Combined Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessments

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Dr Deepak Parasuraman, Consultant Paediatrician offers assessment, and diagnosis as appropriate, by way of a  Combined ADHD and ASD to children aged 5-17yrs. Following on from this, if appropriate and required, further treatment appointments for ADHD can be initiated.

ADHD is a common childhood disorder that can cause significant impairment in functioning. The Condition is frequently missed, especially in girls. Having the right diagnosis can lead to better understanding of the young person and opens the possibility of treatment.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that can impact a child in terms of communication, social skills, as well as their behaviour and their development. ASD affects people differently – some need a lot more support than others. ASD is often recognised at a very young age.

Often, Neurodiversity’s coexist, for example ADHD, ASD associated Learning difficulties, Anxiety etc and it is very important that a comprehensive assessment like the one on offer, identifies these challenges.

The full cost for a combined ADHD and ASD Assessment is £2500 – payable in full at the time of booking

The process for combined ADHD and ASD Assessments at MUMS Solihull with Dr Deepak

Pre-Assessment

Four Forms are sent to you that need to be completed by both parents/caregivers and school which need to be reviewed by Dr Deepak at least two weeks before the assessment takes place. The assessment would need to be rearranged if the four forms are not sent to us at least two  weeks before the assessment. The doctor will review the forms, and we might contact you if there are any questions. If you cancel your assessment after the forms have been reviewed by Dr Deepak or if he feels an assessment is not appropriate, then you will be refunded £2200.

Virtual initial assessment

We organise a combined Video 2-hour ADHD/ASD assessment with Dr Deepak. The full payment is required before the initial assessment.

Face to Face ADOS Assessment with MUMS Occupational Therapist

Following the virtual assessment with Dr Deepak – a 2^nd face to face assessment is organised for the child with MUMS Paediatric OT/Autism specialist therapist, Claire which is an ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule). This is part of the observation and diagnosis of ASD and lasts approximately 1.5 hours. Claire will assess your child’s profile of strengths and needs using special assessment tools.

Face to Face combined ADHD/ASD Paediatric Assessment

Following the ADOS assessment with Claire ,a face-to-face assessment is organised for your child with Dr Deepak which lasts approximately 1  hour and involves the parent and child being present and a holistic assessment is made to decide if a diagnosis of ADHD and ASD is appropriate.

Final Assessment and Diagnosis Appointment with Dr Deepak

Following the final assessment with Dr Deepak a ASD/ADHD Diagnosis appointment is organised with Dr Deepak which lasts up to  1 hours.

Following the ASD/ADHD Diagnosis appointment – Dr Deepak produces a dual diagnosis report which is sent to you. Information about medication options, if discussed, will be included in the report. You will receive a comprehensive report within 14 days of your diagnosis appointment.  This report will include confirmation of the assessment outcome, along with recommendations, including support appropriate to your child’s needs.

Why should I choose MUMS for my son or daughter to be assessed for ADHD/ASD?

You will be seen by a highly qualified and experienced Consultant Developmental Paediatrician who has worked in the NHS/privately for more than 20 years. The assessment process is robust and follows National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

QB check

This is an additional service that you may want to book prior to the assessment, or we might recommend as an additional tool if there is clinical uncertainty. It is not required to make a diagnosis, but we offer it at MUMS to increase the robustness of the diagnosis.  We don’t use it routinely to minimise the cost for patients

A QB check uses computerised tasks to assess concentration, movement and impulsivity using age- and gender-matched comparisons.

It takes about half an hour and is administered by one of the health care assistants. The doctor interprets the report and will explain the findings to you. You will be given a copy of the report.

QB checks cost £225

ADHD medication treatment

Process at MUMS if you want to consider stimulant medication treatment. Please read this carefully and consider whether you can commit to long term private medication treatment, especially as, NHS waits are often very long.

• ADHD starting medication consultation - Following your child’s diagnosis of ADHD you need to book an ADHD starting medication appointment. During this appointment medication options, effects and side effects are discussed, and baseline measurements are taken (Blood pressure, pulse, height, and weight).
• ADHD medication titration - At home you need to monitor how your child is responding to the medication and observe effect and possible side effects. You also need to measure your child’s blood pressure and pulse.  The same monitoring is required after each dose increase.
• You need to complete a monthly online form sent to you by MUMS to obtain further prescriptions.
• If you want to discuss the effect of the medication in more detail, you can either book a 10-minute telephone review or a face-to-face review appointment. These are paid appointments.
• ADHD medication reviews - You need to attend a face-to-face review appointment after 3 months and then every 6 months if you want your child to continue the medication (this is necessary even if your GP has agreed to a shared care protocol).

General information about ADHD medication treatment

• Stimulants are the first choice for medication treatment for ADHD. These medications can only be initiated by specialists and require dose titration and monitoring.
• Stimulants are controlled drugs; in private practice a specialist ‘pink’ prescription pad is required, and all prescriptions are monitored by NHS England. The rules state that only up to 30 days of medication can usually be prescribed at one time.
• At MUMS we try to keep the cost down for patients, but there is likely to be an ongoing cost for patients until treatment is taken over by the specialist NHS service. You also need to consider the cost of the medication.  Pharmacies set their own prices, so it makes sense to enquire at several pharmacies. GPs sometimes prescribe under a shared care agreement if the patient is on a stable dose, however you will need to continue to attend for follow-up appointments. You will also need to discuss with you GP and agree that they will take this over.

Shared care with GPs

Some GPs will agree to take over prescribing of the medication once your child is on a stable dose. This saves you the cost for prescriptions and the cost for the medication. You will still need to attend appointments at MUMS at least every 6 months. How to arrange shared care:

• MUMS will send you the shared care protocol (SCP) .
• You need to take the protocol and all the letters that you have received from MUMS to your child’s GP and discuss whether they are willing to prescribe medication under this protocol.
• Once your child’s GP has agreed you need to send us your GPs email address and your NHS number. We need to be able to communicate directly with your child’s GP.
• MUMS will send your GP an up-to-date clinic letter, the shared care protocol, and the signed shared care form. This process has a fee (please see information on pricing)
• Your GP returns the signed form to MUMS and starts prescribing.

MUMS private combined Paediatric led ASD/ADHD service in Solihull, near Birmingham is an easy to access Neurodiversity assessment service. A referral is not necessary. Parents and Carers can self-refer.

Dr Deepak  and Claire, offer a comprehensive pre assessment screen, assessment, and diagnosis appointments. Dr Deepak is a Consultant Paediatrician who specialises in neurodevelopment. Furthermore, support and treatment beyond diagnosis is offered for management of the condition.

Our ASD/ADHD diagnostic assessment and diagnosis service is multi-disciplinary which means that your child is assessed, observed, tested, diagnosed, and managed by a team of experienced clinicians. Neurodevelopment Paediatricians working both in the NHS and the private sector are experienced in understanding ASD in children and have the clinical expertise to diagnose and manage ASD. The Paediatrician involvement offers additional medical consideration as part of the assessment process. The assessment is in line with the NICE Guidelines. We follow the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for assessing and diagnosing ASD.

MUMS has been established for over two decades and offers a wide range of professional and trusted Paediatric services to include – Private General Paediatricians, Paediatricians with extended roles in neurodevelopment, occupational therapists specialising in autism ASD, child counselling, SEND behavioural support and many other paediatric diagnostic services.

You can make a direct request to MUMS with no need for a referral from other professionals.

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