ADHD stands for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s a brain-style that affects how people pay attention and control their impulses. Experts believe that ADHD is caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors. To what extent each factor contributes is still up for debate. But whatever the cause for any one person, it’s important to remember that ADHD is not a result of laziness or not trying hard enough. It’s a real medical condition that some people have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ADHD?
There are three subtypes of ADHD: Predominantly Inattentive Presentation, Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive Presentation, and Combined Presentation. These subtypes are helpful, in that they give us a general picture of what’s going on with the person. However, ADHD can look different in different people, even within these three subtypes.
For example, a person with ADHD might have trouble staying focused on one thing, get easily distracted, feel fidgety, or have a LOT of energy. They may have a lot of thoughts and ideas but have trouble working carefully or communicating thoroughly. Edward Hallowell, M.D. describes this type of ADHD brain as a Ferrari Racecar with bicycle brakes: powerful and fast, but not having strong enough control to slow down or stop when you need to.
Other people with ADHD might only have trouble paying attention when it’s very noisy or busy around them, but be able to focus when in quieter environments. They may also have trouble mapping out a plan to reach their goal. Some might also have very little energy unless they are engaging in an activity their brain perceives as risky, exciting, or extremely interesting. Then, the world can fall away and they can hyperfocus for hours on that activity. This type of ADHD brain can be thought of as a racecar with a slow or sticky accelerator and a limited navigation system. It can be hard to get started in the right direction, but once it gets going, it can go far!
Why do we test for ADHD?
We test people for ADHD because it helps us understand how to help them. It’s like going to the doctor when you don’t feel well. The doctor evaluates, tests and diagnoses so they know what treatment to offer. Similarly, when we test for ADHD, we’re trying to understand if someone’s brain works a bit differently. We also want to find out how big of an impact these differences have on the person. That is, are they learning more slowly than expected because of attention problems? Do they get into trouble in school because of ADHD behaviors? Do they get off track with home routines because they get distracted? Knowing more about the differences and impact of ADHD can help someone in many ways:
Get the right support
If someone has ADHD, they can get the right treatments and strategies to manage it. This can include things like therapy, medication, and support from teachers and parents.
Avoid misunderstandings
Sometimes, people with ADHD might be seen as being naughty or not trying hard enough when it’s really because of their brain’s wiring. Testing helps us understand that it’s not their fault.
Improve school and life
With the right help, people with ADHD can learn strategies to focus better, stay organized, and control their impulses, which can make a big difference in school and everyday life.
Make Positive Changes
Our environment, lifestyle and even stress can impact ADHD. So, knowing we have ADHD can help us make positive changes to improve our attention and focus.
When do we test for ADHD?
Behavioral Screenings are for parents of children who are struggling with behavior at home and/or at school. Parents may wonder if their child school environment suits them, or whether internal factors (e.g. attention, language, anxiety) contribute to the behavior.
ADHD Screenings are for parents who are wondering whether their child’s struggles with attention and/or restlessness indicate an underlying condition like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Kindergarten Readiness Screenings are for parents wondering whether their child is ready to begin kindergarten. For example, they may feel their child needs more time or support to develop readiness skills. Likewise, a screening can be particularly helpful for a child with a summer birthday as parents weigh whether to wait another year for kindergarten.
ADHD can affect people of all ages, but it’s often noticed when kids are in school. Parents, teachers, or doctors might suggest testing if they see signs like:
- Trouble paying attention, even to fun things.
- Being super fidgety and always moving around.
- Not following directions or making careless mistakes.
- Forgetfulness and losing things easily.
- Interrupting others and having trouble waiting their turn.
Who can test for ADHD?
While many pediatricians, licensed therapists, and other mental health professionals are qualified to diagnose ADHD, they may rely on interviews and questionnaires only. While this method can be sufficient in many cases, sometimes the answers remain unclear and more in-depth testing is needed. Other times, parents and teachers need more information about how ADHD impacts someone in everyday life (e.g. at work or school). In that case, a psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation may be warranted. This type of ADHD testing should done by professionals, like licensed psychologists, with advanced training in cognitive, attentional, social-emotional, and learning assessment.
How do we test for ADHD?
At our two Mind Matters offices, we take a comprehensive approach to ADHD testing. We want to understand the impact and how to help. We also want to make sure that problems focusing and self-regulating come from ADHD and not one of the other brain styles that can look like ADHD. Thus, when testing for ADHD, Mind Matters clinicians combine several different methods:
Interviews
We interview parents to understand the child’s developmental history and behavior at home. Talking to teachers helps us understand how the child presents at school. We also interview the child, to understand their experience, and also the language they use to describe themselves.
Questionnaires
Everyone has trouble paying attention sometimes. Feeling restless or acting before thinking happens for all of us too. Knowing if this happens much more often for the child is key to knowing whether someone has ADHD. Thus, in addition to interviews, we ask parents and teachers to fill out some forms with questions about how the person acts and feels. Then we compare their answers to the answers from parents and teachers across the country. These questionnaire results give us a sense of whether the child experiences much more of these ADHD-symptoms than other kids their same age.
Observations
They might watch the person in different situations to see if the signs of ADHD show up. This could include observing at school, watching videos of the child at home, or even noticing how the child interacts in the waiting room. Of course, observing how a child responds to testing tells us a lot about how they react in social and learning situations too.
Tests
No one test for ADHD exists. But, there are some direct tests of attention that help us understand a child’s brain style. For example, some special computer-based tests show us whether a child can force themselves to focus on boring, repetitive tasks. Other tests measure whether a child can attend better to what they hear versus what they see. Still, other tests show whether a child ignores some distracting information and focuses on other information.
At Mind Matters, ADHD testing usually occurs as part of a more comprehensive evaluation, that also looks at a child’s reasoning and problem-solving, memory, social skills, emotional regulation, and efficiency. That way, we can think about how strengths in these other areas might help the child balance out any attention problems.
The Importance of a Neurodiversity affirming provider
Remember, testing for ADHD is not about finding what’s “wrong” with someone. It’s about understanding how their brain works so they can get the right help and support. To that end, it’s important to find a neurodiversity-affirming provider to assess for ADHD. A neurodiversity-affirming provider will work to understand what environment and activities maximize a person’s focus, and use that information to tailor strategies to improve concentration, organization, and planning. By helping the person become more aware of how their body is responding to their environment, the person can start to use those strategies effectively in day-to-day life. Rather than looking at fidgeting as bad behavior that needs to stop, the focus will be on what is most important–their health, safety, and ability to learn!
Conclusion About ADHD Testing
Schedule ADHD Testing in San Francisco or Berkeley, CA today!
Is your child a curious explorer, a great problem-solver, or a creative thinker? Uncover their unique cognitive strengths and empower their neurodiversity journey with Mind Matters.
- Message our Client Care Coordinator so she can get to know more about you and your child, answer any questions, and help you find the right match. Or, call us at 415-598-8378.
- Explore our services & compassionate psychologists
- Meet with one of our clinicians online, and follow up with neurodiversity affirming ADHD testing in San Francisco & Berkeley, CA.
Other Services our Psychologists Offer:
We know that every child’s life experiences are different. That’s why we offer a range of services including psychoeducational evaluations, neurodevelopmental screenings, IQ Testing, and parent guidance consultations to help better support and advocate for your child.