ADHD Testing for Adults & Children | Belmont & Lake Wylie — Ellison Psychological Services, PLLC

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is about more than just "trouble focusing." It is a complex regulation issue that affects how you plan, prioritize, and manage emotions.

At Ellison Psychological Services, we believe a diagnosis should not be based on a single 10-minute checklist. We provide comprehensive, evidence-based evaluations to determine if your struggles are true ADHD or something else—and create a clear roadmap for success at school, work, and home.

Testing is also often requested by medical providers: clear, documented support for an ADHD diagnosis helps your physician or psychiatric provider build an effective treatment plan, including medication management.

Is it ADHD? (Signs & Symptoms)

For Children & Teens:

Academic Inconsistency: "Smart but scattered." Grades fluctuate despite high intelligence.
Behavioral Challenges: Difficulty sitting still, frequent interruptions, or emotional outbursts.
Organization Issues: Constantly losing homework, forgetting chores, or struggling to follow multi-step instructions.

For Adults:

Workplace Friction: Missed deadlines, chronic procrastination, or trouble starting tasks ("task paralysis").
Relationship Strain: Zoning out during conversations or forgetfulness that partners interpret as "not caring."
The "Masking" Exhaustion: Feeling drained from using all your energy just to appear organized and attentive.

Our Testing Process

A primary care physician can offer a brief screener, but they rarely have the time or tools to investigate why the symptoms are happening. We use a multi-method approach to ensure we are seeing the whole picture.

Clinical Interview: We start by understanding your full developmental history, current stressors, and exactly how symptoms are impacting your daily life.
Data from Multiple Settings: ADHD does not happen in a vacuum. We collect screening forms from those who know you well in different environments—such as teachers, parents, or partners/spouses. This helps us confirm if symptoms are consistent across home, school, and work.
Cognitive & Executive Functioning: We use standardized performance tests to objectively measure sustained attention, impulse control, and processing speed.
Differential Diagnosis: We use broad clinical screeners and personality measures to differentiate ADHD from Anxiety, Mood Disorders, or other regulation issues. This step is important to ensure that our targeted recommendations—whether for medication consultation, therapy, or school accommodations—are aligned with the actual root cause, rather than just managing surface-level symptoms.

The Outcome: What You Get

A diagnosis is only useful if it leads to action. Your feedback session includes a comprehensive written report with targeted recommendations.

School Accommodations: Documentation required for IEP or 504 Plans (e.g., extended time, preferential seating, testing in a separate room).
Workplace Support: Strategies and documentation to advocate for reasonable accommodations in professional settings.
Treatment Guidance: A clear diagnosis to guide medication management (with your prescriber) and behavioral strategies for executive dysfunction.

Scheduling & Coverage

Speed: We typically schedule evaluations within weeks, bypassing the 6-12 month waitlists common at hospital systems.
Depth: Insurance often limits testing time. We take the time necessary to assess complex cases.
Privacy: Your testing data remains confidential and is not automatically shared with insurance databases or employers.
Insurance: For child and adolescent ADHD evaluations, we are in-network with Aetna, the NC State Health Plan, and Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS); superbills are available for out-of-network plans.