ADHD

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS FOR
CHILDREN & TEENAGERS

If you are concerned that your child or teenager may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and are interested in having an assessment, we are here to help. We have a multi-disciplinary team, who are experts in assessing ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions and can offer valuable advice and guidance as well as signposting you to services that may be able to meet your on-going needs following the assessment.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. It cannot usually be diagnosed in children below the age of 6 years as the behaviour associated with ADHD is a normal part of early childhood. It should only be assessed if the child or young person is not thriving or reaching their potential because of the difficulties caused by their symptoms.

It is typical for children and young people to have trouble concentrating and behaving. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of this behaviour and it can cause problems for them. ADHD can cause difficulties at school, at home, or with friends.

A child or young person with ADHD may:

daydream a lot
forget or lose things a lot
be very disorganised
seem not to listen to or process what is being said to them
squirm or fidget
talk too much
make careless mistakes
take unnecessary risks
act impulsively without apparent awareness of the consequences
have a hard time resisting temptation
have trouble taking turns
have difficulty getting along with others
leave tasks unfinished
find it difficult to know where to start with a task or assignment
have much more energy than would be expected and the need to move almost constantly.
have difficulties getting to sleep and/or needing less sleep than same age peers

Types of ADHD

There are three different types of ADHD, depending on which types of symptoms are strongest in the individual:

Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: difficulty organising or finishing tasks, paying attention to details, following instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: fidgeting and talking a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless or agitated and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.
Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.

Symptoms and presentation can change over time as well.

Does my Child Have ADHD?

You may be wondering if your child has ADHD because you or others have noticed that your child has behaviour often seen in children with ADHD. It is worth bearing in mind that a child without ADHD can sometimes present with ADHD, for example if they have learning difficulties, severe anxiety, experienced adverse childhood events or trauma, among other things. An assessment can help determine whether the behaviour is related to ADHD or if there is another possible cause.

What are the benefits of a diagnosis?

For many parents getting a timely and thorough assessment and diagnosis may be helpful because:

It provides a framework for understanding behaviour.
Getting the right diagnosis means accessing the right help or helping others understand their needs
It means that school, colleges, and universities can make reasonable adjustments for your child to make the environment more user-friendly.
It can also help the young person make sense of their experiences.

It is up to you whether you decide to seek a diagnosis for your child; some people are happy to remain un-diagnosed. The only way to know for sure whether your child has ADHD is to have a formal diagnostic assessment.

Will my child's school or college accept the outcome of an assessment conducted in the independent sector?

Many parents and carers may worry or may have heard that the assessment findings will not be accepted by their child's school or college because the assessment has not been conducted by clinicians working in the NHS. The issue is not whether your child has been assessed within the NHS or the private sector, but whether the assessment has been carried out by suitably trained, qualified and experienced clinicians and has followed NICE guidelines. All of the clinicians on our multi-disciplinary team (MDT) are fully trained and highly experienced in the assessment and diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions. The clinicians work or have worked carrying out neurodevelopmental assessments in the NHS. Schools, colleges, and the NHS will therefore be able to accept the findings as reliable and valid.

The assessment process

Therapy and Support

We can also offer further therapeutic sessions to offer treatment for any behaviour or emotional concerns.

The assessment may highlight that additional assessment is needed or beneficial, for example a cognitive assessment to help clarify a learning profile and intellectual ability. A behavioural analysis and expert advice in managing unhelpful behaviours in the family can be of great help too.