ADD / ADHD Assessment
At The Ed Psych Practice, the ADHD assessment is thorough, detailed, and led by an experienced paediatrician — ensuring your child is understood in the context of their unique developmental profile.
At The Ed Psych Practice, the ADHD assessment is thorough, detailed, and led by an experienced paediatrician — ensuring your child is understood in the context of their unique developmental profile.
At The Ed Psych Practice we use a child-centred approach for our ADHD assessments for children and young people. Our process begins with a detailed neurodevelopmental assessment to understand your child’s unique profile, to identify not just ADHD traits but any co-occurring conditions or developmental challenges. If clinically indicated, this is followed by a thorough ADHD diagnostic assessment carried out by a paediatrician. Our ADHD assessment is guided by NICE and DSM-5 criteria. The process includes input from both parents and schools, leading to a detailed report with personalised recommendations, support strategies, and treatment planning.
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Our ADHD assessment is a thorough process guided by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines and the child's presentation against the diagnostic criteria for ADHD as outlined in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition).
There are no short cuts, and the neurodevelopmental assessment process cannot be rushed through. It’s imperative to identify co-morbidities and or any other disabilities. This usually is the only occasion in a child's life, to have a paediatrician examine a parental concern thoroughly and to assess their child’s needs and or difficulties completely.
Available Support:
Support with no diagnosis:
ADHD can be difficult to manage, but it is not impossible. After a diagnosis, access arrangements can be put in place in your child’s school environment to help them function better. You could be recommended to use various educational tools and other equipment to help your child. You and your child can be offered education and therapy, and if your child is old enough, they may be offered medication to manage their ADHD. This, combined with general lifestyle advice such as a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and good sleep hygiene, will enable you and your child to better manage their symptoms to enable them to reach their full potential.
Managing ADHD involves understanding your child's unique needs and a combination of strategies.” e.g., behavioural therapy, organisational support, and sometimes medication prescribed by a healthcare provider to support your child’s development. Consistent routines, clear expectations, and positive reinforcement can help improve focus and reduce impulsive behaviour. It is also important to implement some accommodations at school, e.g., extra time or reduced distractions to support learning. Encouraging physical activity, good sleep habits, and a healthy diet also play important roles in managing symptoms effectively.
The Ed Psych Practice offers specialised, post-diagnostic support tailored for parents navigating their child’s neurodevelopmental journey. Our approach focuses on five key areas:
Our goal is to equip parents with evidence-based knowledge and practical tools, empowering them to confidently support their child’s development and overall well-being.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by executive dysfunction involving inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Emotional difficulties, such as emotional dysregulation, are also a symptom of ADHD.
5-7% of children are diagnosed with ADHD (though more children may have it and be undiagnosed). ADHD can present very differently in each child - one child may be constantly chatting, fidgeting, and running around, whereas another child may seem off in their own world while they quietly stare out the window.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) was considered a separate condition, but is now considered one of the three types of ADHD.
Distraction, impulsivity, and acting out is common in children, especially adolescents. However, when it’s developmentally inappropriate, occurring more often or more severely than in others, or impacting the child or others negatively, it is worth investigating ADHD as a possible cause.
Children with ADHD sometimes seem like they’re off in their own world, miles away from others or the task at hand. Children who struggle to pay attention to important things around them such as conversations, work, or chores may have ADHD.
Children may focus so intently on a task or interest that they spend hours on it, sometimes forgetting to even eat or drink.
Some children with ADHD may take longer to 'settle down' after playtime, fidget, struggle to control speech volume and speed, appear incredibly chatty, or move around excessively.
Children with ADHD are frequently forgetful. They may forget where they put their things or important information such as instructions or names and/or equipment they need.
Often due to their forgetfulness, children with ADHD tend to be disorganised. This can look like forgetting/failing to complete homework or other tasks on time, lateness and struggling to plan things.
Children with ADHD struggle significantly with time management, and may be late frequently for seemingly no reason or frequently lose track of time.
Impulsivity is one of the main symptoms of ADHD. Children with ADHD may speak without thinking, interrupt others, be impatient, make poorly thought-out choices, make 'careless' mistakes, struggle to play or work quietly, are impatient and fail to recognise and attend to others' needs.
Other than the characteristics already outlined, children with ADHD will often struggle with other executive functioning tasks. They may avoid tasks, struggle to complete tasks, struggle with self-care/hygiene, procrastinate tasks, change between tasks frequently, and much more.
Children with ADHD are typically more prone to emotional outbursts, as they have poor impulse control and low frustration tolerance. They are also more prone to mood-swings and can appear ‘hot-headed’, or can withdraw due to easily becoming overwhelmed. This can lead to interpersonal problems as they become easy targets for bullies and they are isolated from their peers who have been put off by a strong display of emotions - children with ADHD typically struggle more to make and maintain relationships. Children with ADHD are also at greater risk of developing mental health conditions. Children with ADHD may sometimes appear self-focused or inconsiderate, but this is normally due to unmanaged ADHD symptoms rather than genuine selfishness.
Children with ADHD frequently struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep.
ADHD impacts every child in a different way. No two children with ADHD have the same characteristics.
Growing up with ADHD exposes your child to new ways of thinking, and how it can feel to live on the ‘outside’ of typical society, and through this, people with ADHD can problem-solve creatively and effectively, show resilience and determination when faced with challenges, and bring life to social gatherings through their spontaneity. However, children with ADHD will have the best outcomes the sooner their ADHD is identified, supported and managed.
Navigating an ADHD diagnosis for a child can feel like a complex journey. However, understanding the steps involved and the support available can make the process much smoother.
Educational psychologists can conduct assessments and indicate ADHD traits. The assessment can provide valuable insights into learning styles, cognitive profiles, and recommendations for educational support. In some cases, the educational psychologist might be involved as part of a multi-disciplinary
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