Exploration of ADHD symptoms

What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is sometimes seen as a condition where symptoms always include hyperactivity and impulsivity. Whilst this is the case for some people, others may instead (or also) have signs of 'inattentiveness' where symptoms include zoning out, being easily distracted, being very forgetful, not following through on instructions, taking time to settle down to focus, finding it hard to sustain focus, etc. 5% of children and 3-4% of adults in the UK are thought to have ADHD. Symptoms must start before the age of 12 and have a significant impact on life in more than one setting, such as at home/school or home/the workplace. But symptoms can instead relate to other reasons such as poor working memory, difficulties understanding language or mental health conditions such as anxiety.

Who can diagnose ADHD?

For all age groups, ADHD can be diagnosed only through the medical route which is often by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. It is not something that can be diagnosed alone by an educational psychologist or specialist teacher assessor but I routinely look for all age groups to see if there are clinically significant signs in the background information which I gather for full diagnostic assessments and I regularly write referral letters for ADHD assessments and signpost.

How can you help, Sarah?

I've completed the necessary training in adult ADHD with UKAAN at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience in London (as well as other training) which means that I'm qualified to see if those age 16 and above have a profile that 'strongly suggests' ADHD. This is not a diagnosis and I would still write a referral letter if appropriate. However, my work could be particularly beneficial for university students as they can use my reports on the basis of ADHD being 'strongly suggested' to access support at a time where a formal diagnosis of ADHD through the NHS can take years. It can also provide useful information for the workplace. This is not available for under 16s.

So, should I book with you or go elsewhere?

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ADHD is the only concern you have

I would suggest that you explore a medical assessment with a psychiatrist (especially if you're considering medication) or a clinical psychologist. This will officially conclude whether you have ADHD. This can be requested through your GP but there're also private ADHD assessment centres throughout the country. If medication is something you wish to explore, do enquire about whether your GP surgery would be willing to work with the ADHD assessment centre so that prescribing rights can be transferred to your GP and you then pay NHS prescription prices instead of private ones. Medication can help some people but some people wish to instead focus on understanding more about themselves, developing coping strategies, etc., such as through specialist coaching.

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You might have dyslexia or dyspraxia

You may wish to book a full diagnostic assessment with me to explore if you do have dyslexia and/or dyspraxia. I'll let you know whether the background information gathered before the assessment suggests that you may also have ADHD. You can choose whether to:

  • seek a medical ADHD assessment elsewhere to find out officially if you have ADHD. I'll signpost you and write a brief referral letter along with your dyslexia/ dyspraxia report. There will be no cost for this referral letter, or

  • explore with me if you have a profile that 'strongly suggests' ADHD. This will not provide a diagnosis of ADHD but might be useful to get support if studying at university or could provide useful information for the workplace. This will extend the assessment session by around 30 minutes which will be an additional £75. I'll write a much more detailed referral letter alongside your dyslexia/ dyspraxia report, or

  • not have a referral letter written by me. You can always seek out an ADHD assessment another time.

If you wish for us to explore if you have a profile that 'strongly suggests' ADHD, we'll need to gather information from different sources to capture your long-term profile. For example, if you're 18+ and you've left school/college, I'll ask you to forward a short questionnaire to someone who knew you well before the age of 12 and another questionnaire to a different person who knows you well now. There'll also be a further short form for you to complete.

Where can I find out more about ADHD?

For more information about ADHD for all age groups, there're various useful information booklets HERE on the ADHD Foundation website.