Assessment and Testing
Comprehensive ADHD Evaluations and Academic Testing for children in Pittsburgh.
ADHD Evaluations
An ADHD evaluation helps clarify whether your child’s difficulties fall within the range of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It also identifies whether other factors—such as anxiety, learning differences, or emotional regulation challenges—may be contributing. A comprehensive assessment can open the door to appropriate supports at school, access to therapy, or medication options, and provides valuable insight into how your child learns, thinks, and functions day to day.
Our ADHD evaluations are developmentally tailored and typically include:
Caregiver and teacher interviews to understand how concerns show up across settings
Standardized behavior rating scales to assess attention, activity level, executive functioning, and emotion regulation
Direct testing of attention, working memory, and impulse control
Cognitive and academic testing, if needed, to assess for learning concerns or clarify diagnostic overlap
Review of school records or prior evaluations to better understand history and patterns
We take care to evaluate whether symptoms reflect true ADHD, are better explained by another diagnosis, or reflect a combination of contributing factors. This helps ensure that recommendations are accurate and meaningful.
What to Expect
ADHD evaluations typically include an intake session, one to two sessions of in-person testing (usually totaling 2 to 4 hours), and a follow-up feedback session to go over the results. You will receive a written report that outlines any diagnoses, your child’s learning and behavior profile, and specific, actionable recommendations for home and school. Most evaluations are completed within 2 to 3 weeks, depending on complexity and scheduling.
Academic Testing
Academic testing focuses on your child’s learning profile, including how they perform in areas like reading, writing, math, and sometimes oral language or executive functioning related to learning. These evaluations help identify whether your child is performing at grade level, has a learning disability such as dyslexia or dysgraphia, or needs additional support in the classroom. Academic testing also helps clarify whether difficulties are due to motivation, behavior, or actual skill deficits.
Academic testing may be recommended when:
A child is struggling in school and the cause is not clear
They appear bright but underperform on assignments or tests
They read fluently but struggle with writing or math, or the reverse
Teachers raise concerns about attention, work completion, or comprehension
This type of assessment includes standardized achievement measures and is sometimes paired with cognitive testing to compare learning ability and academic performance. Our goal is not only to determine whether there is a diagnosable learning issue but also to provide helpful insight into your child’s learning style, areas of strength, and the most effective support to help them thrive.
Why do families seek testing?
Child is having difficulty with attention, impulse control, or staying organized across settings like school, home, or social environment
Child struggles to sit still, finish tasks, or remember directions
Child is struggling academically in one or more subjects
Testing was recommended by a professional (e.g. pediatrician or school staff member)
Testing is needed to access appropriate school supports (e.g. IEP or 504 plan) or supports outside of school (e.g. therapy or tutoring)
When documentation is needed to begin appropriate medication
When families have questions about differential diagnoses (e.g. ruling out a diagnosis)
