies, or other authorized parties.