CAMHS ADHD Assessment
If your child or adolescent is experiencing difficulty, they may be sent to undergo an 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.
In response to COVID-19, parents' and caregivers' responses to the interview highlighted positives around remote appointments but also that face-to-face appointments would be preferred during assessments.
Signs and symptoms
If you have ADHD, your child or teen might struggle to remain focused, forgetting things, having difficulty falling asleep, and being easily distracted by external stimuli. They may also have trouble keeping up with tasks and activities at school or at home. They may struggling to understand information and may find it difficult to follow instructions. They could lose their possessions, experience difficulties with their homework or assignments and also miss appointments. If they're not careful, they might hurt themselves or others. They could have a difficult relationship, and find it difficult to find work or a job, and may have difficulty to connect with their family members.
A few children and young people with ADHD are also impulsive. They might fumble or tap their fingers, try to get their turn in their activities, or be in a state of constant conversation. They may not be able to hear the opinions of others and are more inclined to take risks, such as using drugs or engaging in dangerous sexual activities. Some adults with ADHD also struggle with their emotions. They can be angry, frustrated or angry easily. They might also be excessively sensitive or feel like others are criticizing them.
The symptoms of ADHD can vary from person to person and may change with age. They can affect anyone of any race, gender or background. ADHD can be treated with medication. It is important to realize that medication is not able to eliminate all symptoms of the disorder, and it can cause side effects.
A camhs adhd assessment is the first step in getting assistance for ADHD. The most popular method for this is to go to your GP and request an appointment. They may recommend you to a mental health service to conduct a specialist ADHD assessment.
ELFT's Quality Improvement (QI) team collaborated with the City and Hackney ADHD team to speed up their assessment process. The average time between referral and feedback on assessment was reduced from 12 weeks to less than 12. This is in line with the trust's goal.
Diagnosis
ADHD is a medical condition and can be treated with medications, behavioural therapy, or education. It can be a challenge for children and parents to comprehend the condition however there is a lot of help available. If you suspect that you or your child has symptoms of ADHD talk to a GP. They can refer you to a specialist CAMHS team who will examine your child's condition and make a diagnosis.
If your child is directed to an CAMHS ADHD assessment service, they typically will be viewed by a couple of members 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 use standardised assessments and detailed histories to determine your child's difficulties. They will also provide Conners questionnaires to the child and their parent(s) or guardian(s) and an educator who is familiar with the child to complete prior to the assessment appointment.
The CAMHS team may then decide that your child is in need of more tests and send them to a professional clinical psychologist. The psychologist will conduct a variety of tests to determine how your child manages their emotions and behaves in various situations. They will look at how your child behaves at home, at school, and in public places.
During the examination the doctor will talk with you and your child what they have discovered. They will then issue an assessment and discuss options for treatment with you. Medication is often used to treat people suffering from ADHD however, it does not eliminate all the symptoms.
Rotherham CAMHS is divided into various pathways, and the "ADHD Assessment pathway" falls under the Neurodevelopmental assessment pathway. However, some children and young people will receive their ADHD evaluation through the Intellectual Disability CAMHS pathway. This is because their cognitive abilities are greater and their challenges more complex than the other children and adolescents who use CAMHS. This process is explained in greater detail on the 'ID CAMHS" page on this site.
Treatment
The NHS offers specialist help to children and adolescents with ADHD through a local support service. This could include a psychiatrist or psychologist or even nurses. You will be asked to write about your symptoms and how they affect your life. They could also speak with your teachers, parents, or other caregivers. They may also decide to prescribe medicine or suggest alternative treatments. The NHS website provides information on treatments and what you can expect.
Recent reports have exposed the issue of long wait times for CAMHS services. Even with top-quality care waiting times for ADHD assessments are very long. While national guidelines3 and local transformation plans4 emphasise the importance of early detection of children and young adults with ADHD and guidelines on assessment has been produced, there is no explicit guideline on the length of time a child or young person should wait to see a doctor.
This project was designed to reduce the waiting time for the ADHD assessment. This was achieved through the use of a simple data collection tool and embedding it in the clinical system. The average time between the time the referral was made to the date the ADHD assessment feedback was given has been reduced. The QI team would like to also thank City and Hackney CAMHS ADHD for their commitment and dedication throughout this project.
If you are prescribed a medication the doctor will discuss the options with you and your family. There are many medications that can be used to treat ADHD however, they all have different side effects. It is important to know what to expect before you begin any treatment.
There are many non-pharmacological treatment options that can help to improve ADHD symptoms. These include psychological therapies, parenting programmes and behaviour therapy. Group or individual sessions are available. Apps that assist with planning and organization could be beneficial for those with ADHD.
The project involved 12 participants who had been referred recently to the CAMHS ADHD path within the local Trust. Interviews were semi-structured and conducted over the phone. Participants were recruited through an intentional sampling technique. This method was chosen because it is believed to be more ethical than a controlled trial that is randomised that is typically employed in research studies.
Support
The diagnosis of ADHD is often distressing for parents and children alike, since the signs are often misinterpreted or viewed as unacceptable behavior. However, there is a wealth of support available through mental health services along with organizations and charities that can help. It's important that families have a clear idea of what to expect during the process of assessment. CAMHS has issued guidance on the subject, which can be found by clicking on the below links.
CAMHS also offer a number of treatments for ADHD, including lifestyle and medication. However, it is vital that the correct treatment is selected for your child, as different individuals respond differently to medication. A CAMHS assessment may include discussions with a nurse or doctor and may involve a range of tests such as brain scans and blood tests.
The City and Hackney ADHD team recently implemented an improvement in quality to reduce waiting times and increase user satisfaction. The team spoke with service users during the assessment process, and identified the key issues that led to improvements to the process. Service users, for example, felt that the assessment was too long and they did not receive enough post-assessment support. In addition they would like to see more targeted support for children and families who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
After the QI project was launched the waiting times between initial referral and ADHD assessment were significantly reduced. This is in line the targets for trust-levels, and shows a focus on improving efficiency and capabilities across the CAMHS System. adhd assessment cost used an approach to change and Plan-Do-Study -Act cycles to effect positive change within the ADHD pathway.
A diagnosis of ADHD can be beneficial in obtaining an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for your child. The EHCP allows schools to provide additional support for your child including training and medication. The school may also refer to our CAMHS ADHD clinic for help and support sessions for children who have been given an ADHD diagnosis.