For many individuals and families, the journey toward understanding neurodiversity in their child begins with a simple, yet deeply important question: Could this be ADHD or autism?
Whether the signs have been present for years or your curiosity has got the better of you, seeking a clear, professional assessment is often the first step toward greater self-understanding and access to appropriate support. At The Health Suite in Leicester, we offer private assessments for ADHD and autism. Our assessments reflect the complexity and individuality of each person we work with. Our approach combines clinical depth with personal care, ensuring the process is not only thorough but also respectful and responsive to each child’s experience.
Why Seek a Private Assessment?
In recent years, thanks to social media, awareness around neurodevelopmental conditions has grown. However, despite this growth in awareness, access to timely assessments through the NHS remains limited. Many people with overlapping conditions face long waiting times or are told their symptoms are “not severe enough” to meet referral thresholds. This is problematic for many reasons, but the most important reason is that the rigidity of these thresholds does not allow for nuanced assessment. It singles out those who are suffering but have nowhere else to turn for help. When you choose to go privately, it offers an alternative path, with more value placed on your concerns. Private assessments work to understand your history, and gives time to explore the full picture without being rushed or feeling like just another box-ticking exercise. It’s not about fast-tracking a diagnosis, but about offering a more nuanced and compassionate process, supported by professionals who specialise in this area.
Growing Up Without a Diagnosis: The Missed Signs
Many adults who are now seeking an assessment for ADHD or autism can trace the signs back to childhood, but those signs were at the time, unnoticed or really misunderstood. Children who were described as “bright but quiet”, and were more compliant than a stereotypical ADHD child, their struggles may have been dismissed as shyness or “spacing out” and “daydreaming”. Others, who were more outspoken or energetic, may have been labelled as disruptive without anyone asking why they found it hard to sit still or follow instructions. In retrospect, things like sensory sensitivities, rigid routines, or difficulty making friends might suddenly make sense. The school reports describing “potential not being fulfilled” or “difficulty concentrating” take on new meaning when viewed through a neurodivergent lens. These missed signs are not unusual, but they can lead to years of self-doubt and internalised frustration.
If your child fits into either of these descriptions, it might be worth seeking a private assessment with us.
Click here for ADHD Assessments and click here for Autism Assessment.
Masking: The Hidden Signs
Children, and this is especially true for girls, become skilled at what we now know as “masking”. This is when they suppress their difficulties with either social interaction or executive functioning to blend in. They learn to copy their agemates’ social behaviours, deny their impulses, or prepare scripts for conversations rather than interacting with other children or adults organically. While this can help them avoid unwanted attention and stay off the radar, it comes at a cost. Many masked children grow up feeling exhausted, anxious, and unsure of who they really are.
Masking is one of the reasons many children fly under the radar in school settings. They might appear to be managing just fine, only for things to unravel at home, meltdowns, shutdowns, or deep fatigue after holding it together all day. An assessment that recognises these more subtle presentations is essential to giving those children the understanding and support they deserve.
The Emotional Impact of Being Misunderstood
With no diagnosis to go by or even a general understanding of their neurodivergence, children who have ADHD or autism often internalise the negative messages they receive from their teachers and peers. They might start to actually believe that they’re lazy or difficult, or “not applying themselves,” simply because they can’t meet the same expectations at the same time as their peers. Children with ADHD might be intelligent, but they tend to have delayed growth when it comes to their emotions and maturation. This can damage self-esteem, limit confidence, and contribute to anxiety or depression later in life. A compassionate and well-explained diagnosis can be incredibly freeing to them. It shifts the narrative from “What’s wrong with me?” to “There’s a reason I experience things differently and there are ways to work with it, not against it.”
What Makes Our Assessments Different
At The Health Suite, our assessments are designed differently from box tick reports. We use an approach informed by evidence, which recognises that neurodivergence in children can present in many different ways depending on age and gender as well as individual differences.
Here’s what you can expect from our process:
- Initial Consultation: Your child’s diagnosis journey begins with a simple conversation. We take time to understand their concerns as well as what led you as a parent to seek assessment. This helps us determine the most appropriate pathway and ensures the process feels collaborative between us from the start.
- Comprehensive History Taking: Neurodivergence is lifelong, and so part of the assessment involves exploring patterns from early childhood through to present day. This includes developmental milestones, education, work, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.
- Standardised Diagnostic Tools: We use validated, research-backed tools such as the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), the DIVA-5 (for adult ADHD), and structured interviews where needed. These tools are used thoughtfully as one part of a broader clinical picture, not in isolation.
- Multi-Disciplinary Input: Our assessments are conducted by highly experienced clinicians who have worked with children and young populations for years, with specific experience in neurodevelopment. Where relevant, we involve multiple perspectives to ensure an accurate and balanced view.
- Detailed Report and Feedback Session: Once our assessment is complete, we provide a full written report and it includes practical recommendations for support at home, work, or school, as well as any next steps you may wish to consider.
Even for those who don’t meet full diagnostic criteria, the process can be enlightening.
Click here for ADHD Assessments and click here for Autism Assessment.
What Happens After the Assessment?
A diagnosis, if given, is only part of the story. What matters most is what you do with that knowledge, and how it supports your wellbeing moving forward.
At The Health Suite, our team can help guide the next steps. That may include:
- Signposting to appropriate therapy or coaching
- Support with school or workplace accommodations
- Referrals for medication (for ADHD, if appropriate)
- Advice for parents on navigating support systems and education plans
- Ongoing psychological support tailored to neurodiverse individuals
Why Choose The Health Suite in Leicester?
Our clinicians take time to build rapport and trust, explaining the process with full transparency and clarity, and we adjust each assessment to the individual sitting in front of them.
We value respect and the wellbeing of every patient we see. Whether you’re seeking answers for your own child, or a child in your care, we’re committed to making that process as helpful and human as possible.
Booking an ADHD or Autism Assessment at The Health Suite
Are you feeling ready to take the next step for your child? Our team is here to help. Book an initial consultation online or contact us for more information about the process, pricing, and availability. Click here for ADHD Assessments and click here for Autism Assessment. Sometimes, getting the right support starts with the right conversation.