Do You Have ADHD?

A careful evaluation is needed to determine whether you have or your teen has ADHD.  This accurate understanding of the problem is helpful for treatment planning, making decisions about medication with your physician, or determining modifications for school or work success.

Many of our clients initially suspected that their level of inattention, impulsivity, or overactivity were more problematic in comparison to most people after they completed symptom checklists like the Child Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) Test or the Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) Test for Adults.  These questionnaires are worthwhile for you to complete, too, but an accurate diagnosis requires more thorough assessment.

Our ADHD evaluations involve several steps.  We will meet with you to conduct a diagnostic interview.  This is your opportunity to explain your challenges in detail.  This helps us determine whether your symptoms correspond with ADHD or a different disorder.

We will conduct a continuous performance test (“CPT”) with you.  This evaluates your ability to remain focused and attentive. We also administer neuropsychological screening tests to scan for difficulties in memory, sustained attention, processing speed, and efficiency in switching cognitive tasks.

We also will gather data using behavioral rating scales.  Adult clients complete several of these to provide information about their level of attention, their executive functioning (i.e., planning skills, ability to make decisions), their mood, and symptoms in other areas.  For teenagers, we similarly ask parents and teachers to complete a series of rating scales that assess attention, executive functioning, behavioral and emotional problems, and information about events occurring during earlier development.

At the end of the evaluation, we will provide you with an assessment report to assist you and other professionals involved in your care. We’ll present the information gathered from our assessment tools, share our conclusions, and make treatment recommendations.  We can also provide you with a feedback session to answer your questions.

Call us at 855-800-9006 or email info@chicago-adhd.com to set up an appointment for an evaluation for yourself or your teen.