Comprehensive ADHD Assessment

Getting an ADHD diagnosis

If you’re concerned about your child’s development, or you’ve recognised ADHD symptoms in a loved one, you can get an ADHD assessment completed with a healthcare provider. 

At Early Start Australia, we are highly experienced in identifying early symptoms of ADHD in young children. Here’s what the assessment process looks like:

• Gathering information: An assessment starts with a diagnostic interview with parents and/or family members. 
  This gives us a thorough understanding of the background to your child and considers alternative diagnoses that may better explain ADHD symptoms.
• Physical exam:  Conducted by your GP or paediatrician, this rules out other medical conditions that may be causing symptoms.
• Cognitive testing: An Early Start psychologist will assess your child’s attention, memory, and other functions.
• Behavioural observation: With behavioural scales and functional assessments in the clinic, we can review your child’s capabilities in different settings. 
  These may include with your child in the clinic, reports from home and school, and sometimes from family members and peers.
• Diagnosis: With the assessment findings, we’ll determine if your child meets the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. We also want to create a solid picture of your child’s developmental progress. This includes identifying strengths and struggles in intellectual, learning and social functioning. 
  
  You receive a detailed thorough report on our results that can be shared with a paediatrician or child psychiatrist to discuss pharmacological threatment if this is your preferred treatment.
• Treatment plan: Once we have an accurate diagnosis, we can look at a detailed treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs. 
  If your child does not meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, we can equally suggest the next steps for your child.
  Our team of mental health professionals will work with you to create a holistic care approach.