CAMHS ADHD Assessment
If your child or teen has issues, they may be sent to CAMHS for an ADHD assessment. They will usually be asked to bring with them their parent(s)/guardian(s) and a teacher who knows them well.
Parents and caregivers who were interviewed in response COVID-19 highlighted the positives of remote appointments, but also that face-toface appointments would be preferable during assessments.
Symptoms
If a child or a young person you know is suffering from ADHD they may have trouble sitting still, forget things, have difficulty falling asleep and be easily distracted by extraneous stimuli. They may also struggle to keep up with their tasks or activities at home or in school and have difficulty understanding information, and find it hard to follow instructions. They might lose items and have trouble finishing homework assignments or assignments, and even fail to attend appointments. If they are not careful, they might cause harm to themselves or others. They may have difficulty in relationships, find it difficult to find an employment or job, and have trouble being a good parent.
A few children and young people with ADHD are also impulsive. They might play with their hands, tap their fingers or struggle to wait for their turn. They may not pay attention to others and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors like taking drugs or engaging in sexual activity that is risky. Some adults with ADHD suffer from emotional issues and can easily become irritable or even angry. They might also be overly sensitive to criticism or feel that others are criticising them.
The symptoms of ADHD are different for everyone and can change as an individual gets older. They can affect anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity or background. ADHD is treatable with medication. But it is important to be aware that medication doesn't eliminate all the signs of the disorder and could cause adverse side negative effects.
A camhs adhd assessment is the first step towards receiving help for ADHD. The most common way for this is to visit your GP and ask them for an appointment. They may recommend you to a mental health professional to conduct a specialist ADHD assessment.
The ELFT's Quality Improvement team (QI) worked with City and Hackney ADHD teams to improve the timeliness and accuracy of their assessment process. The average 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 that can be treated with medications, behavioral therapy, or education. Children and parents may find it difficult to understand however, there are plenty of resources available. If you believe that you or your child is suffering from symptoms of ADHD talk to a GP. They will refer you to a specialist CAMHS who will examine and diagnose your child.
If your child was referred to CAMHS ADHD Assessment Service and is referred to the CAMHS ADHD Assessment Service, they will be viewed by at least one person from the team. They will also ask for feedback from the child and their parent(s) or carer(s), and an educator who knows them well. The team will employ standardised assessments as well as detailed histories to assess your child's difficulties. They will also provide Conners questionnaires to the child, their parent(s) or guardian(s) and an educator who is familiar with the child to complete before the assessment appointment.
The CAMHS team will then determine that your child requires additional tests and will refer them to a clinical psychologist. The psychologist will employ a variety of tests to determine how your child manages emotions and behaves in various situations. They will look at 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 have discovered. The clinician will issue an assessment, and then discuss possible treatment options with you. Patients with ADHD are usually treated by medication, but it's not enough to eliminate all symptoms.
Rotherham CAMHS is divided into different pathways and the 'ADHD assessment pathway' falls within the Neurodevelopmental Assessment pathway. However, some children and young people undergo their ADHD assessment through the Intellectual Disability CAMHS pathway. This is because they have more cognitive ability and their challenges are more complex than other children and young people who use CAMHS. The 'ID CAMHS' section on this website has more details on this pathway.
Treatment
The NHS provides specialized assistance to children and adolescents with ADHD through a local support service. This could include a psychiatrist, psychologist or a nurse. They may ask you to explain your symptoms and how they affect your life. They might also talk to your parents, teachers or other carers. They may also decide to prescribe medicine or suggest alternative treatments. The NHS website provides information on treatments and what you can expect.
Recent reports2 have revealed the issue of lengthy wait times for CAMHS services. Even with the best care waiting times for ADHD assessments are extremely long. National guidelines3 and local plans for transformation4 emphasize the importance of early detection and evaluation of adolescents and children with ADHD. However there are no specific guidelines regarding how long they should wait.
This quality improvement (QI) project was designed to speed up the ADHD assessment process. This was achieved through the use of an easy data collection tool and integrating it into the clinical system. This has allowed the average number of weeks from the date of referral until the date of the ADHD assessment feedback to be lowered. The QI team would like to thank the City and Hackney CAMHS ADHD team for their commitment and hard work throughout the project.
If a medication has been prescribed, the doctors discuss the options available with you and your loved ones. There are many drugs that treat ADHD. However, they all have different effects. It is essential to understand what to expect from any treatment.
There are a variety of non-pharmacological therapies that can help to improve ADHD symptoms. These include parenting programmes, behaviour therapy and psychological treatments. Individual or group sessions are available. A person with ADHD may also find it beneficial to use applications for planning and organisation.
The project involved twelve people who had been referred recently to the CAMHS ADHD pathway within a local Trust. The interviews were semi-structured and they took place over the phone. Participants were recruited via an intentional sampling technique. This technique was chosen because it is considered more ethical than the randomised controlled trial method which is typically used in a research study.
Support
A diagnosis of ADHD can be distressing for parents and young people as the signs and symptoms can be misunderstood and viewed as bad behavior. However, there is a wealth of support available through mental health services along with organizations and charities that can help. It is crucial that families have a clear idea of what to expect during the process of assessment. CAMHS have produced guidance on this, and it is available in the links below.
CAMHS also provide a range of different treatment options for ADHD that include medication and lifestyle changes. However, it is vital that the correct treatment is chosen for your child, as different people react differently to different medications. A CAMHS assessment will include discussions with a nurse or doctor and can involve a range of tests, such as brain scans and blood tests which help to determine possible causes for the symptoms.
The City and Hackney ADHD team recently implemented a quality improvement project to cut waiting times and improve service satisfaction of users. The team met with service users throughout the assessment process and they identified key issues that influenced the design of the pathway. Service users, for instance were of the opinion that the assessment was too long and that there was not enough post-assessment assistance. In addition they would like see more targeted support for children and families who are diagnosed with ADHD.
Following the QI project, wait times from initial referral to ADHD evaluation have been reduced dramatically. This is in line with trust-level targets, and reflects the importance of improving efficiency and capabilities across the CAMHS System. The team utilized the change model and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to create positive changes in the ADHD pathway.
A diagnosis of ADHD can also be helpful in getting an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for your child. The EHCP allows your school to provide additional assistance for your children with regards to medication and training courses. Our CAMHS ADHD clinic will provide support and advice for children suffering from ADHD.