ADHD TV Episode #2: The Diagnosis of ADHD
In this second episode of ADHD TV (The video podcast on ADD and ADHD), we cover ‘The Diagnosis of ADHD’.
You’ll discover the criteria that doctors use to make this diagnosis. You’ll also discover the difficulties with diagnosing this with adults with ADD and ADHD.
Just click play below, or visit us in iTunes to subscribe to our podcast.
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Technorati Tags: ADD, ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Podcast, Video Podcast, Diagnosis of ADHD
- Comment (21)
Dr. Kenny,
In the future, if you talk about helpful ways for adults to assist in the diagnosis I have a suggestion. When I went for my first visit, I brought a letter or list of things that were signs or symptoms for my dr. to read. I do not think well “on my feet” and knew I would forget to mention a lot that I wanted to share with my new psychiatrist. Over the course of a few weeks, I wrote notes and things on this paper as they would pop into my mind. That was so helpful to me, and I think it made it easier for him to make a diagnosis. You’re providing such a wonderful service. Thanks. Rudie Ivester
Rudie,
Thanks for an excellent suggestion!
(and I appreciate the compliment)
Dr. Kenny
Hi Dr. Kenny;
As always your message is clear and easy to understand for your target audience. Reading, listening & now viewing your information always calms me when the concern I have for my 10 year old son with ADHD threatens to overwhelm me. Knowledge is power or at least strengths the soul. Thank you again. Patti
Hi, I enjoyed watching episode #1 on iTunes. However, when I downloaded episode #2 from iTunes, it’s actually episode #1. Thanks for providing a great resource!
Hi Tanya,
Thanks for the heads up on the iTunes problem. We are working on it to get it fixed!
Dr. Kenny
I’m happy to report that the iTunes problem is resolved - episode 2 now downloads for episode 2.
Thanks for your patience.
Dr. Kenny
i have son of 9 years with adhd and a husband with adhd, it is so heard to live with! they dont get on to well.And he hates his sister they fight like mad,we see allsorts of people to try and help and my son is so dangerous,its like living in a mad house, i jut dont no what to do anymore!
I think the adhd tv is cool. Not realizing about all the strenghts that come through it. As well as all the famous people that have. It definitley helps to be creative especially to be an entrenpeuner. Would I would like to be one day. It definitly nice to be able to watch it the tv.
Hi
Thank you for your pod casts! Two questions below.
I just watched the driving pod cast and went back to review the others.
I appreciate your detailing of adult inattention, impulsive and hyperactive symptoms in addition to the DSM-IV.
Question 1: Are the extra questions likely to make it in to the 2010 DSM?
Question 2: Is there evidence that ADHD could cause defensive development of rigid coping strategies that could manifest as OCD? (Schedule rigidity and panic at change for one).
I appreciate anyone who advocates diagnosis in adults; especially men.
To make a long story short, I waited until I was 51 to seek help and suffered for years because I saw needing help as a weakness. I had sought help from Kava, L-triptophan, Fish-Oil, 1.2G / caffeine a day, homeopathy and everything else to avoid seeing a ’shrink’ and due to unfair distrust of psychiatrists due to a distaste I developed when I read Freud and Fromm in college. Before that I had been heading towards a psychology specialty and loved Skinner/Pavlov (who were falling out of favor at the time in the mid 70s).
I waited until I had medical or debilitations symptoms to seek help: High Blood pressure, overweight, insomnia, constant stressing, possible depression, fear of crowds, and parties etc.
My boss urged me to seek help and I did. I was diagnosed as GAD/OCD at 51, after about eight months on meds, CBT, and OCD group meetings, several of the psychologists, therapists, and group members asked if I had ADHD as a kid. Of course, they “didn’t have ADD” when I was a kid.
I then went to my psychiatrist and she diagnosed me based on the standard DSM plus a few questions revolving around the lists you provide in episode 2, she must have had a copy of your Q’s somewhere.
I got and ADHD combined diagnosis in 15 minutes, and she said it probably explains a lot. I got 5/9 hyper, 7/9 inattentive; but scored nearly ‘perfectly’ on the adult criteria on your pod cast. I almost cried with relief when I stumbled on one of those “you know you have add when….” lists.
I’m on Celexa, Wellbutrin, Concerta + Ritalin supplementation as needed and continue CBT, OCD group, meditation, and have become dependent on electronic reminders to prod me throughout my day.
I would NEVER have thought I had either OCD or ADHD, I just thought I was an odd but creative, absent minded professor type. I was in software for years and now teach adults critical thinking and ABA. I could get away with eccentricity but it was killing me inside.
Throughout my youthful school years, I recall teacher comments such as “You test so well, your grades should be higher, you’d do better if you applied yourself” I also suffered a concussion running at a swimming pool at age 10 or so and being unconscious for a few hours.
That may not be significant because I now believe that my father and daughter are also ADHD to some degree.
Anyway, thanks again!
p.s. I’m personally trying to advocate for people from 20-50 to seek help from qualified specialists if they even suspect they need help.
I absolutely love that this information is available! I’m 28 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 25. I’m a full time student and divorced mom to three little boys (ages 7, 5, and 3!). I had trouble with school all of my life and always felt as though as was somehow broken. Something wasn’t right. I was different and I knew it. Just didn’t know why! I had a cousin around the same age who took Ritalin for ADHD, but he was a wild child to say the least! Aggressive, always in trouble. So, it’s obvious why it didn’t really occur to my family that their relatively quiet little girl could have ADHD as well!
Anyhow, my oldest son has been diagnosed with ADHD. I am trying to get him the help he needs and be supportive, but, we have an issue with dad (my ex-husband). He is of the opinion that because our oldest son is well behaved with him and pays attention at church he can’t possibly have ADHD and it’s must be a parenting problem that has to do with me. It would be GREAT to get some info on the fact that kids with ADHD can in fact pay attention and behave themselves! Not just when it’s something they love, but perhaps when trying to gain the approval of a rather disapproving parent. My ex-husband is very hard on him as far as grades go and it breaks my heart to hear my son say that he doesn’t see himself as very smart.
Thanks again!!!
We are parents currently going through the diagnosis process with our daughter and we are just sponges. From the lists of characteristics on this podcast it sure seems that our daughter has ADHD. We are being very cautious in how we talk to her about this, trying not to put a label on her or convey to her that there is anything wrong with her. We are also being very careful in who we are telling about this as this is her story to tell, not ours. Your podcasts are very helpful to us. Might I suggest one that deals in how to communicate with your child the process of diagnosis, medication, that they have this, etc. Like I said we are being very careful, not 100% sure she has this, but it seems that all the signs are there according to our research and my back ground as a special ed. teacher.
Thank you!
Hi, thank you for this helpful information. Since many of us struggle to manage our time better, I think it would be helpful if you displayed the length or total running time of each video (while it’s playing or even in parens next to the video title prior to pressing play) so that we know in advance whether it’s an hour, half hour, 15 min. or whatever length and can plan accordingly. Thanks again.
thank you so much for your episodes! i am sooo frustrated with getting the help i need. for years, i have been on med after med with no relief. i’m to the point i have quit them altogether! then when i stumble upon a questionare, and your episodes, i know without a doubt i suffer terribly from this. my doctor (specializes in bipolar disorder) even believes i may, and wants to send me for formal testing. however, my insurance does not cover it. my husband has cancer, so there is no way i can afford to pay for this. i feel so close to feeling better by all the information i have come across, but i just know i won’t be able to get the test for quite awhile. so here i sit. any suggestions?
I am enjoying your webcasts after discovering them through my work. I am an advocate for children with disabilities working for our state’s protection and advocacy program. My 22 year-old son was recently diagnosed with ADHD. He was always hyperactive and impulsive but for years I wrote it off as a little boy who was very gifted. He did well in school until middle school and almost failed the 8th grade despite being in the gifted program. He came close to being a high school drop out and yet competed 3 out of 4 years at the international science fair. I attended an ADHD conference at our local university two years ago and had my aha moment. My son could have been the poster child for each of the speakers. Several people I spoke with at the conference indicated that the higher the IQ score the older the person was when diagnosed. Is there any research regarding this?
Dr, Kenny:
I am so excited to find this resource to deal with ADD/ADHD. I have 2 boys age 11 and 13. Both of them are ADD/ADHD( One of each). Both boys are intelligent but struggle to cope with everyday life. Both are on medication one Concerta the other just recently switched to Biphentin. I have been a wreak trying to cope with their symptoms on a daily basis that usually ends up in both of us in tears. The information that I have learned from you Tv show here and the audio’s I bought yesterday has given me knowedge and therefore power on how to cope better with our struggles.
I myself have some of the characteristics of ADD and have struggled in my life as well. Knowing that helps me put in perspective how my kids see the world.
Thank you so much for making the resource available. I have passed it on to several of my friends whose children also have ADHD. In a few short days I have learned a lot and look forward to hearing more from you about how I can help my children as well as myself.
As a suggestion, I would love to learn more about how I can help my kids with homework without doing it for them or walking away in anger because my expectation is not being met and thereby hurting my son by making him feel bad about himself.
Dr. Kenny-
Wow - What can I say that hasn’t been said somewhere in the comments? Thank you, TY, TY! I’ve watched pcs 1&2 and the interview with Ms. Koretsky. I almost feel like the first time I saw an ADHD therapist and she told me what was going on inside me - and I was aghast that someone else knew - and relieved… that someone else knew - and understood. I left more of my history in another comment but I did want to say how very, very, valuable, helpful, instructive the podcasts are and I am so grateful to you for taking the time to prepare materials, filming, editing and all that goes into disseminating the information on ADHD. I was diagnosed as type Inattentive but realize that I also have most of the impulsivity attributes for adults as well - as a result of pc 2 - Diagnosis of ADHD.
I’m looking forward to the day when (I am indigent due to job loss & disability) maybe I will be able to see a doctor for medication and psychotherapy in addressing my ADHD. I’ll be able to use the information you’ve provided and hints I’ve picked up in your followers’ comments as well. Thank you again for such a valuable service to the world community at large.
what is 314.01 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder( ISC) primary
314.01 is the ICD number for the diagnosis of ADHD. The ICD is the International Classification of Diseases. Usually these numbers are used for official reports - like for insurance.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
sometimes I do good without my concerta 72mg do I need a lower dose
I would like some help with my daughter, who is 11, she has been on Adderol for years but now that school has started this year it seems that the medication, even at a higher dosages is not working. She has always had very good reviews from the teachers in the past but this year I am getting letters from the teachers because she does not want to do the work, she is throwing small fits, and is hiding her pill when the nurse gives it to her. She does not swallow the pill so every mornign it is a battle to get her to pour the capsule on her food to get her to take it. She is supposed to take a smaller pill in the afternoon, which she chews but lately has been very sneaky. I think she needs another type of pill and we are going to the doctor on Monday but I just wanted to see your opinions on Vyranese, which I have heard is comparible to adderal and she can still pour the pill on her food. I like this because it says it may last longer.. What do you think.
I have heard very good reviews of Vyvanse - though I haven’t yet prescribed it because it is not in Canada yet (it’s coming very soon). It may be a good option.
You can read more about vyvanse here: http://www.addadhdblog.com/vyvanse-the-new-medicine-for-addadhd/, or here: http://www.addadhdblog.com/does-vyvanse-work/