Many aviators, especially student pilots, are asked by the FAA to clarify a history of ADHD. ADHD is most often diagnosed early in life.

If you were treated with ADHD medications, it may have been many years since you last took them.

You may no longer have access to medical records, and depending on how old you were at the time, you might not recall your past treatment at all. You may have outgrown your ADHD since then.

In some cases, the original diagnosis might not even have been accurate. Since pilots are required to disclose all medical conditions they have ever experienced – even ones they have outgrown or that were diagnosed inaccurately – many pilots in this situation are told by the FAA that they will have to undergo specialized testing and obtain a psychiatric exam. We see this situation a lot.

Another situation we see frequently is where an aviator with a history of ADHD has recently stopped taking medications. In that situation, the FAA requires a waiting period, after which the aviator is required to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Depending on your situation, the requirements may vary.

The FAA has made significant changes to its ADHD policies in recent years. If you are advised to obtain a psychiatric evaluation, it is important that you see a psychiatrist who has experience working with pilots and air traffic controllers, and who has up-to-date knowledge about the FAA’s policies on ADHD.