Is ADHD reassessment worth it for ds 18?

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My ds 18 has just started in University and is struggling, the fact theres a lot of work involved is huge news to him seemed to think it would just be party time. He has another diagnosis which has always affected his attention and was assessed for ADHD when he was about 14 and they found while he showed some issues he didn't meet the criteria. He has always been late for school and more recently work and getting him to study and through final school exams and into uni was a huge challenge. Now a few weeks in he's really struggling with the work, supports have been offered by Disability Office but he hasn't really followed up. He thinks now he definitely does have adhd and medication will be a cure all. Just looking for views on whether we should follow up on that with GP seeking referrsl or if its unlikely he would meet the criteria for adhd if he didnt the first time.

If the university can fund an ed psych assessment it could give some pointers about what would help in a university setting.
Medication doesn't cure all, but it does help a bit. But so do adjustments like automatic assignment deadlines and coaching.

I would say it is worth it. My 17 year old DD was diagnosed in April by CAMHS when she was still 16. She is chaotic, late for everything, impulsive and risky and before diagnosis, she didn't take ownership of any of this behaviour ("it's just how I am, I'm a lazy loser" type thing). Now she knows what it is, she really works hard to try and manage it, she even got a good summer job that she did really well in. All this started before she was started on medication (she had Highers around the time of diagnosis and we didn't want to mess up her exams by introducing meds). She's started meds since and there is an improvement but in my view, the biggest improvement came with the diagnosis and knowing what she has. It validates her. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the replies. Weve made an appointment with GP to discuss a referral, will also tell him to talk to the Disability Officer in college. Poor guy, as you say Hapa, I think it would be a comfort to him to have it, I think he's feeling stupid because he's struggling with his assignments. I do wonder though if he didn't meet the criteria for diagnosis before, will he now, 4 years later. Would a gp prescribe medication for attention in the absence of a formal diagnosis, probably not.

Would a gp prescribe medication for attention in the absence of a formal diagnosis, probably not.

Not in our experience but if he has another diagnosis that affects attention, they might.

My DS is bright but really struggled with his A'Levels. We've discussed the possibility of ADHD fir a while and first sought assessment at 16. He got diagnosed at 18.

He's not on meds because a friend of s friend didn't like them so when he was offered, he refused 🤦‍♀️

After starting Uni he's decided he would like to try them but there's a 7 month waiting list.

Just the diagnosis had helped him though. He does find it incredibly hard but he has DSA, mentoring, there's an ADHD support group and he's able to use techniques that aid ADHD students.

Thanks Siouxsie. Wow, why is there such a delay in getting meds?

As regards the other college supports, he's already been offered some from the disability office but getting him to take the action he's been told to take re getting a mentor or lecture recordings etc is difficult!

Thanks Siouxsie. Wow, why is there such a delay in getting meds?

He was assessed and diagnosed under the right to choose scheme. They seem to have their own department for monitoring the Meds. So he's booked an appointment with them to discuss meds, he did this before he started. He's been prescribed them as this appointment but then their own monitoring service has the delays. I'm guessing that they are just completely overwhelmed.

As regards the other college supports, he's already been offered some from the disability office but getting him to take the action he's been told to take re getting a mentor or lecture recordings etc is difficult

Sometimes it's almost as if the system to access support is designed to make things more difficult for those with ADHD.

Would a bit of body doubling help? So you could be on FaceTime whilst he phones?

With regard to whether he would meet the criteria (as it's only been 4 yrs since his last assessment) it's always a good starting point to fill in the adult ADHD screener. This can be found on the ADHD UK website.

Here's the link

https://adhduk.co.uk/adult-adhd-screening-survey/

It's usually the first thing a GP would ask you to do before referring anyway. You have to meet the threshold / show a certain number of traits. That's how it worked for me anyway and that was around 9 months ago.

Have you got a link please Rainbow. Was talking to a DCousin yesterday who thinks she may have it. We always thought there was a random odd gene in the family, it's only in the last few years that we've realised it's probably ADHD.

Cross posted there 😊

Hope it's useful to you.

Would he take the medication if he's offered it? My DS was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism at 22. He won't take ADHD meds as he thinks they'll 'change his personality' so I'm not really sure if there's any benefits to the diagnosis, other than him understanding himself better (which of course is important).

Thanks Rainbow. That helps me too as OH at work suggested I ask for assessment. I brought it up, not them and was referred for a different issue but they agreed that it does sound as though I may have it.

DS has it from a micro deletion and is awaiting genetic testing. If he does have the micro deletion, it would be X linked making me, and possibly DD carriers.

Son was assessed by nhs after a 2 year wait at 19, he was told he didn’t have it. Wanted a second opinion and we paid for a private assessment. Got told he has it and prescribed meds. They have been an absolute game changer and he feels vindicated. The nhs bar is set very high. What I know now about adhd I can’t believe we didn’t see it earlier.

Yes, he’ll get more help and support from his uni.

What I know now about adhd I can’t believe we didn’t see it earlier.

I'm the same. DS is classic inattentive type. I can't believe he went through preschool, Primary, High School and 6th Form and nobody ever questioned why he wasn't meeting his potential.

If the uni can help, go that route. The wait for adult ADHD assessment in my area is over five years.

Thanks again Rainbow. I've just got a score of 6 and it says that 4 and over warrants investigation.

As a lecturer, yes please do get assessed. Always claim concerns BEFORE they impact work not afterwards as it's taken into consideration a lot more rather than looking like an after thought. Definitely go through the uni who can help with the assessment.

Thank you all so much, you've been really helpful. Yes VioletCharlotte he would take the meds, to begin with anyway. It was ds that brought ADHD up during the week out of the blue, I thinks he thinks meds will be his salvation, and do his assignments for him. My husband is sceptical and thinks ds just has to man up and do the work, but I'm persuaded now we should support him getting reassessed. Hopefully his uni will be of some help there, and I will try the body doubling to get ds to make contact about that, thanks Siouxsie, had never heard of that before had to look it up!

and I will try the body doubling to get ds to make contact about that, thanks Siouxsie, had never heard of that before had to look it up!

I honestly think it's one of the few things that got DS through his A'Levels! I'm not sure how we stumbled on it but me and DH used to take it in turns just sitting on his bed and reading whilst he studied.

You can get body doubling apps where you study at the same time as other students. Not sure if they're free or not.

Read not reading

Ds has struggled with his attention, got very frustrated at Uni, experienced dissociation in exams, put the work in but felt his exam performance always let him down - he felt something was not quite working for him, he was feeling very down about himself. He got an autisim diagnosis when he was 9 years old - but he didn't feel his autism was the issue.

Last year we got him assessed for ADHD - coincidently around same time as the big expose on the ADHD clinics - and the place that were to assess him had been named and shamed as one of those clinics. We went ahead anyway (we'd paid) and he was told he had ADHD and they suggested treatment options - he chose prescribed meds and they have made a massive difference to him - they put him in control of his concentration levels, he now attends lectures and absorbs all the info - he works incredibly hard, and it's like the brain fog has lifted. He doesn't take the meds all the time - they reduce his appetite, so he has to focus on eating well and he has frequent breaks from them. He also feels the meds make his autistic traits more intense.

So who knows whether he definitely has ADHD - but the meds have been a game changer for him - he's happier, feeling more confident, planning his life and getting on with stuff.

Thanks Teal, glad things have improved so much for your ds, will definitely follow up on this now.