ADHD Assessments – Children & Adolescents
Our experienced team conduct assessments of ADHD for children from 6 years – 17 years of age. Our ADHD assessment and intervention services for children and teens is based on evidence-based approaches and practices. We have one of the largest teams of Neuropsychologists in Brisbane.
What is ADHD?
Simplistically, ADHD is a neurological difference involving many structural and neurochemical variations within the brain which are present from birth. These differences mainly impact one’s executive functioning, or what is referred to as our “control centre”. This is the doing part of the brain. Children with ADHD struggle with performance, not knowledge or skill.
Difficulties paying attention is, of course, a major hallmark of ADHD. However, this aspect is often misunderstood as not being able to pay attention, when in actuality difficulties arise because the ADHD brain pays attention to everything. This is because children with ADHD are highly geared toward seeking reward and activation, hence why they may struggle to engage in a mundane task, yet they can remain attentive when playing a video game – this is because they are receiving continuous activation, immediate feedback, and a sense of reward.
What does a ADHD Assessment involve?
The assessments vary in length between 2 and 6 hours, depending on the type of information that is required.
- Our brief 2 hour assessments include a clinical interview and questionnaires.
- Our 3 hour standard assessments include an interview, questionnaires, reading of background reports, collateral interviews and cognitive testing.
- Our 5 hour reports include the same as the 3 hour, except the testing is more comprehensive, including reasoning skills, attention and working memory, executive functioning, for example.
- Our 6 hour assessments are needed if you are assessing for both ADHD and ASD.
All assessments include a report which reviews all the background and interview information, testing and questionnaire data, as well as providing a summary with the cognitive strengths and weaknesses, diagnostic opinion, and recommendations for home and or school adjustments.
The assessments can be conducted in one day, or split over different days.
We are also able to liaise with other parties such as schools, paediatricians, and other allied health as needed.
Ongoing Support
Following an assessment, we can provide therapy for children who are 8 years+ for individual therapy, or family based interventions to assist with the implementation of behavioural strategies.
