Please respond to 2 peers. At least 1 reference required
Esinam Adotey
Manage Discussion by Esinam Adotey
Reply from Esinam Adotey
In your future practice, clients might come in having self-diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. In your personal or professional experience, have you seen this occur? How did you handle it? In my personal or professional experience, I have not seen clients come in having self-diagnosed ADHD. I would handle it by telling the client to tell me about your symptoms so that I may examine them physically, look through your medical history, and rule out other possible reasons for their problems. I would also access a history of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in adults. I would also use the screening tool to help with the diagnosis in order to provide appropriate treatment if needed.
Find an ADD/ADHD self-screening tool and either take it or ask a friend or family member (of any age) to take it. Share two age-appropriate techniques, web resources, or apps that would help this person if they did “test positive” for ADD/ADHD.
The self-screening tool I ask a family member to take is the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1). The ASRS v1.1 is a tool that healthcare professionals can use to assist in screening adult patients for ADHD. The Symptom Checklist is a tool that includes all 18 DSM-IV-TR criteria. Six out of the eighteen questions found the most accurate predictors of ADHD-related symptoms. These six inquiries serve as the foundation for the ASRS v1.1 Screener and Part A of the Symptom Checklist. The final twelve questions on the Symptom Checklist are included in Part B (Adult ADHD self-report scale (ASRS-V1.1) symptom checklist … – adda). Apps that would help this person if they did “test positive” for ADD/ADHD would be MindNode 5. MindNode 5 is a tool that an adult with ADHD can use. Adults with ADHD may visualize their thoughts and use “mind-mapping” to carry out ideas and plans. Secondly, Cognifit is another app that all ages can benefit from playing brain training games, and those with ADHD can use it to improve their concentration, memory, and Attention. A web resource that would also help if they did test for positive ADHD is Children and adults with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (CHADD). Children and adults living with ADHD and their families have access to support, education, training, and advocacy due to CHADD. This toolkit offers resources specialized to ADHD challenges, such as routine creation, homework station setup, and home-school communication framework (ADHD and school – chadd).
Portia Price
Manage Discussion by Portia Price
Good Evening,
In your future practice, clients might come in having self-diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. In your personal or professional experience, have you seen this occur? How did you handle it?
I actually run into this issue pretty often. I work in addiction medicine, and I have those clients that say they abuse methamphetamines because they have ADD/ADHD. I will not offer a stimulant to them. My collaborator will every now and again. However, before we get to the point in which they see my collaborator I try make sure their symptoms are not because some other disorder such as anxiety, daytime sleepiness from insomnia, or depression. If I worked in a setting that did not involve drug abuse, I would still cover my basis and assess for other reasons for their symptoms before diagnosing ADHD.
Find an ADD/ADHD self-screening tool and either take it or ask a friend or family member (of any age) to take it. Share two age-appropriate techniques, web resources, or apps that would help this person if they did “test positive†for ADD/ADHD. (You do not have to disclose the nature of the relationship of the person who took the screening test. Use a pseudonym unless you have permission otherwise.
I did the ADHD self-report scale on myself (Bukstein, 2022). It turned out to be negative. I didn’t think it would be positive. I found a site called Brain Balance. They have programs designed for both children and adults. To get started you take an assessment which includes sensory, physical, and cognitive activities that identify areas of development that need strengthening. Once areas of improvement or identified an individualized plan is created. The plan is comprised of brain training which targets enhancing focus, mood, memory, and overall daily performance. The other areas are one on one coaching, and a nutrition plan. The program advertises a requirement of one hour a day for three months.
https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/who-we-help/adults (Links to an external site.)
Another site I found was Attention Deficit Disorder Association (adda). This site was designed to provide information, resources and support for adults with ADHD. Another goal is to bring awareness and as well as provide accurate information on adult ADHD to policy makers, the press and the general public.