AuDHD and Assessments
Introduction
For many people, an AuDHD assessment can be more than a clinical process. It can be a personal milestone that reshapes identity, self-worth and life direction. As the assessment process is thorough, it is natural to have questions about whether it is the right step for you.
In this research summary, we provide a brief overview of AuDHD assessments, including:
The benefit of assessment and who can conduct them
What an ADHD assessment involves
What an autism assessment involves
What a combined ADHD and autism assessment involves
Financial considerations when seeking an assessment
Whether an assessment is worth pursuing
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your health, wellbeing, or possible neurodivergence, please speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
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The Benefit of Assessment and Who Can Conduct Them?
Neurodiversity assessments are comprehensive and can sometimes feel like a challenging process. However, many people describe the experience as worthwhile, helping to answer long-standing questions and better understand themselves.
Some benefits of an assessment include:
Being able to explore their needs in depth and therefore feel more confident to self-advocate and challenge support that is unhelpful.
Developing a better understanding of their strengths and helping to develop greater self-compassion and self-acceptance.
Clarifying whether previous experiences were attributed to physical or mental health conditions or neurodivergence.
Being able to share personal experiences in detail, helping to separate neurodivergent traits from what may previously have been viewed as personality flaws.
Being able to reflect on personal challenges.
Speaking about past experiences with a new perspective - which many people have described the assessment as a ‘lightbulb moment’.
Receiving a formal diagnosis, which can lead to connecting with others who share similar experiences.
Neurodiversity assessments are conducted by specialist healthcare professionals, not GPs. For ADHD assessments, it tends to be a single healthcare professional, whereas for autism assessments it is multidisciplinary teams.
Autism Assessment: Key Facts & Information
An autism assessment is carried out after an initial screening. During the assessment, a multidisciplinary team will explore different areas of your life, including:
Social interaction and communication.
Resistance to change and preference for routines.
Whether autistic characteristics have been present since childhood.
Behaviours that may be causing difficulties, including factors that trigger or maintain them.
How these presentations are at home, in education or at work.
Any mental or physical health conditions.
Other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Sensory differences, such as sensitivities to noise, smells or touch.
To ensure the right support is in place, clinicians may also explore areas such as:
Self-harm.
Self-neglect.
Experiences of abuse or exploitation.
Risk to others.
The support currently available from family members or carers.
In exploring this, a crisis management plan may be developed. This outlines how professionals, family members and carers can respond during periods of crisis, including how to look out for possible triggers, helpful strategies and any adaptations that may be needed to the environment or support. Due to the difficulty during this period, family members, partners and carers may also be offered support or an assessment of their own needs.
ADHD Assessment: Key Facts & Information
As with autism assessments, an ADHD assessment is carried out after an initial screening.
The guidelines from NICE have recommended ADHD assessments to be completed by healthcare professionals that have specialist training and expertise in diagnosing and treating ADHD. This may include psychiatrists, paediatricians or other appropriately qualified mental health professionals. During this assessment, the professional will carry out a comprehensive clinical and psycho-social evaluation. This means they will explore your current experiences and behaviours, such as:
Active listening skills
Expressing and dealing with feelings
Problem solving
How these behaviours are in different environment
Social life with peers and family
Physical health
Any co-occurring condition like mental health
They will also explore your developmental history and any previous psychiatric history. Together, this information helps build a detailed understanding of your experiences, strengths, challenges and support needs.
Combined AuDHD Assessment: Key Facts & Information
This is because there are currently no NICE guidelines specifically for combined AuDHD assessments. Instead, healthcare professionals follow evidence-based recommendations developed by experts in the field.
During a combined assessment, clinicians should:
Have specialist training and experience in assessing both autism and ADHD.
Explore your development and how you have functioned across different stages of life and settings, using information such as interviews, health records and reports.
Consider how autistic and ADHD characteristics interact, rather than "double counting" overlapping traits.
Carry out a risk assessment where appropriate.
Explore factors that may trigger, maintain or worsen difficulties, as well as strategies and environments that have been helpful.
Use a semi-structured interview to explore the diagnostic criteria for both autism and ADHD.
Financial Considerations
If you feel that you may have both autism and ADHD, a combined assessment can be the most effective way to explore both conditions at the same time and rule out other possible explanations. However, one of the biggest barriers for many people is the cost.
Currently, only a small number of NHS services offer combined AuDHD assessments. Some people may be able to access these through the Right to Choose pathway, although waiting lists can be long and some providers may temporarily close their referral lists.
Private combined assessments can be costly, and costs vary depending on the provider and what is included in the assessment.
Before choosing a private provider, it is worth considering:
Whether the assessment and diagnosis are accepted by NHS services or your GP.
Whether the report provides enough detail to support applications for workplace adjustments, university support, EHCPs or NHS Shared Care agreements.
This is because clinicians should consider whether other conditions may also be present. Therefore, any overlapping autistic/ADHD characteristics identified would be documented in the assessment report, providing useful evidence to pursue further assessment(s) in the future.
An individual autism or ADHD assessment may also provide earlier access to support, including medication (for those with an ADHD diagnosis) or psychological support.
Is an Assessment Worth It?
As personalised support is often the most effective, an assessment can help identify the support and adjustments that best meet an individual's specific needs. Some workplace adjustments that can be made include:
A quieter or private workspace.
Flexible working hours.
Regular breaks during long meetings.
Changes to communication methods, such as written instructions.
Assistive technology, including electronic planners, note-taking software, or noise-cancelling headphones.
Workplace coaching or psychological support, where available.
For children and young people, an assessment can help schools better understand the challenges they may experience in education. Areas such as attention, organisation and relationships with peers and teachers can be impacted from AuDHD. Therefore, following an assessment, more tailored support and reasonable adjustments can be put in place to help meet the young person's individual needs. These may include:
Breaking larger pieces of work into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Extra time for tests or assignments.
Digital planners or educational apps to support organisation and attention.
One to one support in subjects they find difficult.
It may be helpful to also note that professionals are advised to consider any needs throughout the assessment. This can include adapting the assessment environment, using different communication methods, or adjusting the length of appointments.
Conclusion
An neurodiversity assessment is much more than a diagnostic process.
It provides an opportunity to explore your experiences, understand your strengths and challenges, and identify the support that best meets your needs.
Whilst the process can feel lengthy or overwhelming, many people describe it as a valuable step towards greater self-understanding, self-acceptance and accessing more personalised support.
Ultimately, whether an assessment is right for you is a personal decision, but understanding what the process involves can help you make an informed choice.
References
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