How Long Does it Take to Diagnose ADHD?
“How long should it take to get an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis? And if an adult or a child receives a quick diagnosis for ADD, when would you be suspicious of the doctor?”
If a doctor or psychiatrist talks with a child or adult for 15 minutes, diagnoses attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reaches for the prescription pad to prescribe medications, alarm bells should go off. I typically spend a couple of hours with my patients in the initial interview. I ask a lot of questions and listen carefully to the answers. I get a detailed history, but I do it in a semi-structured way. What’s more, it’s not just a matter of looking for ADHD. It’s important to screen for comorbid problems with ADHD — because the rate of comorbidities and ADHD is quite high. The problem with the health system is that insurance companies reimburse pediatricians for only 15 minutes of their time.
