The CDC estimates that over 6% of adults and over 11% of children have a current ADHD diagnosis. It’s a fairly common disorder, and many people have a basic understanding of at least some of the symptoms.

However, fewer people know what it’s like to actually undergo testing for ADHD. For children, especially, the idea of going through a test and not knowing what it might entail can be overwhelming or even scary.

Whether you or your child is exhibiting symptoms of ADHD, testing is important. It will ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Knowing what to expect during ADHD testing can offer peace of mind and make the entire process easier. With that, let’s cover what happens during a typical ADHD screening process.

How Does ADHD Testing Work?

First, it’s important to note that there isn’t some kind of quick medical test to determine if someone has ADHD. There is no scan or blood draw that will be able to diagnose someone at any age.

Rather, ADHD testing involves a series of exams, questions, and observations.

First, the evaluator will determine if symptoms of ADHD are causing impairment in your (or your child’s) daily activities. They’ll also work to rule out other potential disorders or problems before jumping to an ADHD diagnosis. If there is something else contributing to symptoms, it’s important to be able to point it out for the sake of treatment.

During the testing process, the person being evaluated will go through either a physical or neurodevelopmental exam. This will help the provider determine if the criteria for ADHD are met while they observe symptoms. They will record these symptoms using different rating scales.

An interview is also often a part of the testing process. The provider will want to know about a person’s day-to-day life and how they feel and behave at school, work, at home, and around others.

What Are Providers Looking For?

Throughout the ADHD testing process, providers will look for several key characteristics to make a proper diagnosis.

For children, that means showcasing six or more common symptoms for longer than six months. For adults, there need to be at least five established ADHD behaviors. These behaviors (in both children and adults) need to interfere with daily tasks and quality of life, and they need to occur in more than one location. For example, if a child is showing signs of ADHD at school but not at home, they might not receive a diagnosis.

How Long Does Testing Take?

Not all ADHD evaluations are exactly the same. While the criteria used have to meet a certain standard, the specific questions asked and observations made are often customized based on a person’s most notable symptoms.

Because of that, the average ADHD testing process takes anywhere from 1-3 hours. However, it could take weeks for the entire evaluation to be complete if further testing needs to be done to rule out other medical conditions.

What to Expect After the Screening

After undergoing questions, observations, and a physical exam, your provider will either request further testing or provide you with a diagnosis.

If you (or your child) receive an ADHD diagnosis, it’s likely your provider will work with you right away to prescribe treatment and get a plan in place that will help almost immediately. They will also likely request a follow-up appointment to see how effective the treatment is and whether any changes need to be made.

If you have more questions about what to expect during ADHD testing, feel free to reach out. It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. The more you know about it, the more comfortable you’ll be during the process.

ADHD and autism might seem like two completely different disorders. It’s often fairly easy to discern one or the other based on social interactions and behaviors.

But, there are several symptoms of both ADHD and autism that can overlap, making it more difficult to distinguish between the two. This can be especially problematic for children with one (or both) of these conditions.

Being able to receive a proper diagnosis is essential when it comes to the right kind of treatment and management. So, what’s the difference between ADHD and autism?

Looking for Signs in Children

Both ADHD and autism are often viewed as children’s disorders. But they aren’t always diagnosed right away. Sometimes, they’re misdiagnosed as other things. Or, the symptoms might be mild enough not to seek out a professional opinion.

It’s important to note that autism can be recognized earlier than ADHD — typically before the age of three. Your young child might have trouble communicating, or they might avoid social contact altogether.

Children with ADHD, on the other hand, might not show signs until they’re a bit older. They might have difficulty concentrating. When it comes to social interaction, they’re more likely to be impulsive with what they say, and they might even talk too much due to hyperactivity.

How Are ADHD and Autism Similar?

These two disorders sometimes get confused because of the common threads woven between them. Some of those similarities include impulsivity, lack of focus, difficulty organizing themselves, keeping track of time, etc. They also might face challenges when it comes to interacting with others and making friends.

While autism and ADHD can look similar in some ways, getting the underlying cause right is essential, whether you’re trying to diagnose a child or an adult. That’s why it’s important to note more subtle symptoms like body language skills or speech issues.

It’s also important to understand the potential causes of each disorder. Some of the most common causes of ADHD include genetics, environmental risks, alcohol or tobacco use by a parent when pregnant, and premature delivery. All of those things can also trigger autism in a child, but it’s also more likely for children born with autism to have specific genetic disorders that contribute to the way their brain functions.

Can You Have Both?

A dual diagnosis of autism and ADHD didn’t become possible until 2013. Studies have shown that more than half of children diagnosed with autism have ADHD symptoms. This shouldn’t come as a major surprise since both disorders are reflective of neurodevelopmental issues.

So, yes, you can have both autism and ADHD overlapping each other, or you can have one condition without the other. This should only serve as another reason why it’s so important to receive an accurate diagnosis.

Treatment Options

Treatment for ADHD and autism are very different. If you or your child is diagnosed with ADHD, you’ll likely manage your symptoms with a combination of prescription medication and therapy. Currently, there are no pharmaceutical treatment options that help with the symptoms of autism. However, if autism is leading to issues like anxiety or depression, certain mental health medications can help.

Most autism treatments involve specific types of therapy, including behavioral therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

People with ADHD can benefit from ADHD therapy, but they’re also likely to learn things like occupational skills and training.

It can be hard to tell the difference between ADHD and autism if you aren’t exactly sure what to look for. If you’re a parent and you suspect that your child might have one of these disorders, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help. A diagnosis is the first step toward getting the right kind of treatment. Contact me today for more information.

Anxiety can impact anyone. It doesn’t discriminate between men and women, and you don’t necessarily have to have any other underlying mental or physical health conditions to experience it.

However, there are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing anxiety. For example, women with ADHD are often more likely to experience anxiety than women without the disorder. There are several reasons why the two conditions are connected, and understanding that connection can help you get the support and treatment you need.

Let’s take a closer look at the relationship between ADHD and anxiety in women and what you can do to manage both.

Why ADHD Fuels Anxiety

Studies have shown that girls with ADHD are often diagnosed with anxiety before ADHD is discovered. There are a few reasons for this. It’s not uncommon for girls with ADHD to be misdiagnosed or to not even seek out a diagnosis. Girls can sometimes be better at “hiding” their symptoms of ADHD, so they might not receive a diagnosis until later in life.

But, even without a diagnosis, the connection between ADHD and anxiety for girls and women is strong. Anxiety fuels itself on the “what ifs” and the unknowns of life. It causes you to think negative thoughts about yourself and the world around you. When you have ADHD, that fear can be even greater.

You might develop a fear of failure or rejection due to your disorder. Or, you might have a deep-rooted fear of trying new things or socializing with people because you’re worried about being judged. The “what ifs” can start to run wild in your mind, allowing your anxiety to control the narrative just because you have ADHD.

What Triggers Anxiety

Women can sometimes have a greater fear of failure than their male counterparts. They think they have to be strong or measure up, especially in relationships and in the workplace. When you’re a woman with ADHD, some of your symptoms can fuel that fear of failure, creating a vicious cycle of anxiety that’s hard to escape.

For example, it’s not uncommon for people with ADHD to have trouble focusing. You might miss appointments or be frequently late, or you might forget important dates or pieces of information. Those issues can cause you to assume the worst about yourself or think that others are judging you, which ends up making your negative, anxious thoughts even worse.

What Can You Do?

If you’ve never been officially diagnosed with either ADHD or anxiety, the best thing you can do is see your doctor or a mental health professional. It’s not uncommon for a misdiagnosis to occur in women because of some of the overlap in symptoms.

Once you start to get some answers, you can work on things on your own and with the support of others who can help with both conditions. A combination of therapy and medication is often the best option for people dealing with ADHD. Anxiety or ADHD therapy can also help you better understand where your anxiety comes from and how you can manage it effectively on a daily basis.

At home, prioritize self-care practices. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, staying physically active, and finding ways to reduce stress. Mindfulness, meditation, and journaling are all great options for managing anxious thoughts on your own. Keeping a daily routine or schedule can also make anxiety more manageable.

Don’t let stigma, stereotypes, or misdiagnosis keep you from getting the help you deserve. You don’t have to let the effects of ADHD or anxiety control your life forever. Contact me for more information or to set up an appointment soon.

While ADHD and PTSD are two very different disorders, there’s often a closer connection than most people realize. For starters, if you’re dealing with one, you’re more susceptible to the other.

If you have both already, one disorder can seriously impact the other. But why? What could they possibly have in common, and why are they so closely linked?

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the relationship between ADHD and PTSD, and what you can do to find relief from both if you’re struggling.

Similar Symptoms

For starters, many of the signs and symptoms of ADHD and PTSD can look the same. Obviously, the source is different. PTSD is experienced after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. ADHD is a disorder that is often found in childhood, where the brain works in such a way that makes it difficult to concentrate.

However, it’s not uncommon for people with PTSD to have problems concentrating or staying focused, as well. Some of the other commonly shared symptoms of these two disorders include:

• Impulsive behaviors
• Difficulty sleeping
• Distractability
• Memory issues

People with ADHD or PTSD might also be more irritable than others or easily startled. If you already have ADHD, it might make the symptoms of your PTSD worse, or vice versa. PTSD often comes with negative memories or flashbacks, and if your ADHD causes you to feel distracted or makes you lose focus, those flashbacks can happen more frequently, creating a sort of vicious cycle between the two conditions.

Again, the source of these issues is different. Getting to the root of your symptoms is important for your treatment and your future. But because they can look so similar, it’s not always easy to get a proper diagnosis.

Changes in the Brain

PTSD and ADHD both directly impact the brain. Research has shown that they both change the prefrontal cortex. This area of your brain is responsible for everything from problem-solving and emotional regulation to planning and controlling impulses.

If you want an easy way to consider how the prefrontal cortex works, look at a teenager. The prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed until adulthood. That can explain why kids and teens are often more impulsive, have difficulty working through their emotions, and might struggle with planning ahead. If your prefrontal cortex changes due to ADHD or PTSD, you might experience those same issues.

As you might expect, getting the right diagnosis for either (or both) of these disorders is essential since the treatment options are different. One of the best things you can do is to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional about not only your symptoms but your history as well.

Different Types of Treatment

Typically, when a doctor hears about your medical history as well as your experiences, they’ll have an easier time determining whether you’re dealing with ADHD or PTSD. Getting a diagnosis can feel empowering, and it’s often the first step in getting the help you deserve.

There are some similarities in treatment options between ADHD and PTSD. People with either often benefit from therapy. A therapist can help you develop coping strategies for either condition so you can feel more in control of your symptoms rather than allowing them to dictate your life. Anti-anxiety medications can also often help with both conditions, and your therapist or doctor can work with you to find the right kind to fit your needs.

If you’re concerned that you might have ADHD, PTSD, or even that you’re dealing with both, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Getting the right diagnosis is essential, and it can change your life for the better. Feel free to contact me to schedule an appointment for ADHD treatment.