People often associate ADHD and autism with children but the truth is that our advanced knowledge is now allowing us to diagnose adults too. It’s often a dear diary moment because adults suddenly feel as though everything in their life suddenly clicks. Diagnosis is essential in both cases because daily function is at risk – only with effective diagnosis can people start to understand themselves and overcome challenges. People tend to know the acronyms and names but they don’t know how the tests and assessments work, and this can make some feel nervous.
ADHD Assessment for Children and Adults
Some children are more active and make us feel drained when we get to the end of the day. But others have a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes the hyperactivity and inattention. The process of diagnosing ADHD typically involves conducting comprehensive assessments that evaluate the individual’s behavior, medical history, psychological functioning, and social skills. Assessments from https://laburnumpsychology.com.au/psychology-assessments/autism-assessments/ and the like can be carried out by mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, or clinical social workers.
Professionals will start by asking you about yourself or child so that they can learn more. This can be done through interviews with the individual, their parents or caregivers, and teachers. The clinician may also ask to review school records and previous evaluations to better understand the individual’s difficulties. Parents who are open and communicative will get the best results from the whole process – it’s about getting the help that they (and you!) deserve.
Once the clinician has gathered enough intel, it’s rating scales to the rescue. They spill the beans on the severity of ADHD symptoms and their impact on daily life.
The case may call for a more extensive psychological evaluation. This may sound scary, but it just means that the professionals want to learn more before making a decision. This can include cognitive testing to assess for any learning difficulties or intellectual disabilities that may co-occur with ADHD.
In some cases, a medical evaluation may be recommended by the clinician to rule out any potential underlying physical conditions that could be causing ADHD-like symptoms. This can involve a thorough physical exam and lab tests.
Professionals will only make a diagnosis when they are sure of their findings. Don’t think that you will just get a guess (this is useful to no-one!).
Autism Assessment for Children and Adults
This time we’re looking at communication problems as well as issues with social interaction and repetitive behaviors. To accurately diagnose ASD, a comprehensive assessment that looks at various aspects of an individual’s functioning is required.
Information is super important again with autism and how it’s gathered will depend on the patient. Adults can answer questions while children are a bit more difficult. Don’t worry, it could just mean talking to teachers to get a better idea of things. Additionally, the clinician may also use standardized rating scales to assess for the severity of symptoms and their impact on daily life.
A comprehensive psychological evaluation is also an essential part of an ASD assessment. This can include cognitive testing to evaluate intellectual functioning, as well as assessments that look at communication skills and social interactions. Pros need to learn first-hand about how you or your child handle social situations and how communication differs.
In some cases, a medical evaluation may also be recommended to rule out any underlying physical conditions that could be causing symptoms similar to ASD.
It is important to note that an accurate ASD assessment takes into consideration the individual’s strengths and challenges in various areas of functioning, rather than just focusing on diagnostic criteria. This allows for a more personalized and holistic approach to diagnosing ASD.
Diagnosing and helping people to overcome ADHD and autism are so important, we applaud you for reading this and starting your journey of knowledge.
