Reply To: Diagnostics team wants "proof" from childhood

[kc5jck]

The members posting above have given you excellent advice to which I can add nothing.

My son, at 20 years old, took the TOVA (http://www.tovatest.com/) to get diagnosed.  He passed with flying colors, if you want to call being diagnosed as ADHD passing.

A year later, after getting educated about ADHD, I took the Tova and was identified as moderate ADHD.  I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that if the test can pick out someone who has slipped by for 60 years undetected, then it must be pretty good.  I suspect, or at least hope for your sake, that the QB will be as good.

http://totallyaddconnect.com/forums/topic/survival-in-an-add-relationship/ towards the end of the tread describes my experience with the TOVA test.  This tread is the one that contains many of my initial posts to the site describing myself, symptoms, and problems.  (For all the nosey members interested in my story.  Actually that should be phrased “For my many and dear friends here at TotallyADD.com that want to know more about me.  🙂 )

Regardless of your results, it should be viewed as a tool in the attempt for a diagnosis and not a definitive go or no go.  As mentioned above, ADHD has a large genetic component.  Having a brother that is diagnosed should really help support a diagnosis for you.

The important thing is that you have found someone on the diagnosis team who seems knowledgeable and is willing to make a definitive determination.  I feel that someone, like yourself, who has reached their late twenties and has learned about ADHD, is able to fairly accurately self diagnose with respect to ADHD.  And it is important, as you have done, to recall the ADHD behavior and traits you exhibited as a child.   You seem to have done this.  Whenever I start to have doubts about my diagnosis being correct, I reflect back to my youth and how accurately it is described in Hallowell’s book “Delivered from Distraction.”  That and having watched my life lived over again in my son.

However, in the unlikely event it is determined that you are not ADHD, it will be good for you to know so that you can consider other causes of your difficulties.  Regardless, if the coping strategies used for ADHD help, use them.  They’re free.

Finally, is really good to have someone from Sweden on the site.  I seem to recall other members from Sweden posting on the site. See:

http://totallyaddconnect.com/forums/topic/caffeine-dosage-used-as-add-medication/

http://totallyaddconnect.com/forums/topic/question-to-an-expert/

My mother’s side of the family all came from Norway and way back on my father’s side are some Swedes.  So I’ll give you a big “Howdy from Texas, cousin.”

Let us know how it goes with you, not only to satisfy our curiosity, but to help any other Swedes coming around looking for help.

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