I’m an ADHD assessor that has ADHD - AMA

[DisabledNurseofTiktok]

This topic was incredibly popular on another social media site so I thought I would open it up here!

Im an Advanved Nurse Practitioner that assesses, diagnoses and treats ADHD. I have ADHD, and my daughter has ADHD.

if you have any questions about right to choose, assessments, treatments, or just ADHD in general ask away!

My experience is that parents are very keen to share their kids are ND.
They very much lead with the information.

How do you go about booking a private assessment? How do you know they are reputable? And what sort of cost would you be looking at?

I’m a Clinical Psychologist and also agree. As can be seen from this thread any difficulties then get seen through the lens of ADHD and / or Autism, which in my experience can invalidate experiences of trauma and reduce agency to change (“it’s just who I am”). I think it can be a useful diagnosis but we need to be really careful about diagnosing it in CYP and adults who have experienced significant trauma from an early age as the symptoms of developmental trauma and chaotic early lives can present similarly.

To what extent is ADHD just medicalising normal variation in human personalities?

I know of numerous parents who seem very keen to get diagnoses for their kids and seek repeated appointments with different professionals. Their poor parenting is never addressed. How much of an issue is this?

Masking - the ability to mask and get through the day seems like a positive to me and something that everyone days to a greater or lesser extent. Why do people consider it to be a negative? Many people seem to use the term very lightly, again describing normal human life.

Not that long ago some of the children (especially boys) that struggle in the classroom would have been those with the most ‘useful’ personalities - suited to a busy active, practical life. 150+ years ago they’d have had the edge.

Please could you comment on any natural non pharmaceutical ways to increase dopamine? I realise that I have been living in recent years in a way which doesn’t allow for dopamine reward due to acquiring some physical disability. Phone addiction is not a healthy one obviously.

Also if ADHD is about lack of dopamine do you see more people with it go on to develop eg Parkinson’s disease which is to do with lack of dopamine. Are there health conditions of old age that are going to be associated more with ND as we come to know more about ND?

Do you think that maybe there’s no such thing as neurotypical OP?

How is it viewed if a parent chooses not to try medication for a child with adhd?

I am 52 and was recently diagnosed with inattentive ADHD, having struggled with so much for most of my life.

Does having ADHD put you at risk of dementia?

I care for my mum who has Alzheimer's and I am pretty sure she had undiagnosed ADHD.

I'm completely terrified of getting dementia especially atm as I'm also in perimenopause which seems to have exacerbated my mental health issues. It's dominating my thoughts and taking over my life.

Also, are there gentle alternatives to the medications? They exacerbate my IBS symptoms so I can't take them anymore.

Morning!

yes you could switch to right to choose, however select carefully as some providers have long waiting lists, some have a separate waiting list for medication titration, and some offer medication so do your due diligence! I’m not able to recommend providers as it would be unethical, but good luck!

I'm a little skeptical that an ADHD assessor doesn't know the differnence between neurodiversity and neurodivergence AND doesn't know that dyslexia is under the ND umbrella.

hyperactivity
Overt or discreet fidgeting eg moving, squirming, hair twirling, playing with clothes, readjusting position, crossing and uncrossing legs, picking/biting nails, tapping, leg jiggling, playing with items on desk, etc
Pressure of speech
Tendancy to interrupt or talk over
Answering questions before I have finished
Getting up and pacing around during the assessment

inattention
looking around them or out of the window
getting distracted by pets/phone
being late to the appointment itself
going off on a tangent
needing questions repeated
physical environment around them being untidy
long pauses before answering questions

This is just to give you an idea and isn’t a comprehensive list! And not all symptoms need to be present, but multiple do.

That sounds very tricky! Have you considered requesting a review?

You are also correct re the prison population, which is why it’s so important ADHD is recognised and treated.

It sounds like you and your middle daughter could benefit from assessment! ADHD is genetic and hereditary!

We have three weekly check ins so I will mention it to our clinician I think! She currently takes 10mg IR at 8.30, another 10 at 12.30 and we’re trialling a smaller dose of 5mg later in the afternoon. Hoping this helps!

I totally agree about it needing diagnosing and treating early, I can easily see how an inability to control impulsiveness can lead to people making very risky decisions.

Hi! Have a look at job adverts for Ed psychs in ADHD services and what training they are looking for, this will guide you. Good luck!

@DisabledNurseofTiktok super 🙏🙏🙏

I have recently been diagnosed with ADHD (as a 50+ woman). One Child is diagnosed with ASD.

In the other we suspect ADHD but she also has OCD and I am wary adding another thing to her load. For me stimulant meds didn't work (too many side effects for no benefit) and now I am trying non stimulant (atomoxetine) and seems to be slightly helping.

How likely would be if she got diagnosed that meds would help her? At school she (i think) heavily masks - even with her OCD - but at home and it's blatant. How can I help her?

Yes this is possible as peoples ability to mask diminishes over time.

If you have concerns around possible ADHD, my advice is always to seek an assessment. Worst case scenario you will be told it isn’t ADHD. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

If her medication is keeping her awake I would suggest having a medication review. If she isn’t taking it every day it’s likely that this could be impulsive behaviour.

It’s very obvious my daughter has ADHD, presents very typically with every sign you can think of and I’ve been saying this for years. GP said to go through school, school are constantly ringing me about her behaviours, CONSTANTLY! Yet when they sent the SNAP-IV form off it’s like they observed a different child, ticking that she doesn’t do things at all that they’re ringing me about daily so now she has been discharged from CAHMS and school won’t listen to me. Is there any other way around getting her assessed?

Morning OP, I have a question about memory. I barely have any memories of childhood and barely remember anything over about 1-2 years but photos and songs trigger strong emotions and help me remember. I also have strong memories of bad things but not particularly good things.

Both of my children have ADHD and I am on the pathway for assessment but is this a thing of ADHD?

Also, can dyspraxia be misdiagnosed as ADHD, I strongly suspect I have this?

Could you advise on how to get an assessment for my 10 year old daughter. We are convinced she has ADHD - she shows all the signs you listed above. She has had ND assessment and they assessed her for autism (which she does have too), and said that her hyperactivity was sensory seeking, so she did not need an assessment for ADHD. We just don't think that is the case however - (I should add here I am a lifelong hair twiddler/ nail biter...) In her assessment for autism, she kept having to be prompted (reminded) of the questions, was squirming in her chair/ spinning in her chair, getting up, getting distracted - it was online but I was in the room with her. I requested an ADHD assessment via CAMHS but she failed the screening - she masks at school but her teacher does say she sees signs of ADHD in her - the form they filled in though was ticking 'sometimes' rather than 'always' so I suspect she did not get enough points. She tells me she clenches her toes and bum muscles at school, she also has fidgets, chews pens, jumpers etc. to get through the day. She is a well behaved student, exceeding expectations, so is not causing school any problems. CAMHS also said it was all due to the autism. I don't know where to go from here. To us, the ADHD symptoms are much more prominent than the autism ones. I know lots of autistic children and adults (it is rife in my and DH's family), and she presents much more similarly to those with an ADHD diagnosis than those with an autism diagnosis (though we do not dispute she has this, we think she is AuDHD). Is our only option to go private? (Can't really afford this!) I'm not sure if she would also get rejected for right to choose as has already been rejected by CAMHS. Thanks!

Ah I've just seen this, and have basically asked the same question. Similar issue here!