ADHD assessment waitlists in Melbourne commonly run to 6–12 months at public services and many private practices, which is one of the main reasons ADHD in adults and children so often goes undiagnosed for years.

For decades, ADHD research focused almost exclusively on hyperactive boys. As a result, the condition looks very different from what many people, including GPs and teachers, expect when they think of ADHD.

An ADHD diagnosis in Australia is made by a registered psychologist (with or without a referral from your GP); by a psychiatrist, or paediatrician, following a referral from your GP.

Recognising ADHD in a child can be a confusing and emotional process. You may have noticed your child struggling at school, having difficulty making and keeping friends, or experiencing daily battles over homework and routines.

This page covers ADHD assessment for adults specifically.

The Australian National Clinical Guidelines for ADHD states that "Combined pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment was better than either alone.

ADHD does not always show up as hyperactivity. Many children diagnosed with ADHD are well-behaved, polite, and have average or even above-average intelligence. Despite this, they may struggle with inattention, distractibility, fidgeting, impulsive mistakes,.

You remember everything you were supposed to do, and still forget to do it. You work twice as hard as everyone around you and feel half as accomplished. You've been called "scatterbrained", "emotional", or "too sensitive" so often you've started to believe it.

ADHD and Disruptive Behaviour Disorders

Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (DBDs) encompass a group of childhood externalising disorders, primarily including ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Conduct Disorder (CD).