ADHD Testing: What Actually Happens During Your Child’s Assessment
A calm, parent-friendly walkthrough from first call to final report
Why clarity matters
An ADHD assessment should remove guesswork, not add to it. When you know exactly what will happen, you can prepare your child, bring the right information, and get answers you can act on at home and school.
The assessment at a glance
Most ADHD assessments follow five steps:
Intake and history
Questionnaires from parents and teachers
Child sessions with structured activities
Scoring, interpretation and diagnosis where appropriate
Feedback session and written report with next steps
At Gayton Psychology, this usually involves one parent interview, one or two child sessions, parent and teacher questionnaires and a feedback appointment once scoring is complete.
Step 1: Intake and background
We begin by understanding your child’s story. In the parent interview we explore:
Pregnancy and birth history, early milestones, sleep, health
Temperament, emotions and behaviour across settings
Learning profile, strengths, challenges, school feedback
Family history of attention, learning or mental health concerns
What has been tried so far and what helped
Bring school reports, teacher emails, and examples of work that show both strengths and difficulties.
Step 2: Questionnaires that capture real life
ADHD is a pattern that shows up over time and in more than one place. Standard questionnaires help us measure that pattern. You and your child’s teacher each complete brief forms about attention, impulse control, organisation and emotions. These tools compare your child’s behaviour with children of the same age and help identify co-occurring issues such as anxiety or executive functioning weaknesses.
Tip: when answering, think about the last six months and give concrete examples. Specifics beat general impressions.
Step 3: What your child actually does in session
Children do a variety of age-appropriate tasks. We tell them they will be doing thinking games and activities, not tests. Breaks, water and movement are offered throughout.
Warm up and rapport- A few minutes of easy games or conversation to settle nerves and get comfortable.
Thinking and problem solving- Puzzles, patterns, memory and language tasks that show how your child reasons, learns new information and holds ideas in mind.
Academic skills- Brief reading, spelling and maths tasks may be included to understand how attention is affecting classroom performance.
Behavioural observation- We note stamina, frustration tolerance, effort, activity level and any sensory needs. These observations often explain why school tasks are hard even when a child is bright.
Most primary school children complete their activities in about 90 to 120 minutes with breaks. Younger children or those who fatigue easily may benefit from two shorter sessions.
What to tell your child
Keep it simple and positive:
“We are going to meet a psychologist who is great at understanding how kids’ brains work. You will do some activities and games so we can learn what helps you at school and at home. There are breaks and there are no pass or fail marks.”
What to bring on the day
A snack and water bottle
Glasses or hearing aids if used
Previous assessments, school plan or learning reports
Your child’s usual supports such as a quiet fidget or movement cushion if they prefer one
Clothing should be comfortable and layers help if the room feels warm or cool.
Should my child have their usual medication?
Follow the guidance provided by your paediatrician and our clinic before the appointment. If there is uncertainty, ask us in advance so we can coordinate with your medical team.
After the sessions: what happens behind the scenes
Your clinician scores the activities and questionnaires, looks for patterns and integrates all sources of data. We consider:
Do attention and impulse symptoms meet criteria and across which settings
Are there signs of anxiety, learning differences, autism traits or sensory needs
How do strengths and challenges interact in real life
Which supports are likely to make the biggest difference quickly
This interpretation phase is where raw scores become practical recommendations.
The feedback session
We meet with you to explain results in plain English. Expect:
A clear answer about ADHD features and any other findings
Your child’s learning profile and what it means for classroom tasks
A prioritised action plan for home and school
Time for your questions
We welcome young people to join part of the feedback if appropriate. Hearing their strengths first helps engagement with strategies.
The written report
You receive a comprehensive, family-friendly report that typically includes:
History summary and teacher input
Results from activities and questionnaires
Diagnostic conclusions where applicable
A practical plan for home routines, emotion regulation and organisation
School recommendations that translate easily into an Individual Learning Plan
Information for your GP or paediatrician, and wording you can reuse for funding or adjustments
Keep a digital copy. Schools and future teachers find these summaries extremely helpful.
How results are used at school
Assessment findings support:
Seating and environmental adjustments that reduce distraction
Task chunking, extra processing time and visual checklists
Movement breaks, noise management and access to assistive technology
Clear goals within an Individual Learning Plan and progress reviews each term
Share the key recommendations with the teacher and set a short check-in date to see what is working.
Common myths
“Testing will label my child.”
Accurate information prevents unfair labels like lazy or naughty. It shows exactly what helps.
“If my child is bright, the results will not show anything.”
Many bright children have ADHD. Assessment explains why output does not match potential and how to close the gap.
“ADHD is only hyper boys bouncing off walls.”
Girls and quieter children are often missed. Inattention, masking and anxiety can be the main signs.
Preparing in the week before
Keep bedtime steady and screens off 45 minutes before sleep
Provide a protein-rich breakfast on the day
Avoid stacking the day with sports carnivals or big events
Practise a calming strategy such as box breathing or a five-jump reset
These small steps help your child show their true abilities.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the whole process take? From intake to feedback is usually eight weeks, depending on scheduling and when teacher forms are returned.
Will my child be diagnosed on the day? No. We only provide conclusions after all information is reviewed. This protects accuracy and quality.
How often should children be reassessed? Re-evaluation is considered if needs change, new concerns arise or the school requires updated evidence for adjustments.
What if ADHD is confirmed
A diagnosis is a starting line, not an end point. Your plan may include:
Home routines that fit your child’s attention rhythms
Classroom supports that reduce effort without lowering expectations
Coaching in organisation, time awareness and emotional regulation
Collaboration with your GP or paediatrician about medical options where relevant
Access to groups that build social confidence
We pace the plan so it is doable. Small wins, repeated often, transform daily life.
Final thoughts
ADHD testing is simply a structured way to answer three questions. What is going on. Why is it happening. What will help. With the right preparation and a clear process, assessment replaces worry with a roadmap you can trust.
Ready to get started or have questions about your child’s situation
Gayton Psychology provides child-friendly ADHD assessments and school-ready reports for families in Melbourne.
Phone: 0422 651 697
Website: gaytonpsychology.com
Email: katherine@gaytonpsychology.com
Clarity today makes tomorrow easier for your child, for you and for their teachers.