CAMHS ADHD Assessment
If your child or young person has issues, they may be referred 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 interviewed in response to COVID-19 emphasized the benefits of remote appointments, but also said that meetings in person are preferable for assessments.
Symptoms
If a child or a young person you know is suffering from ADHD they may struggle to remain focused or forgetting things, experience difficulties falling asleep and are easily distracted by distractions. They might also have difficulty trying to keep up with the demands of tasks or activities at home or in school or at home, struggle to comprehend information and may find it difficult to follow instructions. They could lose their possessions, have difficulty completing homework or assignments and may miss appointments. They may injure themselves or others if not vigilant. They may have difficulty with relationships, find it difficult to find a job or work and have difficulty being a good parent.
A few children and young people with ADHD are also impulsive. They might be impulsive, fidget, or struggle to wait their turn. They might not listen to the opinions of others and are more likely to be risky, such as using drugs or engaging in dangerous sexual activities. Some adults with ADHD have emotional problems and are prone to becoming angry or angry. They might also be overly sensitive to criticism or feel that others are judging them.
The symptoms of ADHD can vary from person to person and change as you get older. They can affect people of any gender, ethnicity or background. ADHD is an illness that can be treated by medication. It is essential to be aware that treatment doesn't remove all the symptoms of the disorder, and may cause side negative effects.
The first step towards seeking assistance for ADHD is to have an assessment for ADHD with a camhs. It is typically done by asking your GP to schedule an appointment. They may refer you to a mental clinic for an ADHD specialist assessment.
ELFT's Quality Improvement team (QI) worked with City and Hackney ADHD teams to improve the speed and accuracy of their assessment process. The average time between referral and feedback on assessment was reduced from 12 weeks to less than 12. This is in the range of the trust's goal.
Diagnosis
ADHD is a medical condition and can be treated by medication, behavioural therapy or education. It can be difficult for children and parents to comprehend the condition however there is a lot of support available. If you believe that you or your child is suffering from symptoms of ADHD, speak to an GP. They can refer you to a specialist CAMHS team that will evaluate your child's condition and make a diagnosis.
If your child is referred to an CAMHS ADHD assessment service, they are usually seen by a member or two of the team. They will also seek out the caregivers or parents of the child and a teacher who knows them well for feedback. The team will employ standard assessment methods and detailed history taking to assess your child's difficulties. They will also send Conners questionnaires to the child, the parent(s) or guardian(s), as well as teachers who know the child very well.
The CAMHS team will then determine that your child is in need of further tests and they will send them to a professional clinical psychologist. The psychologist will employ various tests to see how your child handles their emotions and behaviour in various situations. They will look at the behavior of your child in a range of different settings, including the home, school and public places.
During the exam, the clinician will speak to you and your child about what they've discovered. The doctor will then make a diagnosis, and then discuss possible treatment options with you. Patients with ADHD are often treated by medication, but it is not a cure for all symptoms.
Rotherham CAMHS is divided into different pathways, and the "ADHD Assessment pathway" falls under the Neurodevelopmental assessment pathway. Some children and adolescents will be assessed for ADHD through the Intellectual Disability CAMHS pathway. This is because they have more cognitive ability and their challenges are more complex than the other children and young people who are using CAMHS. This path is explained in greater detail on the "ID the CAMHS" page of this website.
Treatment
The NHS offers specialist help to children and adolescents with ADHD via a local service. This could be psychologists, psychiatrists or even a nurse. They will 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 decide to treat you with medicine or suggest other treatments instead. The NHS website offers information about treatments and what you can expect.
A recent report2 identified the issue of lengthy waiting times for CAMHS services. The wait times for the assessment of ADHD are particularly long even with high-quality care. National guidelines3 and local plans for transformation4 stress the importance of early identification and assessment of children and adolescents with ADHD. However there aren't any explicit guidelines regarding how long they should wait.
This project was designed to reduce the waiting time for the ADHD assessment. This was achieved through the use of a simple tool for data collection and embedding it in the clinical system. The average time between the time the referral was made and the date the ADHD assessment feedback was given has been decreased. The QI team would like to thank City and Hackney CAMHS ADHD for their commitment and dedication throughout this project.
If a medication has been prescribed, the specialists discuss the available options with you and your loved ones. There are adhd assessment psychiatry uk of drugs that can be used to treat ADHD however, they all have different side effects. It is important that you be aware of the potential side effects of any treatment.
There are many non-pharmacological treatment options that can aid in the reduction of ADHD symptoms. These include parenting programmes, behaviour therapy and psychological therapies. Individual or group sessions are available. Apps that assist with organisation and planning may be beneficial to someone suffering from ADHD.
The project included 12 participants who had been recently referred to the CAMHS ADHD pathway within the local Trust. Interviews were semi-structured and were conducted via phone. Participants were recruited using an intentional sampling technique. This technique was chosen because it is considered to be more ethical than the randomised controlled trial approach which is typically employed in research studies.
Support
A diagnosis of ADHD can be a source of stress for parents and children as the signs and symptoms can be misunderstood and viewed as bad behavior. There are a lot of resources available through mental health services as well as organisations and charities that can help. It is important that families understand what to expect from the assessment process. CAMHS have provided guidance on this, and it can be found in the links below.
CAMHS offers a range of treatments for ADHD including medication and lifestyle changes. It is essential that the correct treatment is chosen for your child, since different individuals respond differently to different medications. A CAMHS assessment may include discussions with a nurse or doctor and can involve a variety of tests, including brain scans and blood tests.
The City and Hackney ADHD team recently completed an improvement in quality to cut waiting times and increase customer satisfaction. The team consulted with service users throughout the assessment process and they identified key themes that informed the improvement of the assessment process. Service users, for instance, felt that the assessment was too lengthy and they did not receive enough post-assessment assistance. They would also like to see more targeted support for children and their families who are diagnosed with ADHD.
After the QI project was implemented and implemented, the wait time between referrals and ADHD assessment were significantly reduced. This is in line the targets for trust-levels, and shows the importance of improving effectiveness and capacity across the CAMHS System. The team used the model of change and Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to drive positive change in the ADHD process.
A diagnosis of ADHD could also assist in obtaining an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for your child. The EHCP allows your school to provide additional assistance for your children including training and medication. The school may also refer to our CAMHS ADHD clinic for help and support sessions for children who have received an ADHD diagnosis.