The Sachs Center offers the most comprehensive child ADHD testing, using the latest diagnostic tools in our evaluations. Our psychologists are specialists in neurodiversity, offering a compassionate and knowledgeable assessment.
Contact us for ADHD Testing in NYC, NJ, CT, MD, FL, and throughout the United States.
Does your child struggle with focus and attention, particulalry in school or on homework? Do they struggle to make and keep friends? You worry they might have ADHD but don't know where to turn for help.
Finding a psychologist, knowledgeable about ADHD in children, who is kind and compassionate, can feel overwhelming. But don't worry—you're not alone in this journey! The Sachs Center can help.
The first step is to get your child the help they need is an accurate and comprehensive assessment. Child ADHD testing doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.
ADHD Testing at the Sachs Center
At the Sachs Center, we understand ADHD at a deep level, allowing us to provide the best care for your ADHD child in a way that works for your family. With our qualified ADD and ADHD experts, we offer comprehensive testing, accurate diagnosis, and evidence-based interventions tailored to your child's unique profile. Our goal isn’t just to test for ADHD, but to equip you with a full understanding of your child's strengths and challenges, and practical strategies to navigate their new diagnosis.
When you book an appointment for child ADHD testing with the Sachs Center, you will have to choose between two specialized testing methods:
Our Diagnostic 2-hour ADHD Evaluation:
This focused assessment is designed specifically for children, providing a thorough evaluation of symptoms from the comfort of your their own home. The psychologist will meet with you and your child on Zoom, both together and alone, to evaluate your child.
You and your child (depending on their age) will be given a series of questionnaires to fill out during the 2-hours. At the conclusion of the 2-hours, your Sachs Center psychologist, will provide their diagnostic impressions and treatment suggestions. The psychologist will primarily assess for ADHD, but also rule out anxiety, depression or other environmental issues.
At the conclusion, you will receive a letter indicating the diagnosis (if one is given). The letter can be used in your elementary, middle and highschool to get the accommodations your child may need, like extra time during exams or specialized learning support. You can also use this letter to seek our other services like medication.
Despite the fact that neuropsychological tests have typically been used successfully to investigate the functional neuroanatomy of ADHD in neuroimaging research paradigms, these tests have been of surprisingly limited utility in the clinical diagnosis of the disorder. -- Applied Neuropsychol Child.
8-hour Neuropsychological Evaluation:
While more extensive, this evaluation offers a detailed analysis of your child's various cognitive functions and behaviors. We will test your child's cognitive and academic abilties to determine their IQ and grade level. We will also assess for ADHD, anxiety, depression and other emotional challenges. The neuropsychological evaluation is beneficial, as it provides valuable information about how they learn. This can help educators and parents develop personalized education plans and strategies to support their academic success.
But this testing is expensive and often unnecessary if you are simply wanting to know if your child has ADHD, Autism or another challenge. This testing is most often done if your school requires full neuropsychological testing to receive accommodations. Or if you are seeking accommodations directly from a standardized testing company like the ACT, SAT, etc. Or if you are seeking accommodations in a university. They often require this more extensive testing.
Recommendations for Child ADHD Testing
Elementary and Middle School:
It's best to start with the 2-hour ADHD test during these crucial academic years. The shorter ADHD test will promptly identify any ADHD-related concerns, providing you with the necessary information to discuss accommodations with your child’s school. It's designed to be efficient yet thorough, offering a quick and accurate ADD or ADHD diagnosis and treatment plan.
If your school determines that the diagnostic letter provided is not enough to receive accommodations (rarely does this happen), you can then proceed to the 8-hour testing. The same ADHD tests are given for both so you will save time on the 8-hour testing as you have already done most of the ADHD testing in the 2-hour assessment. As well, we will reduce the cost of the more expensive neuropsychological testing with the amount you already paid for the 2-hour testing.
High School:
As teens transition to high school, deciding which test to get is a bit trickier. We generally also recommend the shorter 2-hour ADHD testing. If done early enough in a child's highschool career, the school will use the diagnostic letter we provide to seek accommodations on the SAT or ACT on behalf of the child. If they do not (and require the full 8-hour neuropsychological testing) we can provide that longer testing and prorate the amount already paid. Universities, however, more often than not require the longer full neuropsychological testing to receive accommodations. It's best to speak with our staff to learn which testing is appropriate for your child during these years.
The Child ADHD Testing Process
5 Minutes
We meet with you and your child together on Zoom for the first five minutes. The purpose is to make your child feel comfortable and to explain the process. We will then ask your child to move to another room where they can play or read, giving you privacy. If your child is old enough, they will be emailed their own questionnaires to fill out while you are talking.
These might include:
- Brown ADD Scales
- Delis Rating Scales of Executive Functioning
- Beck Depression Inventory -- Youth
- Beck Anxiety Inventory -- Youth
- Screen for Child Related Anxiety Disorders
45 Minutes
After your child leaves the room, we engage you in a discussion about your child's current problems, school, medical, and family histories. This is an opportunity for you to share in-depth about your child and their challenges.
30 Minutes
We will talk with your child about their own experiences and symptoms. Often this conversation is simply about the interests and hobbies of the child. The goal is to get them talking and the psychologist can weave in questions about school and home life. If the child is a teen, we ask that they be given privacy during this part of the evaluation.
During this time you will be emailed a series of questionnaires to fill out about your child. These evidence-based assessments are designed by the top researchers in the field of ADHD. These might include:
- Brown ADD Scales
- Brown Executive Functioning Scales
- Delis Rating of Executive Functioning
- SNAP-IV
- NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales
- Social Communication Questionnaire
5 Minute Break
We "crunch the numbers" from all the tests and combine this with the clinical interviews to come to a conclusion about your child's diagnosis. The assessments provided will be combined with our years of clinical experience as child psychologists to help us formulate our thoughts.
We tease apart the data, ruling out other disorders that mimic the symptoms of ADD /ADHD (i.e., Depression, Anxiety, Trauma).
30 Minutes
We will discuss with you privately our findings and share our clinical expertise on the information we gathered. If your child has ADHD or another condition, we know that hearing this might be anxiety-provoking. That is why we take the time to answer your questions and explain our holistic approach to treatment.
We walk you through our proven methods and provide you with the information and psycho-education you need to move forward with confidence. We will discuss the various options should you decide to pursue treatment for your child at the Sachs Center. If interested, we will schedule a follow-up session to begin treatment.
If you would like, we can bring your child back into the room to share our findings.
We do not take insurance but will provide a receipt for you to seek reimbursement from your insurance company.
Conclusion
Getting your child tested for ADHD can be an anxiety-provoking decision. But it is our experience that parents feel relieved in knowing if their child or teen has ADHD or not.
A diagnosis can provide a roadmap for you and your child to seek the treatment and support they need and help shape their path forward with more confidence.
