ADHD Assessments
What to Expect: At Smiles All Round, we understand that the process of going through an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) feel a little scary or nerve-wracking for you and your child. Our goal at Smiles is to make this experience as comfortable and informative as possible. Here’s what you can expect as you prepare for and go through the assessment process.
Initial Consultation
Before the assessment, we’ll have an initial meeting with you, typically over the phone or in person. This allows us to understand your concerns, gather background information about your child’s development, school performance and any specific challenges they may be facing. It’s also a chance for you to ask any questions about the process.
Information Gathering
Before the cognitive assessment, we ask for more information from both you and your child’s teacher. You will complete a set of parent forms, which provide valuable insights into your child's behaviour, emotional regulation, academic challenges and challenges your child may be experiencing at home. Similarly, the teacher forms help us gather information about how your child behaves and performs in the classroom. This collaborative approach ensures we have a well-rounded view of your child’s functioning across different environments.
As part of our process, we include behavioural assessments like the Conners Rating Scales and the BRIEF (Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function). These tools are designed to measure your child’s attention, impulse control, emotional regulation and executive functioning skills. By gathering information from both parents and teachers, we get a clearer picture of how your child manages their behaviour, emotions and daily tasks, which are all important for understanding areas of difficulty and their needs.
Cognitive Assessment
The assessment takes place over one session. During these sessions, your child will complete a variety of tasks and activities designed to assess cognitive and academic abilities. As a guide, the assessment takes between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. Generally, most children take around an hour.
The cognitive assessment looks at strengths and weaknesses in your child’s thinking and problem-solving abilities. It measures aspects like how well they understand and use language, how they process visual information, their memory skills, how quickly they can complete tasks and their ability to solve new problems. By looking at these different skills, we can gain a better understanding of how your child learns and where they might need extra support.
Bringing Together Information and Diagnosis
Once we’ve completed the assessments, we will analyse all the collected information—cognitive results, behavioural ratings, clinical observations and background information. Based on this data, we will make a clinical judgment about whether your child’s behaviours and cognitive performance align with any conditions outlined in the DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). This step helps us determine if there are any specific diagnoses, such as ADHD or intellectual disabilities, that may be impacting your child’s learning and behaviour. This will be presented to you in a report.
Feedback Sessions and Recommendations
After the report is complete, we will schedule a feedback session with you to discuss the results. During this meeting, we’ll explain the findings in clear, easy-to-understand language, and offer recommendations for support. These may include suggestions for accommodations, behavioural strategies, or interventions that can help your child succeed in school and at home. We may also discuss additional referrals to specialists, such as a paediatrician, if necessary, for further support. We can arrange a feedback session with your child’s school (additional fee applies).
Ongoing Support and Next Steps
Following the feedback session, we are here to support you as you implement any recommendations or strategies for your child. Whether that involves working with school staff, seeking additional therapies, or exploring other resources, we’ll guide you in the next steps to ensure that your child receives the right support.
At Smiles All Round, we’re committed to providing a comprehensive, supportive assessment process that focuses on your child’s unique needs. Our goal is to help you better understand your child and develop a plan to support their academic and emotional growth. Throughout the process, we strive to create a warm, non-judgmental environment where you feel supported, heard, and involved. We recognise that every child is unique, with their own strengths and we aim to provide personalised insights and recommendations tailored to their individual needs.