ADHD Evaluation
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National estimates among U.S. children aged 3–17 years who have ever been diagnosed with ADHD vary from 6% to 16% across states.
If you think your child or teen might be experiencing ADHD, an ADHD evaluation may be the best next step.
Here’s What ADHD Can Look Like in Everyday Life:
- Difficulty getting started on tasks
- Procrastination
- Forgetfulness (e.g., forgetting to complete chores or to turn in work)
- Distracted by internal thoughts or external events (noises, conversations, movement)
- Strong engagement in areas of interest, coupled with a lack of engagement in tasks that are not inherently interesting
- Difficulty putting the “brakes” on their actions
- Difficulty independently enacting organizational strategies
- Losing or misplacing things
- Difficulty holding directions in mind
- Fidgeting with objects or materials
- Lots of movement, talking, or noise
How an ADHD Evaluation Can Help
It’s one thing to recognize the presence of these behaviors, and another to understand the complexities around them. An evaluation digs deeper to identify why a specific set of behaviors may be occurring, what the impacts of the behavior look like in a variety of settings (e.g., school, social, and family life), and how to most effectively address the behaviors (medications, changes to the home environment, school supports).
An ADHD Evaluation by Wolff Child Psychology Typically Includes:
- A thorough parent interview spanning birth and genetic history, mood, and educational history
- A record review (if previous records, such as IEPs or previous evaluations exist)
- Brief interviews with teachers and other service providers (therapists, OTs, speech and language pathologists)
- Detailed clinical observations
- A battery of tests, including cognitive strengths and weaknesses, academic performance, and direct assessments of attention and executive functioning skills
- Behavioral rating scales completed by adults who know the student well (e.g., parents, teachers, service providers)
- Consideration of all of the factors (medical, mood, environmental) that may impact ADHD symptomatology
- A thorough report with both the data that schools will need to determine accommodations and the language that parents can understand
- Specific recommendations for educational accommodations (when warranted) and/or other therapeutic supports
- A feedback session to review the results and what they mean, and to create a roadmap for moving forward
- Coordination with the school or other care providers following the evaluation
Without the depth that comprehensive ADHD evaluations provide, some families find it hard to get accommodations (i.e., a 504 Plan or an IEP), or to find the right fit in a treatment provider.
Next Steps: Schedule an ADHD Evaluation
If an ADHD Evaluation sounds like what your child or teen might need, we encourage you to reach out and start the conversation. Even if you’re unsure what to do next, a caring expert on our team is ready to listen and help guide you. Contact us today and we’ll help you get started.