ADHD Diagnosis: What Tests are Needed?
An interesting question was posted on my message board last week about how to go about testing for and diagnosing ADHD.
Question:
My Answer:
AD/HD is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that symptoms similar to AD/HD can be caused by many different problems, which need to be ruled out before making a diagnosis. However, these can be ruled out by doing a careful clinical evaluation.
Although some people spend thousands of dollars getting a total body MRI scan every year, this isn't necessary for AD/HD. If someone doesn't have symptoms of hypothyroidism, there is no need to do a thyroid test. If someone doesn't have a family history of heart disease and doesn't have symptoms suggesting heart problems, and ECG is not needed. If someone has never had symptoms suggesting a seizure (e.g. loss of consciousness), and EEG is not indicated.
Lead paint and lead in gasoline have not been readily available for years (although lead paint is sometimes found in toys made in China). Although lead intoxication can cause ADD-like symptoms, as well as learning disabilities, the incidence is so small that tests for lead levels are generally only done when there is a chance that someone has been exposed to materials containing lead (e.g. old, inner city buildings).
High blood sugars can cause problems with attention, but a test for diabetes isn't done unless there are symptoms of diabetes. Sleep apnea can cause similar symptoms, but sleep studies aren't done unless the child's tonsils are severely enlarged and the child snores loudly. I could go on and on, but tests aren't done when all evidence indicates a healthy child, adolescent or adult.
This is true of any other medical condition. If a young women complains to her doctor of feeling tired, a blood test should probably done to see if she's anemic from blood (iron) loss from her periods, but hundreds of other tests to rule out the hundreds of causes of tiredness shouldn't automatically be done unless there are symptoms suggesting another problem.
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Technorati Tags: ADHD, ADD, psychiatry, diagnose ADHD, lead exposure
Is it mandatory for everyone prescribed ADHD meds. to have blood tests, EEG's, EKG's and other medical tests? A cl on another board (not WebMd) stated that "a Pediatric Psychiatrist, or Neurologist should do all of that for an eval. ADHD cannot be diagnosed, there are no "tests " for it, until everything else has been ruled out. There are so many thing that can mimic ADHD, things like hearing problems, lead poisoning, pinworms, that these tests must be done( bloodowork HAS to be done before meds can be prescribed)."
My son has been on Concerta for three years, doing wonderfully (thank you for your help at the beginning) and is very healthy. He has never had these tests.
AD/HD is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that symptoms similar to AD/HD can be caused by many different problems, which need to be ruled out before making a diagnosis. However, these can be ruled out by doing a careful clinical evaluation.
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Lead paint and lead in gasoline have not been readily available for years (although lead paint is sometimes found in toys made in China). Although lead intoxication can cause ADD-like symptoms, as well as learning disabilities, the incidence is so small that tests for lead levels are generally only done when there is a chance that someone has been exposed to materials containing lead (e.g. old, inner city buildings).
High blood sugars can cause problems with attention, but a test for diabetes isn't done unless there are symptoms of diabetes. Sleep apnea can cause similar symptoms, but sleep studies aren't done unless the child's tonsils are severely enlarged and the child snores loudly. I could go on and on, but tests aren't done when all evidence indicates a healthy child, adolescent or adult.
This is true of any other medical condition. If a young women complains to her doctor of feeling tired, a blood test should probably done to see if she's anemic from blood (iron) loss from her periods, but hundreds of other tests to rule out the hundreds of causes of tiredness shouldn't automatically be done unless there are symptoms suggesting another problem.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: ADHD, ADD, psychiatry, diagnose ADHD, lead exposure
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