ADHD Testing in Mesa, AZ
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a disorder marked by the inability to pay attention, impulsivity, and sometimes hyperactivity. ADHD is present from early childhood, though often symptoms are not recognized then, especially if hyperactivity is absent. A child or adolescent with ADHD may struggle at school, with friends, and in the family unit.
What Are Examples of ADHD Behaviors?
- Always on the go
- Difficulty sitting still to complete a task
- Frequently losing things like assignments or keys
- Difficulty following directions
- Starting a task, then leaving it for another, and another, with little ever being completed
- Making impulsive decisions
- Disorganization
- Difficulty multitasking
- Struggles to plan
- Easily frustrated
- Poor time management
- Mood swings
- Quick temper
- Poor coping skills
Can Adults Have ADHD?
It is becoming more common for adults to suspect they have ADHD, but they were never diagnosed as children. In adults the same behaviors may be present, but it can look different. An adult might feel like they work hard all day, but never seem to get anything done. Often, they struggle to sleep because they can’t stop thinking about everything that was not completed. ADHD can also impact relationships and family functioning. An adult may be struggling to meet responsibilities that then impact the family. Frequent job changes, inability to manage money, forgetting to pay bills, and having multiple unfinished projects at home are common adult signs of ADHD.
How Do You Manage ADHD?
Children, adolescents, and adults can all learn to manage ADHD. For many, medication makes a substantial difference in their ability to cope and be successful. Medication is not enough though. Strategies, routine, and pattern recognition are just as important to learn. Parents and partners also need education on how to help their loved one be successful and minimize conflict in the family unit. Interestingly, ADHD is a highly inheritable disorder. It is very common for multiple siblings and a parent in one family to all be struggling with ADHD.
As a former special and regular education teacher I have a very strong background in ADHD management. As I parent, I also learned many strategies to make life smoother at home. At Thrive, I will help you and your family successfully thrive with ADHD.
What is ADHD Testing?
To be diagnosed with ADHD a thorough evaluation must be done. There is no blood test or other easy answer. Your provider will ask a lot of questions about your background, how you did in school, and about relationships in your life. Usually, a series of questions will be scored either by yourself if you are an adult, or by parents and teachers of a child. This information helps the provider know what specific areas are difficult. An additional tool is computer testing.
At Thrive Psychiatry the TOVA test, or Test of Variables Attention, is used to help with diagnosis and medication management. This test can be used for people from the age of 4 and up. Language and learning disabilities do not impact the results of the test. The test measures consistency, information processing speed, attention, distractibility, and self-control. This gives the provider an idea of the specific areas the person is struggling with.
At Thrive, ADHD testing is used for several purposes. First, a baseline test before starting any treatment provides the starting point. After starting medications another test will be administered to see if the person is performing in the average range for others of the same sex and age. Based on these results, and the observations of the patient or parents, changes can be made to fine tune the medication for the best results. A third test will be administered after an adjustment or later when a change in symptoms occurs. All three tests are covered under the initial testing fee.
Using the TOVA test provides specific information, both before diagnosis, but more importantly after medication. This enables the provider and patient to create the best possible treatment plan.
