What does an ADHD Assessment look like: 

For Children:

• Developmental Background Interview is carried out with Parents/Guardians
• Preschool Observation or Preschool Teacher Interview is completed
• School Observation or Teacher Interview is completed
• Assessment of Adaptive Functioning
• Cognitive Assessment is completed with the child
• Completion of the Connors 3^rd Edition Parent and School Forms are completed by the Parent and the Child’s teacher
  

For Adults

• Developmental Background Information and current concerns is completed with the client
• Collateral History with a Family Member is completed
• Completion of the Wender Utah Rating Scale for ADHD with the client
• Cognitive Assessment is completed with the client
• Completion of CAARS (Connors Adult ADHD Rating Scales) completed by the adult and a spouse/partner or a close family

What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a type of ADHD. The main symptoms of each behavioural problem are detailed below.

Inattentiveness

The main symptoms of inattentiveness are:

• a very short attention span
• being very easily distracted
• making careless mistakes, for example in schoolwork 
• appearing forgetful or losing things 
• being unable to stick at tasks that are tedious or time consuming
• being unable to listen to or carry out instructions
• being unable to concentrate
• constantly changing activity or task
• having difficulty organising tasks

Hyperactivity

The main symptoms of hyperactivity are:

• being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
• constantly fidgeting
• being unable to settle to tasks
• excessive physical movement
• excessive talking

Impulsiveness

The main symptoms of impulsiveness are:

• being unable to wait for a turn
• acting without thinking
• interrupting conversations
• breaking any set rules
• little or no sense of danger

If your child has ADHD, their symptoms usually become noticeable before the age of seven.

Symptoms in Adults

In adults, the symptoms of ADHD are more difficult to define. This is largely due to a lack of research into adults with ADHD.

It is still uncertain whether ADHD can occur in adults without it first appearing during childhood, although it is known that symptoms of ADHD often persist from childhood into the teenage years and adulthood. Any additional problems or conditions experienced by children with ADHD, such as depression or dyslexia, are also likely to carry on into adulthood.

By the age of 25, an estimated 15% of people diagnosed with childhood ADHD still have a full range of symptoms, and 65% still have some symptoms that affect their daily lives.

There is no definitive list of adult ADHD symptoms, and experts agree that simply applying the childhood symptoms to adults would not work. This is because the way in which inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness affect adults is very different from the way they affect children.

For example, hyperactivity tends to decrease in adults, while inattentiveness tends to get worse as the pressure of adult life increases. Also, adult symptoms of ADHD tend to be far more subtle than childhood symptoms.

Below is a list of symptoms associated with adult ADHD:

• carelessness and lack of attention to detail
• continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones
• poor organisational skills
• inability to focus or prioritise
• continually losing or misplacing things
• forgetfulness
• restlessness and edginess
• difficulty keeping quiet and speaking out of turn
• blurting responses, and poor social timing when talking to others
• often interrupting others
• mood swings
• irritability and a quick temper
• inability to deal with stress
• extreme impatience
• taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of other

How common is ADHD?

ADHD is the most common behavioural disorder among children. It is estimated that the condition affects 3-9% of school-aged children and young people. Worldwide, around 2% of adults may be affected by ADHD.

Symptoms of ADHD tend to start at an early age, and they may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as starting school. ADHD is normally diagnosed between the ages of three to seven, although in some cases it may not be until much later. It is more commonly diagnosed in boys. 

It is still uncertain whether ADHD can occur in adults without first appearing in childhood.

Prognosis

There is no cure for ADHD, but it can be managed using medication. This will be combined with psychological, educational and social therapies that aim to improve behaviour.

ADHD can be a lifelong condition, and many children continue to have symptoms as a teenager and adult. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of children with ADHD still have some symptoms at the age of 25.