Testing | ADHD Information

I think the only diagnostic criteria recognized by the APA is the description in the DSM-IV.  As to recognized tests, I think that would vary by what authority you need to "prove" it to.  As I write this, I'm realizing the APA is only the authority here in America.  Does that mean different countries recognize subtly different descriptions of ADD?

Although Dr. Amen has done some amazing work in ADD and brain spect imaging, I don't think his six subtypes are "official" by the APA's criteria.

How many types of ADD are there?  How many types of intelligence are there?  I would guess that the answer at any given time is a matter of formal agreement, depending upon the current demographic of ADD individuals with similar symptoms.  According to Utah Criteria: 1.  According to the DSM-IV: 2.  Dr. Amen: 6.  According to my humble and un-formally-educated opinion Dr. Amen's certainly on to something with the "Hyperfocused" subtype.  Hyperactive, Inattentive, Hyperfocused, and how about the Multi-Tasking subtype?  Or the Uniquely-analizing-and-synthesizing-information subtype?  Or the instantly-recognizing-unique-solutions subtype?  Ok, you got me, I made up those last three.  But am I right?

I recently became unemployed.  I learned that here in Missouri I might be able to receive career counseling and possibly even financial aid to go back to school, through an agency called Vocational Rehab.  They requested a statement from my psychiatrist, a statement from my therapist, a written report from my former psychiatrist who diagnosed ADD, and a report issued after I was tested as a child that concluded "Learning Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified".  Then they had to send this all to a guy (psychiatrist) at the state capitol, who said "Yes, he has ADD".  Then the social worker called me back and said "Good news, you have ADD!  That means we can list you as priority II and put you on the waiting list.  You may receive services in six months to a year!"

Don't they realize that's a lifetime in my world; that I'll have already worked at ten more seasonal or temporary jobs and moved twice by then?

As for "special accomodations at work", I would wager that it's still not safe to share this info with all employers--but use your own judgement.  I have spoken to too many other adults who have said something like "now doesn't everybody have ADD a little bit"? as if I had just told them I had acid reflux or something.  (I'm not trying to diss anyone out there with acid reflux--I'm sure you deserve a forum too).

As for the multi-browser scenario described above, I found out that after about 50-55 windows on my computer Internet Explorer just disappears completely, and all of my oh-so-important followed links, before I've had a chance to view them.  Better get more memory.  Maybe my computer has ADD?

Neterpoo, I do the same when using the computer.  Additionally, I use several virtual desktops to keep the window clean when I'm using so many applications at the same time.  Usually have 2 or more browser windows, visual studio (for programming), Outlook for e-mail, i-tunes for music, a notepad or two for editing html, database utilities, etc.  Certainly makes for a busy desktop and freaks people out when they see mine.  Especially when I hit the hotkey to switch to a different desktop.  Of course the Mac OS X Panther desktop theme that I'm using is wierd enough...

neterpoo,

Thank You for taking the time to search and Help! It is the main reason i visit with the folks here. I have suspected that i have all the classic indicators of ADHD. I know i am dyslexic and co-ordination is bad so am lightly Dysbraxic also. I have been putting off the day to do what i need to do, with all the Best excuses i can think of. It will mean leaving Ireland and going into United Kingdom to find an experienced Consultant as most here see ADD Spectrum as a "Faddy" thing among over conserned parents. Forget Adults it just does'nt Exist!

Thanks again from an aging "Hippie".

glad it helped. I got a copy of "driven to distraction" on ebay for about US. It has a lot of useful information. It helped me know what to ask and tell my doctor when I went to be tested. There was a lot of things that I felt/did that I saw as normal but when i read the book, realized that not everyone did those things. Example: (after my doc asked about my computer literacy and if i could research some meds so that we could decide what would be best for me) I got a chuckle from him when I told him that  I could do that. He asked what else I enjoyed doing online. I told him that usually I have about 4-5 windows open at once. One with an online game, one with my email, one for surfing (research), one with a solitaire game, etc.  and that i click between all of them constantly.  I never realized that not all people do that...:)

 

 

I finally got the appointment with a doctor. After talking with me for about 40 minutes, he confirmed what i already thought...that i do have ADD. He then had me fill out another list of questions...I had given him my quiz from the amen clinic. I completed his list and he called me back to tell me that he was going to make recommendations  to my medical doc...so that she could write me the script for meds. He wants us to try strattera first. This is scarey to me..since he said that it only works for 30% of people who take it. I have to see him again and my med doc on the 11th. Now for my questions: is the 30% an accurate statistic?  do you continue to see the psychiatrist/ psychologist after your diagnosis?  if so, how often?

 

 

Thanks

 

Renita

Hi1!

My name is Ryan and I am looking for details on a dianostic tool called "The Utah Criteria. If anyoone knows of it I would be very grateful if the messaged it to me.

Ryan.

I am reading Driven to Distraction. This book has the Utah Criteria for Adult ADD listed in it. I copied it from the book for you:

 

"I. A childhood history of ADD with both attentional deficits and motor hyperactivity, together with at least one of the following characteristics:  behavior problems in school, impulsivity, overexcitability, and temper outbursts.

II.  An adult history of persistent attentional problems and motor hyperactivity together with two of the following five symptoms: affective lability, hot temper, stressin tolerance, disorganization,  and impulsivity."

quote in book about this criteria:

"While there are many points of agreement between our criteria and the Utah criteria, the main difference between the two is that we do recognize a syndrome of ADD without hyperactivity while the Utah criteria do not."

 

This book has more information about this criteria.  Hope this helps

 

 

 

What kind of tests do docs use to diagnose ADD? Is there a standard test that is usually used?

I have taken almost every online checklist I could find. Every one says the samething...."highly probable for ADD". I don't know where to start....family doc, psychiatrist, psychologist, etc. 

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Renita

That's a good question.  What is the test for ADD like?  My daughters test was quite extensive with papers for the parents and school to fill out (alot of questions) and interviews with the doctor.  Good luck getting an answer on this message board.  I posted a question 2 weeks ago and have failed to get ANY respones (see post below).  I didn't mean that my only symptom was I get tired while driving, I meant that in ADDITION to my multidude of other symptoms (which I didn't think I had to list like a shopping list), the fatigue sets in when i'm just chillin' after a long day of hyper-focusing at work.

Anyway, good luck.  I'm still procrstinating (which I'm really good at especially when it's a big job).

 

---------Original Post------------------

I've been putting this off for quite some time now.  I'm self diagnosed ADD for 38 years now.  My 8 yo daughter is recently diagnosed with ADD and is an exact carbon copy of me as a child.  I read a post on fatigue and have wonder if that is also a sympton.  I saw the dr. for that and he thought sleep apnea.  I laughed at him.   I really only get tired while driving for long periods of time of when I sit at work to take a break.

My question is this:   What addvantages are there to bening clinically diagnosed?  Is the medication worth it.  Most of us adults have probably learned to live with it and what advantages are there to medicating?

schwep, I'm sorry you haven't received a response.  I haven't read all the discussions here, and I'm sure that you were probably overlooked accidentally.  However, Here's some of my thoughts on testing, and maybe an answer for your earlier post.

Testing for children seems to be quite good.  There's the Conner's assessment for ADHD which is completed by parents and teachers.  This is one of the primary tools for testing.  However, it is usually followed up by extensive interviews with family and teachers.  We started this process at 4 1/2 years old for my son and took our time with it.  Other testing was occurring at the same time for physicial and learning disabilities that he might have had.

My counselor has mentioned a possible cause for my sleep problems.  It seems that a common condition with ADD is anxiety.  We have it because we feel inadequate because we can't pay attention, complete tasks, follow through.  This anxiety can cause depression.  Not major depression maybe, but just a notch below the norm.  Depression even at that level can cause sleep issues.  This seems to be the case for myself, but its still to early to tell.  Doctors were also asking me about sleep apnea and I'm sure I don't have that.  Light snoring maybe, but I'm never gasping for breath.  I just wake up _very_ frequently at night.  Mayhaps the sleep study at the local hospital can turn up a physiological and not psychological reason for this.

What advantages are there to being clinically diagnosed?  Well, you can use official and legal means to treat your ADD.  Most people on the board are reporting success with Concerta, Ritalin, or Strattera.  Success means being able to pay attention without hyper-focusing, being more able to follow through on tasks, and being able to relieve some of that anxiety.

To the best of my knowledge, in the United States ADD is a recognized disability and employers and schools must work with you about it.  In the schools this means they can't shove your child off into the detention hall each day because they don't pay attention well.  I'm really unsure of what it means for the workplace largely because I've never seen it challenged. 

I have definitely learned coping strategies to help me.  Divide up work into small tasks, use white noise or instrumental music to help me be less distracted by sounds around me, take frequent breaks, work on multiple tasks simultaneously, and pawn undesirable tasks off on my co-workers and others lower on the food chain.   However, my son, who is also 8 and an exact copy of me, is having very good results with medication (Concerta).  I see where he is at before the medication, then see that the way he can do things after being medicated is so much better.  It makes me wonder what I could do if some of my symptoms were lessened?  It definitely makes him feel better to not be nagged so much to do the smallest tasks.  I want to make sure he has as little anxiety as possible.

-- Mr. Perky

I faxed my doctor today with a lot of questions. So i hope to hear from her tomorrow. I will let ya know what she says.

thanks for the replies

I heard from my doctor today...she is setting up a referral to test for ADD.

Renita

NeterPoo38076.6902662037Hi Montage64,

As a medical professional, I wonder what you think of the
SPECT imaging that Dr. Daniel Amen uses to condirm not only
if one has ADHD but also ones subtype depending on which
part of the brain is inhibited or hyperactive (prefrontal lobes,
cingulate gyrus, limbic, basal ganglia and temporal lobes).

As a lay person, I find the information in his site
<www.amenclinic.com> useful.   I'd like to hear from one like
you--you have the experiencial as well as the "objective"
knowledge of ADD.

Thanks in advance,
FrancesFrances Marie38076.6576388889

Hi everyone,

I am 39 yrs old and was diagnosed at the age of 34 of the blessed (JK) ADHD.  I just so happened to have come in contact with a great Psychiatrist.  I had what is called a Tova Test performed to diagnose my ADHD. 

I am in the medical field and needed to have this done because my drug test were coming back positive for Amphets. This was the only test acceptible to my employers.  It was very informative and very accurate.  I now take anywhere from 120mg-150mg of Adderall/day. 

This medication allows me to focus 100% of the time when I take it.  The minute I begin to hit my valley as the drug wears off my mind slips back into busyland.

It is very frustrating when you try to seek help and some of the medical field assumes that you are a drug addict seeking a fix.  I overcame that real fast when I needed to get something to calm my wondering mind.  It helps but the side affects are pretty scary if you look them up.  My dosage is over the recommended dose and could very well cause cardiac complications.  Better that then a disaster caused by by scattered thoughts. 

I felt like a big jigsaw puzzle whose pieces were scattered from one end of the continent to the other.  I could not concentrate longer than a mili second.  It suddenly hit me one day how many people had told me throughout my lifetime that I was lazy, unorganized, scatter brained, etc.  Wow, those names are enough to make anyone have low selfesteem but I overcame the fear of people being dissapointed and I proved that I was not incapable of succeeding.  I went on to get my BS in nursing and onto my masters in forensics.

I wish those people who called me those names could have spent just one day inside my mind.  I would love to have them know what it feels like to scramble to put a thought together.