Top 5 Reasons to Schedule Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment
If a physician, educator, or other professional has encouraged your child or you to receive an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder assessment, you may be on the fence. There’s a lot of misinformation about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Maybe you’re worried about stigma related to an ADHD diagnosis. Maybe you’re not even sure ADHD is a condition that needs to be diagnosed or treated at all. We understand that this situation can feel fraught for many people, and the Northern Colorado Assessment Center is always happy to answer your questions and help you better understand the many benefits of assessment. In this blog, we’ll review the top five reasons to schedule an ADHD assessment.
1 – Understand Sources of Problematic Behaviors
This can be true for both adults and children, though unexplained behavioral concerns are most often a referral source for our younger clients. Young children who are often disciplined because they struggle to sit still, pay attention, focus on and complete tasks, wait their turn, or remember details may be struggling with ADHD. Adults with ADHD experience many of the same warning signs, but they may go unnoticed since adults have usually developed skills to regulate these behaviors over a lifetime. Instead, adults who seek ADHD assessment are often struggling with higher level organizational and attention concerns, including impulsive behaviors, disorganization, struggling to prioritize tasks, and difficulty managing or completing activities or projects. Assessment can help individuals understand that ADHD is an underlying cause of these problematic behaviors.
2 – Manage Impulsivity, Hyperactivity, & Inattention
By understanding that ADHD is causing difficult behaviors like impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention, individuals can start developing plans and learning strategies to manage these areas of concern. This may include working with a therapist, taking medications, and learning skills to minimize any negative impact of these behaviors.
3 – Explore Available Resources
In order to manage the way that ADHD impacts a person’s day-to-day life, they will likely need to work with a team of professionals, including physicians, therapists, and educators. These caregivers will provide resources and support services necessary to help people who are struggling with ADHD at any age or stage of life.
4 – Develop Greater Understanding of the ADHD
In addition to personally supporting improved daily outcomes, ADHD assessment also helps individuals to better understand this condition in general. There is so much misinformation about what ADHD is and how it impacts people. It can be easy to misunderstand what it means to be diagnosed with this condition, so assessment helps people to more clearly understand ADHD and its many effects.
5 – Increase Ability to Self-Advocate
Maybe you’ve heard the old adage, “Knowledge is power.” In the case of assessment, this is certainly true. By understanding themselves and their needs more fully, individuals are empowered to self-advocate and independently work toward ensuring they have the necessary support and resources to be successfully personally, professionally, and academically.
Get Started Working with Us
If you’re ready to schedule ADHD assessment for your child or yourself, the Northern Colorado Assessment Center team would love to hear from you. We make getting started with testing simple. You can call, email, or complete a secure online form to get in touch with our team and set up your first visit.
