CAMHS ADHD Assessment
If your child or adolescent has difficulty, they may be recommended to undergo an ADHD assessment by CAMHS. They will usually be asked to bring with them their parent(s)/guardian(s) and a teacher who knows them well.
In response to COVID-19, interview responses from parents/caregivers pointed out the positives of remote appointments, but also that face-to-face appointments are preferred during assessments.
Symptoms
If you have ADHD, your child or teenager may have trouble sitting still and forgetting things, having difficulty falling asleep, and being easily distracted by external stimuli. They might also have difficulty trying to keep up with tasks or activities at home or in school or at home, struggle to comprehend information and are unable to follow instructions. They might often lose their belongings, have difficulties with their homework or assignments and miss appointments. If they are not careful, they could harm themselves or others. They could have a difficult time in relationships, struggle to find work or a job, and might find it difficult to get on with their family members.
Many children and young adults with ADHD are also hyperactive. They may fidget, tap their fingers or struggle to wait their turn. They may not listen to others and are more likely to engage in risky activities such as taking drugs or engaging in sexual activities that are risky. Many people with ADHD also struggle with their moods and be angry, frustrated or angry easily. They might also be overly sensitive to criticism or believe that others are criticising them.
The symptoms of ADHD are different from person to person and change with age. They can affect anyone regardless of race, gender or background. ADHD is an illness that can be treated by medication. It is important to realize that medication is not able to remove all symptoms of the disorder, and can have side effects.
A camhs adhd test is the first step towards getting help for ADHD. It is usually performed by asking your GP to schedule an appointment. They may refer you to a mental clinic to conduct an ADHD specialist assessment.
ELFT's Quality Improvement (QI) team collaborated with the City and Hackney ADHD team to speed up their assessment process. The average wait time between assessment and referral was reduced from 12 weeks to less than 12. This is in accordance with the trust's goals.
Diagnosis
ADHD is a medical condition which can be treated through treatment with medication, behavioral therapy or education. It can be difficult for parents and children to understand the disorder however there is a lot of support available. If you suspect that you or your child may be suffering from symptoms of ADHD, speak to an GP. They can refer you to a specialist CAMHS who will evaluate and diagnose your child.
If your child was referred to CAMHS ADHD Assessment Service you will be visited by at least one member of the team. They will also ask for feedback from the child as well as their parent(s) or carer(s) as well as the teacher who is familiar with them. The team will use standardised assessment techniques and detailed histories taking to assess your child's challenges. They will also provide Conners questionnaires to the child and their parent(s) or guardian(s) as well as a teacher that knows the child well to complete prior to the assessment appointment.
The CAMHS team may then decide that your child requires additional tests and will refer them to a clinical psychologist. The psychologist will use different tests to determine how your child handles emotions and behaves in different situations. They will assess how your child behaves at home, at school as well as in public areas.
During the assessment, the clinician will discuss with you and your child about what they've found out. The doctor will then make an assessment, and then discuss the options for treatment with you. It is common to use medication to treat people suffering from ADHD however it will not remove all of their symptoms.
Rotherham CAMHS is divided into multiple pathways, and the 'ADHD Assessment pathway' is part of the Neurodevelopmental assessment pathway. Certain children and adolescents are assessed for ADHD through the Intellectual Disability CAMHS pathway. This is because they have an elevated cognitive ability and their challenges are more complex than those of other children and young people who use CAMHS. The 'ID CAMHS' section on this website has more details about this route.
Treatment
The NHS offers specialized assistance for children and adolescents with ADHD through a local service in your area. This could include a psychiatrist or psychologist or even nurses. You will be asked to write about your symptoms and how they affect your life. They may also speak to your teachers, parents, or other caregivers. They may also decide to prescribe medicine or suggest alternative treatments. The NHS website provides information on treatments and what you can expect.
A recent report2 focused on the issue of long waiting times for CAMHS services. Waiting times for the evaluation of ADHD are particularly long, even with high-quality care. While national guidelines3 as well as local transformation plans4 stress the importance of early detection of children and young adults with ADHD and a guideline for assessment has been provided, there is no explicit guidelines on the length of time the child or young person should wait to be seen.
This quality improvement (QI) project was developed to speed up the ADHD assessment process. This was accomplished through an easy tool for collecting data and integration into the clinical system. This has allowed the average number of weeks from the date of referral to the day of the ADHD assessment feedback to be reduced. The QI team would like to thank the City and the Hackney CAMHS ADHD team for their dedication and hard work throughout the project.
If a medication is prescribed the doctor will discuss the options with you and your family members. There are a myriad of medicines that can be utilized to treat ADHD, but they all have different side effects. It is crucial to understand what to expect from any treatment.
In addition to medications There are a myriad of non-pharmacological treatments that can be used to help improve the symptoms of ADHD. These include parenting programmes such as behaviour therapy, and psychological treatments. Sessions for groups or individuals are available. Apps that assist with planning and organization could be beneficial to someone suffering from ADHD.
The project involved twelve participants who were recently referred to the CAMHS ADHD route within a local Trust. The interviews were semi-structured and were conducted over the phone. Participants were recruited using a purposeful sample technique. assess adhd was chosen because it is regarded to be more ethical than the randomised controlled trial approach that is normally used for a research study.
Support
The diagnosis of ADHD is often a source of anxiety for both parents and children as the symptoms are often misinterpreted or seen as undesirable behavior. However, there are lots of resources available from mental health professionals, as well as organizations and charities that can aid. It is essential that families know what to expect from the assessment process. CAMHS have provided guidance on this, and it is available in the links below.
CAMHS also provide a variety of different treatments for ADHD that include medications and lifestyle changes. It is important to select the appropriate medication for your child, as everyone responds differently to medications. A CAMHS evaluation will involve discussions with a doctor or nurse and can involve a range of tests, like blood tests and brain scans that can help determine possible causes for the symptoms.
The City and Hackney ADHD team recently completed an improvement project in quality to reduce wait times and improve user satisfaction. The team consulted customers during the assessment process and identified the most important themes that informed improvements to the pathway. Service users, for example, felt that the assessment was too lengthy and they did not receive enough post-assessment support. In addition they would like see more targeted support for families and children who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
After the QI project was completed, waiting time between referrals and ADHD evaluation were drastically reduced. This is in line the targets for trust-levels, and shows an emphasis on enhancing efficiency and capability across the CAMHS System. The team utilized the change model and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to effect positive changes in the ADHD process.
A diagnosis of ADHD can also be helpful in obtaining an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for your child. The EHCP will permit your school to put in place additional assistance for your child, for example training or medication. The school may also refer to our CAMHS ADHD clinic for advice and support sessions for children who have been given an ADHD diagnosis.