Specialist Private ADHD Assessments for Adults and Children
At The London Centre, our private ADHD assessments are designed for adults, children and young people where ADHD may be present alongside eating difficulties, disordered eating, body image distress or related mental health concerns. Our assessment pathways are designed to understand the whole person, rather than focusing only on a list of symptoms.
Understanding how ADHD may be affecting attention, emotional regulation, eating patterns and daily life can be an important step towards getting the right eating disorder support.
We offer separate ADHD assessment pathways for adults aged 18+ and for children and young people aged 5–18.
A Specialist Approach to ADHD, Eating Difficulties and Body Images
Many people who come to us for treatment for an eating disorder or body image difficulty have spent most of their life feeling that something is not quite right, without being able to identify why. They may have been described by others as disorganised, oversensitive, inconsistent, impulsive or not trying hard enough. For parents, the experience is often one of watching a child struggle at school, at home or around food, without knowing why conventional advice is not helping.
At The London Centre, we look beyond surface-level behaviours to understand the underlying patterns that may be shaping someone’s attention, emotional regulation, sensory processing, eating behaviours and relationships with food and body image.
Where ADHD is diagnosed, this is not simply a label. It can provide a framework for self-understanding and help guide support that is better tailored to the person’s needs.
Every assessment takes place in a confidential, respectful and non-judgemental setting, where you or your child can speak openly about your experiences.
Why Choose a Specialist Private ADHD Assessment?
NHS waiting lists for ADHD assessment can be lengthy in many parts of the UK. During this time, difficulties with concentration, emotional regulation, impulsivity, organisation and daily functioning can continue to affect quality of life, relationships, education, work and eating patterns.
A private ADHD assessment offers a shorter route to a thorough clinical evaluation, with a detailed diagnostic report and clear recommendations for treatment and support.
This can be particularly important where ADHD may co-exist with an eating disorder, disordered eating or body image concerns. Standard ADHD assessments may not always explore in detail how neurodivergent traits interact with appetite, sensory sensitivities, impulsivity, emotional regulation, food avoidance, restriction, binge eating or difficulties with regular eating.
A specialist assessment can help clarify which difficulties may be related to ADHD, which may be related to an eating disorder or other mental health concerns, and where these factors interact. This allows treatment recommendations to be more carefully tailored from the outset.
The Link Between ADHD and Eating Difficulties
For example, difficulties with planning and organisation can make regular eating harder to maintain. Impulsivity and emotional dysregulation may contribute to binge eating or loss-of-control eating. Sensory sensitivities can affect food preferences, textures and variety. Difficulties with interoception may make it harder to notice hunger, fullness or physical cues. ADHD can also affect motivation, routine, sleep and self-esteem, all of which may influence recovery.
Without a thorough assessment, these patterns can sometimes be understood only as eating disorder symptoms, without recognising the neurodevelopmental factors that may also be contributing.
The purpose of a specialist ADHD assessment is to build a careful, contextualised understanding of the person’s difficulties, strengths and needs, so that any recommendations are clinically meaningful and joined up.
Our Adult and Child ADHD Assessment Pathways
We offer distinct assessment pathways for adults and for children and young people, reflecting the different clinical requirements, developmental stages and support needs involved.
ADHD Assessments for Adults
Adult ADHD is often missed or misunderstood, particularly in women and in individuals whose difficulties present more through inattention, emotional overwhelm, internal restlessness, disorganisation or difficulties with consistency rather than obvious hyperactivity.
Our adult ADHD assessment includes a detailed clinical and developmental history, review of current symptoms and functional impact, standardised questionnaires and structured clinical assessment tools. Where relevant, we also consider how ADHD traits may interact with eating difficulties, body image concerns, emotional regulation, sleep, anxiety, mood and wider mental health.
The aim is to reach a clear diagnostic outcome and provide practical recommendations for treatment, support and next steps
ADHD Assessments for Children and Young People
Our child and adolescent ADHD pathway is for children and young people aged 5–18. Assessments are led by a Child and Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist, providing specialist medical oversight throughout.
We understand that parents often come to assessment with a mixture of concern, uncertainty and hope for clarity. You may have noticed your child struggling with concentration at school, emotional outbursts, impulsivity, organisation, friendships, sensory sensitivities, food, eating patterns or changes in behaviour that are difficult to understand.
Our child and adolescent pathway gathers information from multiple sources. This usually includes developmental history, parent/carer information, school or college information where available, standardised questionnaires, and direct Consultant Psychiatrist assessment.
The assessment considers ADHD symptoms alongside emotional wellbeing, sleep, appetite, eating patterns, body image, physical health, family context, school functioning and any existing eating disorder or disordered eating concerns.
This helps us build an accurate and contextualised picture of your child’s strengths, difficulties and clinical needs.
What our ADHD Assessment Includes
Our ADHD assessments usually include:
| Stage | What happens |
| Pre-assessment information | Completion of questionnaires and background information before the appointment. For children and young people, this usually includes parent/carer information and school or college observations where available. |
| Clinical assessment | A detailed diagnostic interview with a specialist clinician. For children and young people, this is led by a Child and Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist. For adults, the assessment explores symptoms across the lifespan and their impact on daily life, eating, emotional wellbeing, education or work. |
| Structured clinical tools | Standardised questionnaires and clinically validated assessment tools are used alongside clinical judgement. These tools do not diagnose ADHD on their own, but they help build a fuller picture. |
| Consideration of co-occurring difficulties | We consider eating difficulties, body image concerns, anxiety, mood, sleep, emotional regulation, sensory sensitivities, physical health and other relevant factors. |
| Diagnostic report | A detailed written report setting out clinical findings, diagnostic conclusions and recommendations for treatment, support and next steps. |
Assessment Outcomes
Following the assessment, you will receive a clear diagnostic outcome, with or without ADHD.
Where ADHD is diagnosed, recommendations may include psychological strategies, environmental adjustments, educational or workplace recommendations, medication consideration, coaching or skills-based support, multidisciplinary input, or further assessment where appropriate.
Where ADHD is not diagnosed, the assessment can still be helpful in clarifying what may be contributing to the difficulties and what support may be most appropriate.
Medication and Ongoing Care
Medication is not automatic and is only considered where clinically appropriate and safe.
For adults, medication may be discussed as part of the wider treatment plan where appropriate. Where medication is suitable and the individual wishes to proceed, we offer a structured adult ADHD 12 week medication titration pathway.
For children and young people, prescribing decisions are made especially carefully. This includes consideration of age, symptoms, developmental stage, medical history, appetite, weight, eating patterns, sleep, anxiety, mood and physical health. Where there is a current or past eating disorder, medication decisions require particular care because some ADHD medications can affect appetite and weight.
Before ADHD medication can be started for a child or young person, baseline physical health information is required. This usually includes height, weight, pulse, blood pressure and cardiovascular examination, including cardiac auscultation. Additional investigations, such as ECG or blood tests, may be required where clinically indicated.
Where medication is appropriate, we offer a structured medication titration pathway. For children and young people, this usually takes place over a minimum 12-week period and includes one initial 30-minute titration appointment followed by three further 30-minute medication review appointments. Additional appointments may be required depending on clinical need and are charged separately.
Once medication is stable, we may write to the GP to request Shared Care where clinically appropriate. Shared Care is at the GP’s discretion and cannot be guaranteed. For children and young people, ongoing specialist medication reviews are required every 6 months.
ADHD Assessments Fees
The cost of a private ADHD assessment reflects the full diagnostic process, including pre-assessment review, clinician time during the consultation, scoring and interpretation of assessment information, formulation, and preparation of a detailed diagnostic report with recommendations.
Current fees are:
| Service | Fee |
| Adult ADHD assessment | £995 |
| Adult ADHD medication titration package | £750 |
| Child and adolescent ADHD assessment | £1,495 |
| Under-18 ADHD medication titration package | £1,350 |
| ADHD follow-up review, 30 minutes | £250 |
Medication costs, pharmacy charges, external physical health monitoring, investigations and additional appointments are not included in the assessment or titration fees.
Fees are subject to review and will be confirmed at the point of booking.
Start your journey
Take the Next Step
If you are wondering whether ADHD may be contributing to difficulties with concentration, emotional regulation, organisation, eating patterns, impulsivity or daily functioning, a specialist assessment can help clarify what is happening and what support may be most appropriate.
You do not need a referral to enquire. Whether you are looking for answers for yourself or for your child, our team can guide you through the process and help you understand whether this pathway is likely to be suitable.
To enquire about an ADHD assessment, please contact our team.
