CAMHS ADHD Assessment
If your child or adolescent has difficulty, they may be recommended for ADHD assessment to CAMHS. They will usually be asked to bring with them their parent(s)/guardian(s) and a teacher who knows them well.
Parents/caregivers interviewed in response to COVID-19 have highlighted the advantages of remote appointments, but also that face-to-face appointments are preferred for assessment purposes.
Symptoms
If you suffer from ADHD, your child or teen might struggle to remain focused and forgetting things, having trouble falling asleep, and is easily distracted by external stimuli. They might also have difficulty trying to keep up with tasks or activities at home or in school and have difficulty understanding information and are unable to follow instructions. They may lose their belongings, have difficulty completing homework or assignments and may miss appointments. If they're not careful, they could harm themselves or others. They may have a difficult relationship, and find it difficult to find work or a job and may have difficulty to connect with their family members.
Some kids and teens with ADHD are impulsive. They may fidget or tap their fingers, struggle to wait for their turn in activities or be incapable of stopping talking. They may not listen to others and are more likely to engage in risky activities like taking drugs or engaging in sexual activities that are risky. Certain people with ADHD also have problems with their emotions. They can become irritable, frustrated or angry easily. They might also be overly sensitive to criticism or believe that others are judging them.
The symptoms of ADHD differ for each person and they can change as people get older. They can affect people of any age, gender, or background. ADHD can be treated by medication. It is important to realize that medication cannot remove all symptoms of the disorder and may cause adverse effects.
The first step in getting help for ADHD is to get an assessment of the severity of adhd in camhs. The most common way to do this is to go to your GP and request an appointment. They may recommend you to a mental health service for an ADHD specialist assessment.
ELFT's Quality Improvement (QI) team worked with the City and Hackney ADHD team to improve the timeliness of their assessment process. As a result, the average time between referral to feedback on assessment was reduced to less than 12 weeks. This is in line with the trust's mission.
Diagnosis
ADHD is a medical disorder that can be treated by medications, behavioral therapy, or education. Children and parents may find it difficult comprehend, but there are many resources available. If you believe that you or your child has symptoms of ADHD talk to an GP. They will refer you to a specialist CAMHS who will examine and diagnose your child.
If your child was sent to the CAMHS ADHD Assessment Service you will be visited by at least one member of the team. They will also seek out the child's parents or caregivers, as well as a teacher who knows their child well to provide feedback. The team will employ standardised assessments as well as detailed histories to assess your child's difficulties. They will also distribute Conners questionnaires for the child, their parent(s) or guardian(s) and an educator who is familiar with the child to complete prior the assessment appointment.
The CAMHS team may then decide that your child is in need of more tests and refer them to an expert clinical psychologist. The psychologist will use different tests to determine how your child handles emotions and behaves in various situations. They will assess the ways your child behaves in a range of different situations, such as at home, school and public places.
During the examination the doctor will talk with you and your child what they have discovered. The doctor will then make a diagnosis, and then discuss treatment options with you. Medication is often used to treat people suffering from ADHD, but this is not enough to eliminate all the symptoms.
Rotherham CAMHS is divided into multiple pathways, and the "ADHD Assessment pathway" is part of the Neurodevelopmental assessment pathway. However, some youngsters and children will receive their ADHD assessment through the Intellectual Disability CAMHS pathway. This is due to their cognitive capabilities are higher and their difficulties more complex than the other children and adolescents who use CAMHS. This path is explained in greater detail on the "ID of CAMHS" page on this site.
Treatment
The NHS offers specialist help for children and adolescents with ADHD via a local service. This could include a psychiatrist or psychologist or even nurses. You'll be asked to describe your symptoms and how they impact your life. They might also talk to your teachers, parents or other caregivers. They may decide to prescribe medication or suggest alternative treatments. The NHS website offers information about treatments and what you can expect.
Recent reports2 have exposed the issue of long wait times for CAMHS services. Even with high-quality treatment waiting times for ADHD assessments are extremely long. While national guidelines3 as well as local transformation plans4 emphasise the importance of early identification of children and young adults with ADHD and guidelines on assessment has been provided, there is no explicit guideline on how long an individual child or young adult should wait before being seen.
This project was designed to reduce the waiting time for the ADHD assessment. This was achieved using a simple tool for collecting data and embedding it into the clinical system. The average number of weeks between the date the referral was made and the date the ADHD assessment feedback was given has been decreased. The QI team would like to also thank City and Hackney CAMHS ADHD for their dedication and hardwork throughout this project.
If the medication is prescribed by a specialist, they will discuss the options with you and your family. There are a myriad of medications that can be used to treat ADHD, but they all have different adverse effects. It is crucial to know what to expect when you start any treatment.
There are many non-pharmacological treatment options that can aid in the reduction of ADHD symptoms. These can include psychological therapies, parenting programs, and behavior therapy. Group or individual sessions are available. Apps that help with organizing and planning could be beneficial for those with ADHD.
The project involved 12 participants who were recently referred to the CAMHS ADHD pathway within the local Trust. Interviews were semi-structured and were conducted over the phone. Participants were recruited via an intentional sampling technique. This method was chosen as it is regarded to be more ethical than the randomised controlled trial approach that would normally be used in a research study.
Support
A diagnosis of ADHD can be a source of stress for parents and children, as the symptoms are often misinterpreted and viewed as bad behavior. There are a lot of services available to help from mental health services, along with organizations and charities that can assist. It's important that families have a clear idea of what to expect during the process of assessment. CAMHS have produced guidance on this subject and it is available in the links below.
CAMHS offers see here now of treatments for ADHD including medication and lifestyle modifications. However, it is vital that the correct treatment is selected for your child's needs, as different individuals respond differently to medication. A CAMHS evaluation will involve discussions with a nurse or doctor and can involve a range of tests, including blood tests and brain scans, which can help identify possible causes of the symptoms.
The City and Hackney ADHD team recently implemented a quality improvement project to reduce waiting times and improve service satisfaction of users. The team met with service users throughout the assessment process, and identified the main issues that influenced the design of the process. For example, service users were of the opinion that the assessment was too long and there was not enough support on offer postassessment. In addition, they would like to see more targeted support for families and children who receive a diagnosis of ADHD.
After the QI project was implemented the waiting time between referrals and ADHD assessment significantly decreased. This is in line with the trust-level goals and is a reflection of the focus on enhancing efficiency and capacity across the CAMHS system. The team utilized a model for change and Plan-Do-Study Act cycles to create positive changes 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 will permit your school to implement additional support for your child, such as medication or training courses. The school may also consult our CAMHS ADHD clinic for advice and support sessions for children who have been given an ADHD diagnosis.