ADhd teSTING

An ADHD assessment helps determine whether or not your child's attention, behavior, and self-regulation difficulties are consistent with ADHD or if other factors (such as learning differences, mental processing, anxiety, depression, sleep, or trauma) are contributing. 

The purpose of the assessment is to identify and quantify performance related to attention and impulse control. While doing so, the goal is to rule-out other possible explanations for these behaviors/areas of difficulty.

Your child will be assessed by a Board-Certified Child and Adolescent Psychologist who specializes in ADHD testing.

 The assessment will include a full cognitive/intellectual assessment, selected reading and math achievement subtests, a measure of executive functioning, a measure of ADHD and behavioral functioning, and a computer-based assessment of attention, vigilance, and impulse control. Additional measures to quantify anxiety and/or mood symptoms may also be included on a case-by-case basis. 

The majority of the measures listed above are completed by the child, however, an adult that knows the child well will also need to complete some rating scales during the appointment.  

The tests described above are designed to assess different areas of functioning. For example, the cognitive/intellectual measure can help providers determine if your child has slow mental processing or trouble holding information in their working memory. 

Additionally, the measures can help to begin the process of diagnosing/ruling out dyslexia, dyscalculia, as well as anxiety and mood disorders.

Your child will spend approximately 2 to 3 hours with Dr. Putt completing a variety of norm-reference assessment measures. At the same time, you will be asked to complete a number of rating scales related to your child’s attention, behavior, and executive functioning.

Tell your child they will be doing a number of activities to help us better understand how they think and learn. The goal is for us to figure out ways that we can help make school a little easier. Avoid calling it a “test” and make sure they understand that there are no grades, it is not pass or fail, and there are no right or wrong answers.

Please make sure your child has adequate rest, has eaten a meal prior to the assessment, and that they have not had any caffeine or nicotine-related products prior to testing.

No, testing only requires the presence of the child and an adult with whom the child regularly interacts. If the child wears glasses or hearing aids (or uses any other assistive devices), please make sure that they have them at the time of testing.

If your child is taking a stimulant medication already, testing will need to be completed off of medication. No stimulant medication should be taken the day of testing or the day prior. If your child takes a stimulant medication, please discuss this with Dr. Putt prior to the testing appointment.

Your child should take any other medications or vitamins that they typically take.

The testing appointment itself will take approximately 2 to 3 hours. Testing will be completed all in one day (with a break). You may want to bring a small snack and/or drink for your child depending on the time of day.

The testing measures will need to be scored and interpreted by Dr. Putt. This generally takes two to four weeks to complete. A short summary report will then be generated. 

Once the report is complete and ready for review, you will then schedule a feedback appointment with Dr. Veluchamy to discuss the results, recommendations, and next steps. 

The ADHD evaluation is considered “fee-for-service”. That is, it is not billed to your insurance plan. 

Instead, payment is it expected at the time of service and is considered to be “out-of-pocket”.

The cost of the service can be obtained by contacting Canton Child Neurology.