To decide say you go do assessment na bigger step than e sound, and most of wetin dey make am hard na say you no sabi wetin you dey enter. So make we yarn the shape of am.

Who fit diagnose ADHD

No be website. No be questionnaire. No be social media video, even if e correct.

NICE, wey dey write the clinical guideline wey UK NHS dey use, talk am exactly: dem "should only" diagnose ADHD by "specialist psychiatrist, paediatrician or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing ADHD". The diagnosis must stand on full clinical and psychosocial assessment, full developmental and psychiatric history, and observer reports join assessment of the person mental state.

The same guideline talk say dem no suppose make diagnosis "solely on the basis of rating scale or observational data" — even though rating scale dey useful as extra tool.

For Nigeria and plenti of this region, the practical road na usually psychiatrist, developmental or general paediatrician for children, or clinical psychologist wey dey work with medical colleague. Federal neuropsychiatric hospital, teaching hospital and university medical centre na the usual place to start. Access no balance: researchers wey study ADHD for rural south-eastern Nigeria note am direct say care dey concentrated for the cities. If you no dey inside big city, expect to travel, and expect to wait.

Wetin dem dey actually look for

Three things, and all of dem must true together.

Pattern wey fit the criteria. Symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity wey meet the criteria for DSM-5 or ICD-11.

Real impairment. NICE require "at least moderate psychological, social, or educational or occupational impairment". Difficulty wey you don absorb and work around still dey count — but difficulty wey no dey cost you anything no reach the bar.

More than one setting. The symptoms must dey "happening often, occurring in 2 or more important settings including social, familial, educational or occupational settings". Na this criterion most self-assessment dey ignore, and na why "I no fit focus for work" alone no reach.

Dem go also assess wetin else dey happen. NICE ask doctors make dem include assessment of coexisting conditions, social, family and occupational circumstances, and physical health — because anxiety, depression, sleep disorder, hearing wahala, thyroid wahala and the effect of long stress fit all produce picture wey overlap, and because dem plenti times dey follow ADHD come too.

Adults: the childhood-history question

ADHD na neurodevelopmental condition, so doctors dey look for evidence say the pattern dey from childhood, even if nobody name am. NICE talk say make dem consider ADHD for all age group, with symptom criteria wey dem adjust for age-appropriate change for behaviour, and e specifically advise say adults wey come with symptoms but no get childhood diagnosis, make dem refer dem go specialist for assessment.

For practice, na here plenti Nigerian adults dey stuck, because the childhood evidence wey clinic dey expect — school report, parent wey remember specific thing — fit no dey, or you fit no fit reach am. E still worth to go. Carry wetin you get, and talk plain wetin you no fit get. Good doctor dey work with incomplete history every time.

Wetin to carry go

  • Timeline wey you write down. Roughly when each difficulty start, and wetin dey happen for your life that time.
  • Concrete example, no be label. "Dem don query me two times for missed deadline" worth pass "I no dey organised."
  • Evidence from more than one setting — work, house, school, money, relationship.
  • Old school report if e dey, and anything wey parent or senior sibling remember.
  • Person wey know you as pikin, if e possible and e comfortable. Observer report na part of the formal process.
  • List of everything else wey dey happen: sleep, mood, alcohol, other health condition, medicine.
  • Your questions, wey you write down. You go forget dem. Na that be the point sef.

How the appointment dey feel

Expect long conversation, no be test. Most of am na history: childhood, school, work, relationship, money, sleep, mood, substance. Some doctors dey use rating scale; some go ask to talk to family member; some dey use computer task as one input among several. For children and young people, NICE also ask make dem consider the parents' or carers' mental health as part of the process.

You fit need more than one appointment. Na normal thing, e no mean say anything spoil.

About treatment

If dem make diagnosis, NIMH describe the standard treatment as medication and psychosocial interventions — with example like cognitive behavioural therapy, parent training and school support. NICE too expect holistic shared treatment plan wey cover psychological, behavioural and occupational or educational needs, and make dem discuss treatment before dem start anything.

This site no dey recommend medicine and e no dey give dose. That conversation belong to the doctor wey assess you, wey sabi your history, your heart and blood pressure, and wetin else you dey take. Make you careful with anybody for online wey ready to talk more specific than that.

If the answer na no

Plenti people wey go assessment, dem go tell dem say another thing fit better, or say the threshold no meet. That one no be wasted journey and e no be judgement on whether your difficulty real.

The difficulty real before the appointment and e real after. Now you sabi something about wetin dey drive am, and the practical strategies for this site useful either way — dem never depend on diagnosis.