ADHD/ADD Evaluations

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have brains that work a little differently. Some areas of the brain may develop more slowly, and the chemicals that help brain cells communicate — called neurotransmitters — may not always stay in perfect balance.

These differences can affect skills like focus, organization, self-control, memory, and time management. Knowing that ADHD has a neurological basis helps parents understand that their child isn’t being defiant or difficult on purpose — their brain just needs extra support and strategies to help them succeed.

With the right guidance, structure, and care, children with ADHD can learn to manage their challenges and thrive at home, in school, and in life.

Knowing that ADHD has a neurological basis is important because it helps parents understand that their child isn’t disobedient or oppositional on purpose. Instead, children with ADHD need help to learn to control their behavior.

The brain differences are also important because they occur in specific areas responsible for skills such as self-regulation, organization, working memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and time perception. The brain areas affected determine your child’s ADHD symptoms.

ADHD symptoms generally fall into three main categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Some children primarily struggle with inattention, while others experience challenges in two or all three areas.

Every child’s symptoms are unique in both type and severity, but for an ADHD diagnosis, these symptoms must be significant enough to affect daily life — at school, at home, or in social situations.

Children who struggle with inattention may:

• Have trouble paying attention in class or during play
• Find it difficult to stay organized or complete tasks
• Avoid activities that require sustained mental effort
• Lose important items, like school supplies or homework
• Forget to do homework, chores, or daily routines

Children who struggle with hyperactivity and impulsivity may:

• Fidget, squirm, or have difficulty staying seated
• Run or climb in situations where it’s not appropriate
• Talk excessively or interrupt others
• Have a hard time waiting their turn
• Act or speak before thinking things through

Children and teens with ADHD often also struggle with working memory — the ability to hold and use information in the moment. This skill is essential for tasks like following multi-step directions, solving problems, or coordinating more than one activity at a time.

When a concern about ADHD is raised, the process begins with a call from one of our mental health providers, who will determine what type of testing or assessment is needed. Testing typically includes questionnaires completed by parents and teachers to better understand your child’s behavior in different settings.

After testing is complete, you’ll meet with the mental health provider to review the results and discuss individualized recommendations. These may include behavioral strategies, school accommodations, therapy, or medication.

If you are interested in medication after that discussion, our office will schedule an EKG (electrocardiogram)—done conveniently in our office—to ensure your child’s heart is healthy before starting ADHD medication. Once that is complete, your child will meet with one of our pediatricians to finalize and begin their treatment plan.

After your child’s initial evaluation, if medication is started, your child must be seen within 28 days to continue the prescription. This visit allows us to monitor how your child is responding and make any needed adjustments.

If your child is doing well on their current medication, follow-up appointments will be scheduled every 3 months to ensure continued safety and effectiveness.

If a medication or dosage change is made, your child must be seen again within 1 month to review progress and determine if the prescription can be refilled.

These follow-up visits are required not only for your child’s safety and quality of care, but also to meet state and federal legal requirements for prescribing certain medications.

As these are often controlled substances, we will not be able to provide refills or "bridge" scripts.  Our schedule is open a year in advance. We highly recommend scheduling your follow-up appointments in advance so that you do not experience a lapse in medications.