Everyone has some of these symptoms occasionally, but those with adult ADHD have more of these symptoms consistently and to a level that is impairing their daily functioning at work, school, and home. These symptoms may be fairly consistent, vary according to the situation or fluctuate without control.
The most important thing to note is that the medical professional you choose must be knowledgeable about ADHD.
The assessment and diagnosis of ADHD by a medical professional is generally covered by your provincial health care plan, however, always ask if any additional fees will be charged.
The potential diagnosis of ADHD should include;
Access the Adult Self Report Scale (ASRS), an adult ADHD assessment tool, which you can complete and take to your doctor English French
You can also access the ASRS in a variety of languages by Googling ASRS and the language that you are seeking.
Psychologists may assess and diagnose ADHD, but they cannot prescribe medication. Psychologists are not covered by provincial health care plans, but may be partially covered by private health coverage. Speak to the psychologist prior to contacting your private insurance provider.
Children who are struggling academically may seek a psychoeducational assessment to assess whether any coexisting learning disabilities (LDs) may exist along with ADHD. A complete assessment of a child’s learning strengths and needs is essential for a student who continues to be impaired at school. Psycho-educational assessments cost approximately $2,000-$4,000
Important Things to Know About the Health Care Professional that you choose:
For more information about ADHD assessments please contact our Resource Navigator at info@caddac.ca
ADHD should be treated using a “multimodal‘ approach”. Simply put, this means using more than one type of treatment to manage ADHD symptoms. Examples of ADHD treatments are listed below
Educating parents, individuals, and any other adults who routinely interact with the child about ADHD is the first and most important component of an ADHD treatment plan. Studies have shown that providing education on ADHD greatly increases the chance that treatment will continue long term..
For a list of CADDAC programs please access the pages below
Webinars page
Conference and workshop page
Parenting programs
Many adults with ADHD perform their jobs extremely well and find that some of their ADHD traits: high energy, problem solving, creativity, and being able to hyper-focus, are significant benefits in their chosen career. However, for other adults with ADHD at least some of their ADHD symptoms will cause difficulties in the workplace.
For more for resources on workplace issues, please refer to our Workplace page
Going back to school as an adult with ADHD can be challenging. The impairment in planning, organization, and time management are often the reason that difficulties arise. Assignments can pile up, instructions can be misinterpreted, due dates, missed or forgotten, all which can trigger stress and anxiety. Therefore it is important to seek classroom accommodations if considering going back to school
For more resources please visit our In Education section of our website.
For accommodations in the Post-Secondary Environment please access this document
Download PDFCognitive Behaviour Therapy is a form of therapy that focuses on emotion regulation, maladaptive behaviour, and cognitive processes that are impairing to daily functioning. CBT has shown to be beneficial for individuals with ADHD
To read more about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and how it can help adults with ADHD refer to the article Research: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Helps Adults with ADHD by Dr. David Rabiner
For a list of psychological clinics in Canada please refer to our Resource map
ADHD coaching addresses the academic, vocational, emotional, and interpersonal life difficulties that are a result of the core ADHD symptoms and tries to help individuals find a way to overcome these challenges.
To see a list of ADHD coaches in Canada please refer to our Resource map
To see CADDAC’s ADHD coaching programs please refer to our ADHD Group Coaching Programs.
Research is finding that getting regular exercise can improve cognitive functioning and may improve ADHD symptoms. Exercise produces several hormones that can benefit brain functioning and help improve focus.
http://add.about.com/od/treatmentoptions/a/ratey.htm
http://www.everydayhealth.com/add-adhd/can-you-exercise-away-adhd-symptoms.aspx
Mindfulness can assist with better awareness of attention, manage stress, be less reactive to impulsive thoughts and be less judgmental of ADHD symptoms.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201206/adhd-mindfulness-interview-lidia-zylowska-md
Sleep is essential for healthy development in adolescents and young adults. Healthy sleep contributes to important functions of development, some of which include academics, learning and memory, growth, mood, and attention.2 Sleep problems are common in young people with Attention-Deficient/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), where ~75% report experiencing sleep problems
How the COVID-19 Crisis is changing sleep: implcationsfor Adults with ADHD
Download PDFIn uncomplicated cases of ADHD, medication management is fairly straight forward and effective with minimal side effects. ADHD medication has been around for more than fifty years and there are thousands of published research papers on their safety and efficacy. There are two types of medications used to manage ADHD medication. For more information on medication please speak with a medical professional
Please refer to the charts below for information on specific medications
Going back to school as an adult with ADHD can be challenging. The impairment in planning, organization, and time management are often the reason that difficulties arise. Assignments can pile up, instructions can be misinterpreted, due dates, missed or forgotten, all which can trigger stress and anxiety. That is why it is important for all students with ADHD, regardless of age, seek accommodations before the school year begins. Below you will find resources to help you be successful in your studies.
For a detailed list of classroom accommodations in post-secondary please access this document
Download PDFfor instructions on how to use the accommodations chart please access this document
Download PDFTo understand what documentation is required to access accommodations at select college and univerity please access this document
Download PDFCADDAC wrote a policy paper on ADHD in the post-secondary enviorment, to access please download this document
Download PDF