Online test recommended to aid ADHD diagnosis

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By Olivia Bowthorpe

Diagnosis for children and teenagers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder could be improved with a digital tool called the QbTest, under new recommendations.

In draft guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggests the QbTest could be used as an option to help diagnose ADHD in 6 to 17 year olds in England and Wales.

It should only be used together with standard clinical assessment by a healthcare professional, NICE said.

"The diagnostic process for ADHD requires a lot of clinical judgement," the guidance stated.

"Waiting lists for an ADHD assessment can be long, and the process of reaching a diagnostic decision can take a long time. Additional information from digital technologies may help people to get diagnostic decisions quicker."

The computer-based QbTest tracks a participant's movements while measuring inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Results are compared to a patients of the same age who do not have ADHD.