ADHD Evaluations for Children and Teens
Children and teens
Most questions about ADHD begin at school
Maybe you’re in daily contact with the teacher. Or homework that should take thirty minutes instead takes three hours. Or your sweet, sensitive kid is completely falling apart by the end of the school day. You’ve probably Googled “ADHD” a hundred times—some pieces fit, but others don’t.
An evaluation gives you an answer, and more importantly, it tells you why things are hard for your child and what will help. A diagnosis could also help your child access more supports at school if needed.
What the evaluation includes
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A conversation with you
We start with a detailed conversation about your child’s development, school history, and what you’re seeing at home. -
Testing with your child
Your child completes testing that looks at attention, working memory, processing speed, and executive functioning, along with anything else the referral question calls for. -
Information from teachers
We gather info from teachers when it’s useful, because kids often look different at school than they do at the kitchen table. -
A school observation, when it helps
If you are in the Chicago area, sometimes we do a school observation if it might be helpful to understand what is happening in the classroom.
A fuller picture
We look beyond ADHD
Attention problems can come from a lot of places. Anxiety, learning differences, autism, and giftedness can all look like ADHD from the outside, and they frequently show up alongside it.
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Anxiety
Worry and overwhelm can look like distraction, avoidance, or unfinished work.
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Learning differences
When reading, writing, or math is hard, attention often frays first.
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Autism
Sensory load, masking, and social fatigue can look a lot like ADHD.
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Giftedness
A mind that races ahead can look restless, bored, or hard to settle.
Where we specialize
We specialize in these overlapping presentations, including twice-exceptional kids and kids with a PDA profile, so your child doesn’t get a label that only explains half of what’s going on.
After testing
What you walk away with
You’ll get a written report and a feedback session where we go through the results together, in plain language.
- Recommendations for home and school. The report is written to support 504 plans and IEPs if your child needs them.
- A report you can share. If you choose to explore medication, you can share it with your child’s pediatrician or psychiatrist.
How we meet
In person or telehealth
We offer both, and we’ll talk through what makes sense for your family’s situation.
Getting started
Most evaluations begin within a few weeks of your intake call.