How We Diagnose
What to Know about Your Evaluation:
It takes four to five appointments to accurately assess and diagnose. The average cost is approximately $2,000, which is typically covered by most insurance companies. Elsewhere, evaluations range from $3,000-$6,000. Alternatively, a doctor may conduct a brief screening and use a rating scale to make their diagnosis. Our comprehensive approach is not to diagnose you or your child after a brief conversation, only to recommend medication and send you on your way. After the evaluation, we will work with you to explore various treatments and coordinate with coaches, medical health professionals, and educational specialists to ensure you are fully supported on your journey. To view a breakdown of the assessment process, approximate costs, and insurance codes, please visit Insurance and Rates.
What to Expect During Your Evaluation
During Your Assessment, We Will:
- Ask about your symptoms (current and past), including severity, duration, and how they affect your life, school, relationships, or work performance.
- Ask your spouse/partner or family members how they view your current and past symptoms.
- Review your school records or any past evaluations you have had to find out about symptoms you may have had as a child.
- Examine your family history.
- Examine a current or past history of sleep disturbance or mental-health struggles (e.g., depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc.) to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.
- Screen for auditory and visual processing disorder, sensory integration disorder, or learning disabilities.
- Schedule you for a 15- to 20-minute computer test that analyzes your attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
What Is an ADHD T.O.V.A. Test?
The 20-Minute T.O.V.A. ADHD Computer Test
The medical field has spent decades attempting to define ADHD and determine how to best diagnose it. We have invested years answering the question “What is ADHD?” and researching how to measure the signs of ADHD in kids and adults. Our ADHD assessment includes a comprehensive intake of rating scales, extensive history, and the T.O.V.A. ADHD computer test.
The Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.®)
An FDA-cleared, computerized, and objective measure of attention and inhibitory control normed by gender for ages 4 to 80+.
About the T.O.V.A.
The auditory T.O.V.A. aids in the assessment of attention deficits, including ADHD. T.O.V.A. results should only be interpreted by qualified professionals.
The T.O.V.A. is a culture- and language-free, sufficiently long computerized test that requires no left/right discrimination or sequencing. Responses to visual or auditory stimuli are recorded with a unique, highly accurate (±1 ms) microswitch.
The T.O.V.A. calculates response time variability (consistency), response time (speed), commissions (impulsivity), and omissions (focus and vigilance). These calculations are then compared to a large age- and gender-matched normative sample, as well as to a sample population of individuals independently diagnosed with ADHD. These comparison results are used to create an immediately available, easy-to-read report.
The T.O.V.A. provides information that is not available through self-report or the report of others. It is used along with a clinical interview and subjective measures (such as behavior ratings) for a more comprehensive picture of academic, social, and personal performance and impairment. T.O.V.A. results should only be interpreted by qualified healthcare professionals.
Why T.O.V.A.?
Unfortunately for test makers, computers share one of the most common traits seen in ADHD: inconsistency of performance. The T.O.V.A. Company designs and builds hardware and software that addresses this problem, enabling your computer to measure with millisecond accuracy.
The T.O.V.A. USB device and microswitch (with photodiode) ensure accuracy of timing measures and comparison to normative and sub-group samples. This uncompromising approach to timing guarantees accurate results.
We use the T.O.V.A. ADHD test because the information it gives is essential for determining between an ADHD diagnosis and another issue that may be mimicking ADHD.
For the person considering medication or supplements to manage their ADHD symptoms, it is vital that we have a baseline of the person’s performance off medication or supplements, so that we can accurately assess the level of their medication or supplement dosage.
The TOVA ADHD test helps us ensure a person is not under- or over-medicated, or using too much or too little of a particular supplement.
What Should You Expect When You Take the Test?
You will take the test at our office. You will sit for approximately 15 minutes and play a simple video game task. The task measures your ability to sustain your attention and measure impulsiveness.
The results are used to create a report that compares your results with data from other people of the same sex and age. This way, you can see how you respond when you concentrate on a task compared with people who do not have ADHD.
“Although my doctor suspected symptoms of ADD, I was never diagnosed. For me, the T.O.V.A. Test was a really big eye-opener because now there wasn’t just someone looking at me and noticing my struggles; there was a scientific foundation to it. I finally felt like someone was listening to me, and it was amazing to be able to show people I wasn’t making it all up.” - T.O.V.A. test client
T.O.V.A. Final Thoughts
Contrary to the prevailing thought, most people with ADHD are actually underdosed. Being on the optimal dosage can bring peace, order, and success much sooner than waiting weeks to see if your medication is working. Many psychiatrists only make a medication change every 4–6 weeks. Our T.O.V.A. computer test provides instant information so we can make a recommendation to your medical prescriber or adjust your supplements.
FAQ
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The test is a necessary part of our assessment and diagnosis for ADHD. It gives a measurement every 30 seconds of how well you are attending. ADHD affects the brains ability to self-regulate, often causing impulsiveness and significant distraction, making it difficult to focus and concentrate. This test will objectively determine a person’s ability to focus and concentrate.
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Diagnosis and Feedback Session
We will review the results of the T.O.V.A. computer test and collect information from you. Usually, a diagnosis for ADHD or another condition can be determined at this point. If additional diagnostic assessment is needed, then a referral will be made to one of our local medical professionals. We maintain a carefully researched referral list of those whom we can entrust our clients to.
Once we are clear on a diagnosis, treatment options will be discussed in this appointment. Click this link for more information about natural methods for treating ADHD.
If medication is decided upon, we have a list of medical doctors who can prescribe the medication, and who are willing to collaborate closely with us. We will take the time to communicate with the doctors or other medical professionals you are working with. Our desire is that you experience a seamless, calm treatment plan.
We provide follow-up support for school IEPs, 504 planning, and support for the family and marriage.
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