In a school setting, many individuals with ADHD often say these things to themselves:
- Teachers always thought I was dumb and lazy, but I didn’t know what was going on because I was daydreaming most the time.”
- “Why can I never get my work done on time?”
- “I was not listening to any of that.”
If these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, whether it be at school or work, you might have ADHD. However, only ADHD testing will accurately report this.
Here are some other things to ask yourself:
- Have I been experiencing difficulties with inattentiveness, hyperactivity-impulsivity, or a combination of the two since childhood (before the age of 12)?
- Are my difficulties present across multiple settings such as home, school, and work?
- Do my struggles interfere or reduce my daily functioning?
- My symptoms are not better explained by another mental health condition.
Are you still unsure if your struggles may be due to ADHD?
Think specifically about challenges you may face with inattentiveness and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Consider the following:
-
Inattentiveness
- Often makes careless mistakes or disregards details
- Does not seem to listen when spoken to
- Difficulty organizing
- Avoids or dislikes long-term tasks
- Easily distracted
- Often forgetful/loses important items
- Hyperactivity/Impulsivity
- Excessive talking
- Trouble waiting for their turn
- Often interrupts or inserts self into conversations
- Regular fidgeting or squirming
- Cannot participate in leisure activities quietly
* If you answered yes to a majority of the considerations listed above, you likely fit the criteria for an individual with undiagnosed ADHD.
But how do you know for certain if you have ADHD?
Who can you go to when determining if you meet the criteria for ADHD testing? A psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, neurologist, and some physicians offer ADHD testing in Florida. Yet, it is important to ask your chosen care provider if they have experience with ADHD testing.
Typically, students with ADHD struggle with writing and reading comprehension
Because these areas are dependent on executive functioning. As stated before, impulse control can be another problematic symptom. Individuals who struggle with this symptom tend to find it harder to control their impulses. As a result, they may irritate others, make careless mistakes, or violate rules.
For a child, teen, or adult in a school setting, undergoing ADHD testing in Florida can be the difference between prolonged struggles or failure and passing and graduation. For a student diagnosed with ADHD, a test and report written by a professional can be key in their success.
Special accommodations that can be made under a student’s 504 plan may be but are not limited to:
- Modifications in the classroom and/or to homework assignments such shortening an assignment
- Reduced amount of written work
- More frequent breaks between sections of work
- Extended time on exams or assignments
- A quiet place to complete tests
- Preferential seating away from distractions
- One-on-one tutoring
It is important to keep in mind that symptoms of ADHD can present in a similar way to other mental health conditions.
ADHD can present similarly to:
- Learning disorders
Hence, the importance of ADHD testing as an accurate diagnosis will help guide treatment planning.
Reducing symptoms of ADHD
If you would like to have ADHD testing completed, please contact Sheltering Oaks Counseling at 813-982-4230 and set up an appointment.
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Other Mental Health Services at Sheltering Oaks Counseling
Your family may need help in more than one way. At Sheltering Oaks Counseling, we want to meet the mental health needs of every member of your family. Therefore, we offer a number of mental health services at our Wesley Chapel, FL based therapy clinic. For example, our therapists offer Christian counseling, counseling for young adults, therapy for cancer survivors and trauma therapy. We also have marriage counseling, family therapy, play therapy, and counseling for ministers. Not only can we help you in our Tampa area counseling offices, but we can also work with you anywhere in the state with online therapy in Florida.
Additionally, we offer several types of testing services, including neuropsychological testing, ADHD testing, psychoeducational evaluation, Gifted testing, and more. Finally, our specialty services for veterans and parents as IEP advocates can help you too! We would love to connect when you are ready to reach out.