For children, teens, and adults
ADHD testing in Escondido
Many people are misdiagnosed with ADHD, and end up improperly medicated for symptoms that were never ADHD to begin with. Testing tells you which it is.
Is it attention, or is it something else?
A child who cannot focus might have ADHD. They might also be anxious, dyslexic, gifted and bored, or exhausted. All of those look roughly the same from the back of a classroom, and all of them get called ADHD.
The name itself is part of the confusion.
ADHD can be a misleading name. It is not so much a lack of attention as a lack of attention regulation. The attention is usually shifted onto something else.
Dallin Hendry, MEd
Why testing matters here
ADHD is one of the most misdiagnosed conditions there is
Our clinical psychologists have specialized training and experience in testing for ADHD. Proper testing matters because many people are misdiagnosed and, as a result, are improperly medicated for symptoms that were never ADHD in the first place.
A diagnosis built on a conversation alone rests on how the person describes themselves, and that description is rarely neutral.
It is critical to test for ADHD and not just make a diagnosis based on self-report. The biggest reason is that self-report is easily biased.
Dr. Clarissa Gosney, PsyDConvinced it is ADHD
Symptoms get over-reported, and a diagnosis follows that may not fit.
Certain it is not
Symptoms get downplayed, and real ADHD goes untreated for years.
Testing removes that variable. It measures attention, processing speed, and executive functioning directly, and it screens for the learning disorders, anxiety, and autism that so often sit underneath an attention complaint. Our psychologists then provide a comprehensive report with recommended treatment options.
What to expect
What an ADHD evaluation actually involves
An ADHD evaluation always begins with a full historical intake. At least one parent, and more where possible, sits down with the psychologist for about an hour to discuss the child's developmental, medical, family, and educational history.
01
Intake, about an hour
What the symptoms look like, which environments they show up in, when they began, and what makes them better or worse.
02
Testing, about six hours
With breaks. Some of it is physical puzzles, some is on paper, some on a computer or iPad.
03
Scoring and interpretation
History from intake, behavioral observations during testing, and performance on each assessment, weighed together against current research.
04
Feedback meeting
The psychologist explains the findings and any diagnosis in person. You ask questions, and you leave with a copy of the report.
Who attends the intake: generally a child under 12 does not, so parents can speak freely about the challenges without raising their child's anxiety. Depending on emotional maturity, a child over 12 may be invited to part or all of it.
At the end of the intake, the psychologist has a clear idea of what needs testing, and that is not always what a family arrived expecting.
Sometimes the question changes. Families occasionally ask for a full neuropsychological evaluation when dyslexia or autism testing is the more appropriate route. That is always discussed with you before any testing begins.
Adults
Diagnosed at forty, wondering about the last thirty years
The testing process is very similar for adults and children, using instruments normed to the right age group. What changes is where the information comes from.
Children
Parent and teacher input both matter, because behavior often differs between home and school. Some children struggle more at school under academic demand, others more at home without the structure school provides.
Adults
The same information is gathered through self-report, which is exactly why the formal measures carry more weight rather than less.
Treatment for adults leans heavily on the behavioral side. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy supplies coping skills for the frustration that comes with ADHD, but the work itself is structural.
ADHD therapy should involve skills that add structure, routine, and pause to counteract the chaos. It should also allow for creativity and flexibility, capitalizing on moments or periods of focus and intentionality.
Dr. Clarissa Gosney, PsyDThere is usually an emotional piece too. A diagnosis that arrives at thirty-five or fifty answers a question someone has carried for decades, and the relief often comes mixed with anger about the time it took.
Clients should have room to grieve the time lost, while also recognizing the skills they built to get this far undetected.
Questions we hear most
Before you call
How long does ADHD testing take?
About six hours of testing with breaks, plus a separate hour-long intake beforehand and a feedback session afterward. Some of the testing is physical puzzles, some is on paper, and some is on a computer or iPad.
Why can't a doctor just diagnose ADHD in an appointment?
Because a diagnosis from conversation alone rests on self-report, and self-report is easily biased in both directions. Someone convinced they have ADHD tends to over-report symptoms; someone adamant they do not tends to downplay them. Testing measures attention and executive functioning directly instead.
Will my child be at the intake session?
Generally not, if they are under 12, so parents can discuss the full picture without raising their child's anxiety. A child over 12 may be invited to part or all of it depending on their emotional maturity and anxiety level.
What if it turns out not to be ADHD?
That happens, and it is one of the main reasons to test. Attention complaints frequently trace back to learning disorders, anxiety, or autism instead. If the intake suggests a different question than the one you arrived with, we discuss that with you before testing begins.
Will the report help with school accommodations?
If the psychologist determines the diagnosis is affecting your child's ability to function at school, recommended IEP or 504 accommodations are included in the report. Schools are not required to implement them, but the report is a strong tool for substantiating the need and opening the door to consideration.
Do you evaluate adults?
Yes. The process mirrors testing for children using instruments normed for adults, with the history gathered through self-report rather than parent and teacher input.
Do you take insurance?
Psychological testing is private pay. We provide an itemized superbill for possible out of network reimbursement, and accept credit and debit cards, HSA, FSA, and CareCredit with six months interest free. See psychological testing for full policies.
From our clinical team
Guides for parents
Find out whether it is actually ADHD
ADHD evaluations for children, teens, and adults at our Escondido office, serving North County San Diego and southwest Riverside County.
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