ADULT AND CHILD EDUCATIONAL AND ADHD TEST
An attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment is a structured screening method used to identify if you or your child exhibits symptoms of ADHD.
The evaluation separates people who could benefit from evidence-based interventions for ADHD from those who won’t. Timely ADHD evaluation and treatment are known to improve classroom functioning as well as family life.
Unfortunately, you can not be diagnosed with one single ADHD test. It takes a detailed clinical history, a series of physical exams, and screening tools to help a provider reach a diagnosis. This is because several other issues, such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and other neurodevelopmental conditions, can have symptoms that overlap with ADHD.
The following is an overview of what you need to know about adult and child ADHD assessment.
WHY YOU MIGHT WANT AN ADHD TEST FOR YOUR CHILD
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means people are born with it. Reasons why a child ADHD assessment is helpful include:
UNDERSTANDING INCONSISTENT COGNITIVE CAPACITY
A child who can discuss complex ideas at the dinner table but fails to turn in their assignments or produces erratic work is not ‘lazy’. They may have an executive function impairment due to ADHD.
ADHD affects working memory and attention sustainability among children. If untreated, these deficits can lead to an unpredictable academic performance and difficulty with social interactions.
A diagnosis will direct you towards the support you need to arrange for your child to have a more fulfilled childhood.
GETTING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS
School-going children with ADHD can get:2- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities support, which specifies the instructions about their individual needs in learning.
- An ADHD Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which outlines the educational, health, and social needs of people with ADHD aged up to 25 years.
THE BENEFITS OF TAKING AN ADULT ADHD ASSESSMENT
If you’ve spent a good chunk of your life without getting a formal ADHD screening and now you wonder why you should get one, here are some potential benefits:
VALIDATION FOR YOUR BEHAVIOURS
ADHD affects your executive function, in other words, your brain’s skillset to manage focus, emotions, and behaviours. Many people have a hard time understanding why they can’t perform like others and end up in a cycle of self-blame that reinforces their differences in capabilities.
Getting screened and diagnosed with ADHD can give you a sense of relief – you may finally understand why you think and act the way you do. It is also followed by counseling and treatment that help you get better at your executive functions.
GETTING BETTER AT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
Adults with ADHD may have difficulties with relationships because they miss certain social cues. It is also common to lose focus in the middle of conversations. Naturally, friendships and relationships could suffer as a result.
Adult ADHD assessment helps you in two ways. First, you can share it with people you trust and who would support you. Second, you can work with a therapist to improve your social functioning so that your relationships are not strained by ADHD.
GETTING WORK ACCOMMODATIONS
ADHD qualifies as a disability when it affects your work performance. The UK’s Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for employees with ADHD if it has a ‘substantial and long-term adverse effect’ on their work performance.
Workplace support for ADHD can include:
- Flexible scheduling to allow work during peak focus windows.
- Modified deadlines.
- Remote or hybrid work that reduces sensory overload.
- Specific amenities like noise-cancelling headphones, private work stations, and permission to avoid open-plan seating.
WHAT HAPPENS IN AN ADHD ASSESSMENT?
An ADHD test requires a detailed developmental and medical history. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, so your symptoms must have been present before age 12 and must appear in more than one environment.
Therefore, your clinician will ask you questions beginning with your birth history, early developmental milestones, family psychiatric history, academic progress, behaviours, and the current issues you are facing.
You will also be asked specific questions about your behaviours at home, school, the workplace, and other social settings.
Standardised rating scales are used to measure the severity of symptoms. The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale and Conners Rating Scales are two validated tools that are commonly used.
HOW TO GET AN ADHD DIAGNOSIS FOR MY CHILD OR MYSELF
To get an ADHD diagnosis as per the DSM-5, your healthcare provider will follow these three steps:
- Identify if you have any symptoms of ADHD that affect your performance in more than one setting (for example, home, work, or school).
- Make sure that your symptoms are not explained by another medical or psychiatric cause.
- Look for any co-morbid mental or behavioural health conditions that exist alongside ADHD. The most common comorbidities for ADHD include anxiety disorders, depression, learning disabilities, behavioural disorders (ODD/CD), autism spectrum disorder, and sleep disorders.
Your symptoms must also be observed by more than one informant, and they must cause some degree of functional impairment.
BOOK AN ADHD TEST WITH MINDNLIFE
If your child shows behavioural and academic difficulties, or if you cope with the same, reach out to MindNLife for an ADHD assessment.
MindNLife is a family psychology practice running under experienced clinical psychologists for over 75 years. We deliver mental health assessments and therapy through safe, clinically proven methods.
An ADHD diagnosis will help you get targeted treatment based on your symptoms. Make an appointment today.
FAQS ABOUT ADULT AND CHILD ADHD EVALUATION
HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED AN ADHD ASSESSMENT?
If you notice core symptoms of ADHD (inattention, motor hyperactivity, and impulse control issues) in your behaviour at home or the work/school environment, you likely need an ADHD assessment.
DO I NEED A REFERRAL FOR AN ADHD ASSESSMENT?
You need to talk to your child’s teacher, who will make a referral to the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). You can also reach out to your GP. Both the GP and SENCO can request a referral for an ADHD assessment.1
IS ADHD TESTING DIFFERENT FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN?
Yes, even though ADHD symptoms are the same, the diagnostic criteria for children and adults are different. Testing for children is heavily focused on external observations. Adults are more self-informed about their behaviours.
REFERENCES
- NHS. (2025). ADHD in children and young people. Nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adhd-children-teenagers/
- GOV.UK. (2012). Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs
- The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), London. (2025). Support for children with disabilities and special educational needs. https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/336288/1/1960492101.pdf
- GOV.UK. (2024b). Reasonable Adjustments for Workers with Disabilities or Health Conditions. https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Table 7, DSM-IV to DSM-5 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comparison. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t3/