ADHD can make staying focused on daily tasks difficult. This is because the brain doesn’t have a filter that allows you to tune out distractions like background noise. ADHD isn’t just about being unable to pay attention – the brain just can’t control where to focus in the same way that somebody without ADHD can. This means that it can be hard to keep your focus on activities when there is external noise, movement, or even when you are thinking about other things.

There’s nothing worse than being told to ‘just focus’ when you have ADHD. For many people, it’s not that simple, and can range from having trouble paying attention to small details, through to forgetting regular tasks such as paying bills.

Here are a few tips for helping concentration with ADHD throughout your day.

Setting a routine

Sticking to a plan is a great way to save time, even if it’s to get a general sense of your priorities in the coming days or weeks. These plans need to be a regular part of your routine to assign deadlines, with the understanding that things change and priorities can shift. By setting aside some time to focus on your targets and how to achieve them, you can help to prevent your mind wandering and increase your productivity.

Deadlines can be really helpful for an ADHD brain, because they help you to remove competing activities from your mental ‘to do’ list, allowing you to focus on the task at hand. Don’t hold yourself accountable for every single task in life, as this can cause more stress than it alleviates! However, giving each of your goals a timescale can increase the likelihood that you’re able to get on with the task, rather than forgetting to do it, or starting it but not finishing it. For example, you could write down the following:

“I will call the dentist on Friday afternoon”

“I need to finish this piece of work by Thursday at 3pm”

“The dog needs to go to the groomer before the 31^st August”

By setting yourself reminders for these tasks, you can make sure that you don’t let it slip.

Be kind to yourself

Focusing doesn’t need to be punishing, and it can encourage healthy habits. Speak to a friend or family member to help if you need to prioritise your goals, and celebrate when you have achieved them. Don’t obsess over small details – perfection isn’t as important as your mental health, so make sure that you don’t hold yourself to impossible standards.  Breaks between activities can help shift focus from one area to another and make sure that the time spent working on those activities is more productive. Doing some form of physical exercise daily even if it’s just a short walk will help you stay calm and relaxed and lead to a healthier lifestyle.

Avoid negative distractions

Not all distractions are bad! When you need to clear your head, put down the digital devices, and instead try taking a walk or doing something creative. You can make sure that you stick to your set break time by setting a timer, because it’s easy to get carried away. You can identify your ‘trigger points’ that cause a lack of motivation and create a structure that minimises these triggers. For example, you might find that you lose focus when you’re hungry or overwhelmed by lots of different tasks. When helping concentration with ADHD, try to work around your own flow rather than setting times for activities that will be difficult for you.

By following these tips, you can add some structure to your day and achieve your goals in a positive way. If you need further support with dealing with the way your ADHD manifests, please get in touch with our team.

I did my graduation and postgraduation in Paediatrics from India and moved to the UK in 2003. I obtained my MRCPCH (UK) in 2003 and my FRCPCH (UK) in 2021. I have been working in the field of Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics since 2006. I started working at Provide Wellbeing from 2008 and have been working as consultant since 2018. My areas of expertise are autism, ADHD and developmental delay. I am also an educational supervisor for specialist registrars, a member of the Royal College of Paediatrics, and a child health examiner. I enjoy being able to help and support children and families with additional needs. In my spare time, I am a private aeroplane pilot.

With over 20 years' practice in Paediatrics, Dr Kamba Mpenge is a Consultant Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician and Neurodisability Specialist.

We understand that the prospect of attending an autism assessment can feel daunting or overwhelming for both the child concerned and for parents. We hope to make the process as smooth and comfortable as possible for you and your child by providing you with all the information you need.

NHS or self-pay routes

Our autism assessments are available on both the self-pay and NHS routes. Due to the pressure on NHS resources, our self-pay assessments can be accessed in a matter of weeks, as opposed to longer waiting times through the NHS. This availability means you can fit your child's assessment to suit their development. Often, the optimum time for a diagnosis is before transitioning to a new school, which enables teachers and SENCOs to put the appropriate support in place for your child's needs.

Before the assessment

Coming for an assessment can be anxiety provoking for both you and your child.  Wherever possible we would ask that you try to explain to your child the reason for the assessment with Provide Wellbeing.  We recommend that you are honest about the purpose of the assessment , particularly with older children, as this enables them to be fully involved in the diagnostic process.  We understand that this is not always appropriate and recommend that you tell your child that the assessment is so that we can learn more about them and what they may find easy or difficult. At the assessment, the examiner will usually ask the child if they know why they are there. Alternatively, find out more about our triage process.

What if my child has ADHD?

Parents and carers need to understand that the assessment is not behavioural. Behaviours viewed as challenging at home should not be encouraged during the session. For our team, it is vital to assess social communication so the child should be as comfortable as possible. If the child is on ADHD medication, they must be administered the exact dosage on the day of the assessment.

Who will assess my child?

Provide Wellbeing uses a multidisciplinary team of registered clinical professionals. This can be made up of Paediatricians, Psychiatrists,, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and clinical psychologists. You can find more information of some of the professionals undertaking assessments here.

At Provide Wellbeing, we are skilled at exploring the challenges autistic children face, even if a parent is concerned that their child masks particularly well. It is not a behavioural assessment, so we want the child to feel as comfortable and settled as possible. The more relaxed they are, the easier we can spot the behaviours during the assessment.

The assessment

On arrival at the clinic, you and your child will be greeted by a team member and shown to the clinic room, where you will be introduced to the rest of the team. We will ask a range of questions about your child's development, and you will have the opportunity to share your concerns. At the same time, your child will be assessed by the examiners in the other room. Your child will usually remain in one room with the examiners while you go to a separate room with another professional.

We use a flexible assessment approach to ensure that we meet the individual needs of everyone who attends an assessment. Tools may be used, such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2), a standardised assessment which provides a series of contexts which allow the examiner to observe social communication, interaction and interests, behaviours and routines. The assessment is adapted depending on the person’s language level. We recognise that formal, standardised assessments are not always the most appropriate tool for some people, such as when someone is very anxious. Therefore, the examiners adapt their communication and assessment approach to support this. It is not a language assessment; the child or young person should feel like they are chatting and playing. Many children and young people enjoy the experience and find it fun. There are a variety of play-based activities for younger children.

For older children, the assessment is primarily conversational, exploring their thoughts and feelings about the possible diagnosis (if appropriate for their age), their emotions, social relationships and talking about their special interests, sensory preferences etc.

The professionals involved in the assessment meet for a discussion, where information from the assessment is used in conjunction with the additional information gathered (from education, third party reports etc) this meeting enables the team to determine whether the child meets the criteria for a diagnosis.

What will happen if my child is anxious?

The examiners are very experienced in working with anxious children and young adults in new situations. We do everything we can to put your child at ease. However, we understand that every child is different, and we will be as flexible as possible to ensure they feel comfortable. We can adjust the environment to suit them, such as if the lighting is problematic or if particular noises are triggering, we will look to mitigate those issues. We also have other activities, from colouring books to clay, to help the child relax and engage with our team.

If your child experiences any particular triggers, please inform a team member in advance so we can take appropriate precautions, including if your child has selective mutism.

Personal preferences

Before the assessment, we welcome any further information to enable us to create a relaxing and comfortable environment for the child. This information can include preferred pronouns or names, items or phrases to avoid, or anything else that can be anxiety-inducing. For younger children or children who are particularly anxious, we may ask you to stay in the room with them for the first part of the assessment or the entire duration.

Pricing & Payment Information

Autism assessment - £1,900

This price is inclusive of VAT. The fee includes a diagnostic assessment with a multi-disciplinary team of professionals and includes a comprehensive written report - with detailed findings and support recommendations.

Should you need to cancel for any reason, a full refund will be offered if we are informed 7 or more days prior to the appointment.

For full details of our refund and cancellation policy please visit our Pricing & Payment Terms.

If you have any questions about the Autism assessment itself or the process involved, please get in touch with our dedicated customer support team.

I qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 1996 after completing my BSc (Hons) in Birmingham. I came back to my home county of Essex to start my first post for the NHS in Mid Essex working with children with a range of communication needs. My focus area of work became preschool/ school age complex needs and autism. I moved on to work in Mansfield and also worked in London and Nottingham. Whilst having a family I continued some work as an Independent S&LT and volunteered for two military charities. In 2014 I came back to Essex to work in the Mid and West Essex area for Provide CIC, including work in autism assessment.

I joined Wellbeing in 2018 as an Occupational Therapist. I have worked as an Occupational Therapist within the NHS for 32 years, working with children/young people of all ages who have a wide range of special educational and physical needs. I trained to administer the ADOS assessment over 10 years ago and during my time working with Provide CIC was a member of the multidisciplinary team which assessed and diagnosed children and young people who have ASD.

I have undertaken many postgraduate courses in sensory processing which have enabled me to provide support and advice to children who have sensory processing difficulties associated with their diagnosis of ASD. I enjoy the variety of my role: although the assessment tool is the same, each child / young person I meet is different.

I trained at the University of East Anglia and graduated in 2014. Since then I have been working with a wide range of children both in the NHS and independent practice, in special needs and mainstream schools. I have completed additional training on gold standard ASD assessment tools including the ADI-R and ADOS-2 assessments, in addition to specific ASD interventions such as Attention Autism, PACT and PECS.

I joined Tollgate in 2021 as an ASD assessor. I enjoy facilitating diagnoses for children as I feel this often helps families gain extra support. Also I enjoy working as part of an MDT. Every day is different and no two children with ASD are the same, so it is always exciting to know you are going to meet someone different every day of your work.

I joined Wellbeing in 2021 as a clinician in the Autism Diagnostic Team. I graduated from Birmingham City University in 2008 and since then have spent my career working in a variety of settings. I have worked with children, young people and adults with a range of communication needs. This has included working in the areas of Autism, Learning Disability, Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System. 

I work in my local NHS Autism Assessment team for 3 days a week and work for Wellbeing around this. I really enjoy meeting the children and young people and building rapport with them during the assessments.

I graduated with a BSc (Hons) Human Communication in 2003 from City University. I specialise in working with children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). My 18 years' experience has been in these specialisms and I have completed postgraduate training in a range of different therapeutic and assessment techniques. I have completed health management MSc modules with NHS London and keep abreast of current research and theory for continued quality healthcare Improvement. I joined Tollgate in 2021 to complement my NHS role.

I have worked extensively with a range of paediatric client need groups. I have been a principal therapist and managed a SaLT team, working in schools and in an autism multi-disciplinary assessment team. I am currently employed by an NHS trust to work in education provision and to develop a new role in a youth offending service, in addition to working as an independent consultant in joint communication assessments.

I enjoy working a multi-disciplinary team to holistically consider a child’s needs and working with young people themselves to recognise their own abilities and differences.

My name is Hannah, and I am an Occupational Therapist. I qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2006 from the University of East Anglia. I work with children and adults who have a wide range of needs, including neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy and neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). My skills include therapeutic interventions and advice, assessment for specialist equipment and assessment of home environments for manual handling, adaptations and equipment etc.

I completed my ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) training in 2012 and since then I have been working as part of a multidisciplinary assessment team carrying out assessments of social communication skills, diagnosing autism. I have also undergone training using the ‘MAES Approach’ (Movement Analysis and Educational Strategies) which is a specialist treatment approach for children with neurological conditions. I love that in my job, I get to meet and spend time with lots of different people. I enjoy scuba diving, gaming, eating out and walking.

My name is Amy, and I am a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Speech Sciences in 2007 from University College London. I have specialised in working with children and adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and complex communication difficulties. I worked for the NHS for 14 years and was the lead Speech and Language Therapist in working with children and adults requiring alternative and augmentative communication, as well as being part of the senior management team. I have completed post graduate training in a range of different therapeutic techniques.

I have worked as part of a multi-disciplinary assessment team for autism since 2010. I am a member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council. I feel very privileged that my job means I get to meet such a wonderful variety of different people. I love getting to know each and every one and hearing about their lives. I am very passionate about autism and supporting people and families to get the support they need to help them reach their potential. I enjoy baking and cake decorating, reading, going on walks with my family and dog and eating out at lovely restaurants.

My name is Dr Amin Band, and I am a Lead Neurodevelopmental Consultant. I joined Wellbeing in 2018. My job involves meeting children / young people and their families, assessing them, and answering their queries, making some contribution to making their lives better in some way. I enjoy working with the lovely team from the Wellbeing family and leading my teams. In my spare time, I like walking and cooking.

I have been a Consultant Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician in Essex for more than 20 years and lead clinician for Provide CIC's Community Paediatric service since 2010. I have special interests in Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics and Safeguarding Children. I am trained in autism assessment and have been providing diagnostic and follow up services for children with autism and ADHD since 1994. I hold qualifications of MBBS, MRCS, MRCP, FRCPCH, DCH and a Diploma in Community Paediatrics.