ADHD is a developmental disorder
ADHD is a ‘neurodevelopmental’ disorder (brain development disorder), which can affect a number of areas of brain function. It is not a sign of low intelligence. With understanding, care and medical treatment people with ADHD can be successfully supported to overcome these difficulties. Children and Adults with ADHD experience difficulties with:
● Inattention – having difficulty concentrating, forgetting instructions, moving from one task to another without completing anything
● Impulsivity – such as talking over the top of others, having a ‘short fuse’, being accident prone
● Overactivity – constant restlessness and fidgeting
● Emotional regulation- when struggling with emotions
● Social navigation- when finding it difficult to build relationships
● Sleep- poor sleep pattern
All young children have a limited attention span and sometimes do things without
thinking, but only a few of these children have ADHD.
Your four step Journey with Rainbow Medical
Step 1
When you contact us, from the start we aim to offer you a supportive approach for you or your children from one of our consultants/counsellors. Your first initial appointment will be at one of our clinics in Leicester, Coventry, Derby, Nottingham, or Edinburgh. You will have a face to face consultation to discuss the screening process for ADHD. We aim to offer you information on how the screening, assessment and diagnosis process works with the Rainbow Medical Group. This will be your opportunity to ask the questions. You will be given both the screening tools to start the process and will need to obtain a GP referral letter for the person being assessed for ADHD. You will be given a further appointment to attend with the screening results.
In your second appointment, your consultant /counsellor will discuss with you the results of the screening assessment. The consultant will use the results from the rating scales to make a judgement. If the person being assessed displays symptoms of ADHD, we will then conduct an intensive DIVA mental health assessment. From this discussion, there will be two plans you will be guided through.
Plan A
The results from the screening may show that it is very unlikely that ADHD will be diagnosed in you or a child. From this point, you will be offered Counselling from My Solution Wellbeing. You will also be offered guidance and support from the consultant to understand how the screening process has worked and what the results mean for you.
Plan B
If the results show that there is a high chance that ADHD symptoms are present from the screening, you will then be supported on to Step 2 of the process and will be booked in for a DIVA mental health assessment with one of our consultants at the clinic.
Step 2- DIVA assessment with a consultant
You will meet with a consultant/counsellor to complete a Diva assessment. The duration for completion of the assessment will be 90-120 minutes. This can be completed in one session or carried out in two sessions. When the assessment is complete, the information will be passed onto the psychiatrist/ consultant.
Step 3 – Meeting the Psychiatrist/ consultant.
Your appointment will take place in person face to face. You will be assessed by a consultant psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in mental health. The meeting will typically last 60 minutes. Please note that the role of our clinicians is solely to assess whether an ADHD diagnosis is present. It is not a therapy session. In this time, your psychiatrist will undertake a structured medical assessment of your mental health and take a full psychiatric history. Your psychiatrist will then discuss with you what they think your diagnosis is. Additionally, your psychiatrist may need further information or investigations before they can offer a diagnosis. You will receive a written report for your diagnosis stating the findings. After diagnosis, your psychiatrist will discuss the recommended treatment and support you can access.
Step 4 Diagnoses and aftercare support
You will attend a final appointment with a consultant to discuss the aftercare support we can offer you and the options you have with treatment. Several treatments can successfully manage symptoms of ADHD, ranging from behavioural intervention to prescription medication. Medication can be very effective, but psychotherapeutic interventions may also help. A medication pathway will only be discussed with the consultant psychiatrist not a counsellor. You will also be offered group therapy for adults, children, and parents on managing ADHD.
Costings are in two parts