Private Child and Adolescent Specialist ADHD Assessments and Treatments

Assessments in children and adolescents under 18 are undertaken by a Child and Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist (not psychologist) who specialises in ADHD. A Consultant Psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specialises in mental health and can prescribe ADHD medications if required.

We can only assess children from the age of 5 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 will need a child assessment rather than an adult assessment, as the structure and the need for Conners questionnaires in the assessment is a prerequisite for the diagnosis to be recognised.

Following your child’s ADHD assessment we will send you, via secure email, a detailed report from your Consultant Psychiatrist, outlining any diagnosis and treatment plan details. You should receive this within 2-3 weeks of your assessment.

If your child’s treatment plan recommends a trial of medication, then we will outline any baseline health checks that are required (such as blood pressure, pulse, weight, blood tests, ECG or a cardiovascular examination) that can be booked with your GP practice and returned to us for your consultant to review before your first follow-up appointment is offered.*

If they are initiated on a medication trial, they will usually require on average between 3-6 follow-up appointments to reach the correct dose. NICE and GMC guidelines recommend a review by a specialist after each dose titration for safe prescribing practice.

During the follow-up appointment, your Consultant Psychiatrist will monitor your child’s response to treatment, any adverse side effects, physical observations (BP, pulse and weight). They will communicate with your GP informing them of your progress as per GMC guidelines on safe prescribing. Clients will be required to pay for follow-up appointments and private prescriptions fees during this time.

Once your child is established on a stable medication regime, we can set up a shared care agreement with a GP, if they are willing to accept. We have standard protocol documents for this procedure. At this stage, your GP would then take over the prescribing of any medication. This would mean that your prescription would then become an NHS prescription and charged at their lower, standard rate.

[*Please note we cannot guarantee a Shared Care arrangement with your GP, but most of our clients that go down the medication route do end up on shared care. We would advise you to discuss this with your GP in advance.]

We offer a 4-part parenting course, which is delivered online or in person within the central London area. The course includes session summaries, slides and worksheets and a personalised approach to help parents and children manage the symptoms they particularly would like more support with. We also offer an online essential mindfulness course for help with specific ADHD symptoms. Details of this can be found here.

As the diagnosis is done by a GMC registered Consultant Psychiatrist specialising in ADHD, there is no reason why this will not be recognised by a school, college or your GP. If in doubt, then you are advised to check beforehand with your school or GP.

Your Consultant Psychiatrist will note any reasonable adjustments they feel necessary for school, college or university in your assessment letter. A diagnosis of ADHD will usually enable you to have access to extra support in school and form part of your child’s IEP (individual educational plan/programme). This is developed to ensure that a child with an identified disability who is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives specialised instruction and access to related services.

Whilst our assessments are specifically for ADHD, your Consultant Psychiatrist will also undertake a general psychiatric assessment and note any other common comorbid psychiatric conditions which may be contributing to your child’s current difficulties; such as anxiety, depression, or traits of autistic spectrum condition. They will discuss and give guidance about what further assessment and treatment options are available for these conditions.

Our highly-skilled specialist doctors don’t just provide bespoke ADHD treatments for young children. At The ADHD Centre, we also specialise in assessments and treatments for older school age children, students and adults. Seek a diagnosis today and free yourself from your symptoms.

We offer a range of services. Please see our ADHD treatment pricing page for more information.