ADHD Evaluations for Children, Teens & Adults
Clear answers grounded in the whole person
You may be wondering why your child is struggling to stay organized, follow directions, or complete work that you know they are capable of doing. As an adult, you may feel as though you are constantly working harder than everyone else to manage responsibilities, meet deadlines, or keep everyday life from becoming overwhelming.
An ADHD evaluation can help make sense of these experiences. It looks beyond individual symptoms to consider attention, executive functioning, emotional regulation, daily demands, and the other factors that may be influencing life at home, school, work, or within relationships.
Dr. Valerie Braunstein provides individualized ADHD psychological evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults. The goal is not simply to arrive at a diagnosis or test score. It is to develop a clearer, more useful understanding of the whole person.
When an ADHD evaluation may be helpful
ADHD can affect much more than someone’s ability to pay attention. It may influence planning, organization, working memory, time management, motivation, impulse control, emotional regulation, and the ability to begin or complete tasks.
An evaluation may be helpful when a child, adolescent, or adult is experiencing concerns such as:
These experiences can look different from one person to another. Some people appear visibly restless or impulsive, while others struggle quietly with forgetfulness, mental overwhelm, or the effort required to stay organized.
An evaluation may be helpful when a child, adolescent, or adult is experiencing concerns such as:
- Frequently losing or forgetting important belongings
- Difficulty following multi-step directions
- Trouble beginning, organizing, or completing tasks
- Inconsistent performance at school or work
- Procrastination that creates significant stress
- Difficulty estimating or managing time
- Becoming easily distracted or overwhelmed
- Acting impulsively or struggling to pause before responding
- Strong emotional reactions or difficulty recovering from frustration
- Feeling capable but unable to consistently meet expectations
- Ongoing challenges that are affecting confidence, relationships, or daily life
These experiences can look different from one person to another. Some people appear visibly restless or impulsive, while others struggle quietly with forgetfulness, mental overwhelm, or the effort required to stay organized.
Looking beyond ADHD alone
Attention and executive-functioning difficulties are not always caused by ADHD. Anxiety, learning differences, sleep difficulties, emotional stress, environmental demands, and other factors can sometimes create similar challenges or exist alongside ADHD.
A thoughtful evaluation considers these possibilities rather than beginning with a predetermined conclusion. Understanding what is contributing to someone’s difficulties is essential for developing recommendations that are genuinely useful.
An evaluation may determine that ADHD helps explain the concerns, identify additional factors that also need attention, or suggest that another explanation fits the person’s experience more accurately. Each of these outcomes can provide meaningful direction.
A thoughtful evaluation considers these possibilities rather than beginning with a predetermined conclusion. Understanding what is contributing to someone’s difficulties is essential for developing recommendations that are genuinely useful.
An evaluation may determine that ADHD helps explain the concerns, identify additional factors that also need attention, or suggest that another explanation fits the person’s experience more accurately. Each of these outcomes can provide meaningful direction.
A whole-person approach to evaluation
Dr. Val considers how each person functions across different parts of life rather than relying on a single questionnaire or isolated test result.
Depending on the individual and the questions being explored, an ADHD evaluation may consider:
The specific process is individualized. Not every person requires the same measures, records, or sources of information.
Depending on the individual and the questions being explored, an ADHD evaluation may consider:
- The concerns that led to the evaluation
- Developmental, educational, medical, and psychological history
- Attention and executive-functioning skills
- Emotional and behavioral functioning
- Experiences at home, school, work, and within relationships
- Relevant school, medical, or previous assessment records
- Information from parents, caregivers, teachers, or other sources when appropriate
- Psychological testing and assessment findings
The specific process is individualized. Not every person requires the same measures, records, or sources of information.
ADHD evaluations across different stages of life
CHILDREN
For children, an evaluation can help families understand concerns involving attention, behavior, emotional regulation, learning, routines, or school performance. Information from caregivers, school records, and other relevant sources can help show how the child functions across different environments.
Recommendations may help parents and school professionals better understand the child’s needs and identify practical ways to support them.
For children, an evaluation can help families understand concerns involving attention, behavior, emotional regulation, learning, routines, or school performance. Information from caregivers, school records, and other relevant sources can help show how the child functions across different environments.
Recommendations may help parents and school professionals better understand the child’s needs and identify practical ways to support them.
ADOLESCENTS
As academic, social, and personal responsibilities increase, executive-functioning difficulties may become more noticeable. Adolescents may struggle with managing assignments, tracking deadlines, planning longer projects, regulating emotions, or balancing greater independence with continued support.
An evaluation can help clarify what is contributing to these challenges and identify strategies that reflect the adolescent’s needs and growing responsibilities.
As academic, social, and personal responsibilities increase, executive-functioning difficulties may become more noticeable. Adolescents may struggle with managing assignments, tracking deadlines, planning longer projects, regulating emotions, or balancing greater independence with continued support.
An evaluation can help clarify what is contributing to these challenges and identify strategies that reflect the adolescent’s needs and growing responsibilities.
ADULTS
Some adults seek an evaluation after years of feeling disorganized, overwhelmed, inconsistent, or unable to reach their potential despite significant effort. Others begin recognizing familiar patterns after a child or family member is diagnosed.
An adult ADHD evaluation can explore how attention and executive functioning affect work, relationships, household responsibilities, routines, and overall well-being.
Some adults seek an evaluation after years of feeling disorganized, overwhelmed, inconsistent, or unable to reach their potential despite significant effort. Others begin recognizing familiar patterns after a child or family member is diagnosed.
An adult ADHD evaluation can explore how attention and executive functioning affect work, relationships, household responsibilities, routines, and overall well-being.
Understanding the findings
Once the available information has been reviewed, Dr. Val brings the findings together to explain what they may mean for everyday life.
Recommendations are tailored to the individual and may address:
An evaluation does not guarantee a particular diagnosis or accommodation. Its purpose is to provide an objective, individualized understanding of the concerns and identify appropriate next steps.
Recommendations are tailored to the individual and may address:
- Therapy or other treatment options
- Executive-functioning strategies
- Practical routines and organizational systems
- Support at home
- School or workplace needs
- Accommodations when clinically appropriate
- Collaboration with other professionals
An evaluation does not guarantee a particular diagnosis or accommodation. Its purpose is to provide an objective, individualized understanding of the concerns and identify appropriate next steps.
Clarity can create a path forward
Living with unexplained difficulties can affect more than productivity or performance. Over time, someone may begin to believe that they are lazy, careless, unmotivated, or simply not trying hard enough.
A thoughtful evaluation can replace those assumptions with a clearer understanding of how the person’s brain works, where support may be needed, and which strategies are most likely to be helpful.
If attention, organization, impulsivity, emotional regulation, or executive-functioning challenges are affecting you or your child, Dr. Val can help determine whether an ADHD evaluation is an appropriate next step.
A thoughtful evaluation can replace those assumptions with a clearer understanding of how the person’s brain works, where support may be needed, and which strategies are most likely to be helpful.
If attention, organization, impulsivity, emotional regulation, or executive-functioning challenges are affecting you or your child, Dr. Val can help determine whether an ADHD evaluation is an appropriate next step.
