CHILD ADHD ASSESSMENTS IN ADELAIDE
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder that affects approximately 5% of children in most cultures. ADHD can negatively affect a child’s environment at home, school and with friends. The child may have difficulties in maintaining their concentration and/or controlling hyperactive/impulsive behaviours.
Children with ADHD also often present with learning difficulties, anxiety and/or affective disorders. A child with ADHD can also suffer from low self-esteem and have difficulties socialising with their peers.
Children with ADHD experience difficulties in three main areas:
- Inattentiveness – wandering off task, lacking persistence, having difficulty sustaining focus, and being disorganised.
- Hyperactivity – excessive fidgeting, tapping, or talkativeness.
- Impulsivity – interrupting or intruding on others.
A comprehensive evaluation will:
- Assess the child’s intellectual ability – An intellectual (IQ) assessment (using the WISC-V) is an essential component of the ADHD testing process to rule out other difficulties (such as intellectual impairments or learning disorders).
- Assess the child’s academic achievement (using the WIAT-III) in core areas of the curriculum.
- Assess the presence of an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
- Determine the type (inattentive, hyperactive, mixture) and define the degree of severity
An ADHD assessment in children aged between 6-17 years involves a diagnostic interview with parents/teachers and the use of behavioural rating scales (Conners-4) to gain information about the child’s functioning in both the home and school environments (or an equivalent if home schooled).
Here at Waterman Psychology Services in Adelaide, we make use of a reliable and comprehensive digital assessment system installed in iPads for our educational assessments in combination with ADHD testing. Thus, the process takes less time, and the results are more accurate.
Specialists in our educational psychology clinic in Adelaide provide recommendations on how to support your child after an ADHD diagnosis, and how to continue to assist them in the future. When requested by parents, we make referrals to other medical and allied health professionals, including paediatricians, psychologists, and speech pathologists.
BOOK AN ASSESSMENT IN ADELAIDE
If you suspect that your child has behavioural issues or learning disorders, you should have them diagnosed in an educational psychology clinic immediately. Early assessment is the key to helping them achieve their full potential. The sooner you have a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment in hand, the better equipped you will be to help your child succeed — in school and in life.
