Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Objective:
Physical exam: The patient was taken through different diagnostic tests to determine his attention deficiency. He obtained a reading of above twenty on the ASRS-5 scale and 27 on the MOCA scale.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Diagnostic results:
The patient is diagnosed with ADHD combined presentation A-3.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Assessment:
Mental Status Examination:
The patient is a 58 years old caucasian male with a current medical history of hypertension, angina, hypertriglyceridemia, and benign prostatic hyperplasia. He sleeps for four to six hours and has difficulty with attention and working memory, presented as delayed recall. He cooperated during the examination and answered all questions as asked. He has dressed appropriately for the assessment.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Eye contact is fleeting. He does not appear worried though he is very expressive with his arms. His thought process is directed towards what was asked. Speech is normal, and affect is broad and congruent with mood. Insight and judgment are intact. He has had trouble concentrating on allocated tasks, staying still, or completing projects.
Differential Diagnoses:
ADHD is a mental health disorder where an individual has difficulty with attention or keeping calm (CDC, 2021). It could be either extreme or both. An individual with a combined form of ADHD has symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity like getting easily distracted, difficulty in finishing tasks or assignments, difficulty in paying attention to detail, talking endlessly, difficulty with patience, and constant interruptions to other activities getting easily confused. It begins in childhood and precedes adulthood when left untreated.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Differential diagnoses for ADHD combined presentation include a diagnosis for developmental variations of neurologic conditions, emotional disorders, and sleep-wake disorders. All these disorders have similar symptoms that have to be ruled out by the psychiatrist before diagnosing a combined presentation of ADHD.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Treatment options include pharmacology using stimulant drugs. Non-stimulant drugs are used only when the stimulant variations do not work (CDC, 2021). However, stimulat drugs should be used with caution because the patient has a history of angina and hypertension. Psychotherapy, which involves cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral therapy, also works to modify behaviors and manage the disorder. A combination of both psychotherapy and medication is usually preferred for optimum results.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Neurologic conditions or developmental conditions often occur independently or together with ADHD, and include consitions like communication disorders (CHADD, 2018). They are characterized by inattention, difficulty in following through with tasks and often tend to be inconsistent in performance. Similarly, adults with ADHD combined presentation may find it difficult to complete tasks or show inconsistency in performance.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Comprehensive neuropsychologic testing helps with diagnosis to distinguish this condition as individuals with ADHD have generally poor performance and those with developmental conditions have specific areas they are poor. Treatment ofen involve pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Emotional and behavioral disorders like anxiety disorders, conductive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders and adjustment disorders, to name a few, could occur together with ADHD or independently (CDC, 2021). They could also be mistaken for ADHD because they have similar symptoms. Diagnosis is by mental health professionals using broadband behavioral scales that distinguish the disorders from another. Treatment is also through psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, and a combination of both is usually recommended by the providers.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Sleep-wake disorders often present as obstructive sleep apnea, restlessness, and lack of sleep. These conditions have symptoms similar to those of ADHD that occur periodically then disappear (CHADD, 2018). The difference in ADHD is that they occur throughout without ever stopping.
Neurocognitive and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Reflections: The assessments follow
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