Your questions answered

Healthcare4Kids provides child-centred ADHD diagnostic assessments, standalone autism assessments, combined autism and ADHD assessments, assessment for children with an existing ADHD diagnosis, symptom-control appointments for concerns such as anxiety, depression, aggression and sleep, medication prescribing where clinically appropriate, and ongoing ADHD care.

For ADHD assessment, children must be school age and have attended school for at least one term. We can assess ADHD up to age 17, before the child's 18th birthday. Patients can start medication before they are 18, subject to clinical suitability. Ongoing treatment cannot continue beyond the 18th birthday.

Yes. We offer 90-minute, child-centred ADHD diagnostic assessments. The assessment follows NICE guidance, considers DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and looks holistically at the child's emotional, physical and mental wellbeing.

Yes. We offer standalone autism assessments and combined autism and ADHD assessments. These child-centred, multidisciplinary assessments consider autism, including PDA as a variant of autism, and associated developmental, emotional, mental and physical health difficulties.

Yes. Our combined autism and ADHD assessment considers autism, including PDA as a variant of autism, and ADHD, as well as associated conditions and concerns.

All initial appointments are face to face. Combined autism and ADHD assessments take place at our consulting rooms at Supersonic House, 23 Adelaide Road, Leamington Spa, CV31 3PD. Some follow-up appointments may be offered face to face or online.

All initial appointments are face to face. Some follow-up appointments can be held online when appropriate.

No. A GP referral is not required for an appointment with Healthcare4Kids, although referrals from GPs are accepted.

Yes. Families can refer their child directly for any appointment by emailing admin@healthcare4kids.co.uk. The team will send screening questions to help identify the appropriate appointment type.

Email admin@healthcare4kids.co.uk or use the contact form on the website. The team will be in touch and explain the next steps.

The admin team sends screening questions for completion. These are reviewed to check which appointment type is appropriate. You will then be asked to complete a registration form before an appointment is offered.

The information required depends on the pathway. For an ADHD diagnostic assessment, we require a registration form and in-depth feedback from parents or carers and school. For a child diagnosed elsewhere, the team also requires the original diagnostic report, the latest medical report if applicable, and parent and school feedback.

Yes, for ADHD and combined assessment pathways, detailed school feedback is requested. For ADHD assessment, this includes Vanderbilt questionnaires and a descriptive confidential school report. Alternative sources can be discussed for home-educated children.

Please provide any records requested by the team. If we are considering taking over ADHD care after a diagnosis elsewhere, the original diagnostic report and latest medical report, if applicable, are required.

Complete the registration and requested feedback forms by the stated deadline. For an ADHD or autism diagnostic assessment, parent and school feedback must be returned at least three weeks before the appointment or it may need to be postponed. The information will be reviewed before the appointment.

After the required registration steps are completed, the next available appropriate appointment will be offered. Waiting times vary by appointment type and current availability.

The ADHD diagnostic assessment is a 90-minute, face-to-face appointment with a medically trained specialist clinician. It includes discussion with the child where appropriate, detailed background information from parents or carers, review of school and parent feedback, and a physical examination including height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate and a cardiac examination. The clinician also considers family, medical and social history, sleep, mental state and possible anxiety.

An ADHD diagnostic assessment lasts 90 minutes. An ADHD confirmation appointment for a child diagnosed elsewhere lasts 60 minutes. Appointments for existing Healthcare4Kids patients normally last 60 minutes where specified by the service.

ADHD appointments are carried out by a medically trained, experienced clinician. Standalone autism and combined autism and ADHD assessments are completed by two members of the multidisciplinary team: either a consultant paediatrician or consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, together with a clinical psychologist.

During an ADHD diagnostic appointment, the clinician will discuss with the child, where appropriate, what the child sees as their difficulties. In the combined pathway, the clinical psychologist works directly with the child using the ADOS-2 and free observation.

Yes. For an ADHD assessment, parents or carers provide detailed background, developmental and family information and complete parent feedback. In an autism or combined assessment, the medical specialist takes an in-depth developmental history from parents or carers while the clinical psychologist assesses the child.

Yes. ADHD assessments require detailed school feedback, including Vanderbilt questionnaires and a confidential school report. Autism and combined assessments also use in-depth school information, or suitable alternative information for a home-educated child.

Families complete screening questions and a registration form. For ADHD assessment, parents or carers complete a parent Vanderbilt form, and school staff complete Vanderbilt questionnaires and descriptive feedback forms. The exact school-feedback requirements depend on the child's educational stage.

Please provide the requested family, medical, developmental, social and school information. If the child has an existing ADHD diagnosis, provide the original diagnostic report and latest medical report, if applicable.

During an autism assessment, a consultant paediatrician or consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist takes an in-depth developmental and family history from parents or carers while a clinical psychologist completes the ADOS-2 and free observation with the child. A medical examination may be added where needed to clarify a co-existing condition.

We offer autism assessment from 2 and a half years of age. The team will advise whether the pathway is suitable for your child.

Two members of the multidisciplinary team complete the combined assessment: either a consultant paediatrician or consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, together with a clinical psychologist. Parents or carers provide developmental history while the psychologist works with the child.

Yes. Autism assessments include an in-depth developmental and family history provided by parents or carers.

No. Autism diagnostic assessments take place face to face at our consulting rooms in Leamington Spa.

At the end of the appointment, the specialists provide a verbal conclusion and explain the outcome. The in-depth medical report records the specialists' impression and any plan of action, whether or not a diagnosis is made.

The medical and ADOS-2 reports include the specialists' conclusions and recommendations. The ADOS-2 report also provides information sources and links to resources, books and videos. If a diagnosis is made, the formal diagnostic report can be shared with school, local education departments and health trusts to support access to resources.

At the end of a diagnostic assessment, the specialists will explain their conclusion and any diagnosis made. Written reports follow the appointment.

Our ADHD assessment follows NICE guidance and considers DSM-5 criteria. The clinician reviews parent and school feedback, discusses the child's difficulties and background, considers family, medical and social history, sleep, mental state and anxiety, and completes a physical examination. A diagnosis is only made where the required criteria are met.

An autism diagnosis is based on developmental and family history, the ADOS-2, free observation, school or alternative-setting information and any additional observations or investigations needed. The reports consider DSM-5 criteria relating to social communication and repetitive behaviours or sensory interests. The assessment is completed by at least two appropriately experienced professionals.

The specialists will explain the conclusion. The medical report records the child's history, the specialist's impression and any plan of action following the assessment.

The clinical team considers the child as a whole. Assessments may identify or explore associated concerns including anxiety, low mood, sleep problems, physical health problems, sensory-processing difficulties, attachment issues and developmental disorders. Some conditions may require further specialist assessment.

Yes. ADHD assessment families receive an in-depth medical report and, where applicable, a one-page signed confirmation of diagnosis. Following a combined assessment, families receive an in-depth medical report and an ADOS-2 report, plus formal autism and/or ADHD diagnostic reports where applicable.

Yes. Your GP will receive copies of all medical reports produced for each appointment.

Yes. You can share your child's reports with school and other healthcare professionals, subject to the appropriate consent arrangements.

The specialists explain the conclusion at the end of a diagnostic assessment. Any separate follow-up appointment to discuss findings is charged separately unless otherwise stated.

Families can choose whether to continue medical care after an ADHD diagnosis. Healthcare4Kids can provide ongoing ADHD care and prescribe medication where clinically appropriate.

Following an ADHD diagnosis, families may choose not to continue medical care, request onward NHS referral, use Healthcare4Kids while awaiting NHS care, or remain under Healthcare4Kids for ongoing care. We can prescribe medication and provide monitoring where clinically appropriate.

No. Families do not have to proceed with ongoing medical care or medication after diagnosis and are welcome to take time to consider the next steps.

Yes. Following an ADHD diagnosis with Healthcare4Kids, the clinical team can prescribe medication and provide ongoing ADHD care where clinically appropriate.

Medication is recommended and prescribed by the clinical team following clinical assessment. Families receive information about the available options and decide whether they wish to proceed.

Medication titration is the process of starting and adjusting ADHD medication to find the dose that gives the best benefit with acceptable side effects. The clinical team reviews progress and may change the medication or dose where needed. An up-to-date blood-pressure reading is required before medication or dose changes.

There is no fixed titration period. The time required depends on the child's response, side effects and the medication used.

The clinical team reviews symptom improvement, how long the benefits last, side effects and relevant physical observations. The medication or dose may be adjusted between appointments. An up-to-date blood-pressure reading is required before a change.

If the first medication is ineffective or causes unacceptable side effects, the clinical team will review progress and may adjust the dose or recommend a different medication. An up-to-date blood-pressure reading is required before a change.

During titration, the child is reviewed according to clinical need. Children taking medication under Healthcare4Kids must attend an in-clinic review at least every six months. Between appointments, families are asked to provide the child's height, weight and an update on the medication. An up-to-date blood-pressure reading is needed before a medication or dose change.

Contact the Healthcare4Kids team about medication-related side effects or concerns. The clinical team can review the child's progress and advise on treatment. If the symptoms are severe or there is a medical emergency, call 999 or go to A&E.

Children under our ADHD care must attend an in-clinic follow-up at least every six months. Families are also asked to provide height, weight and a medication update between appointments.

A Shared Care Agreement, also referred to as an ESCA, is a request for the child's GP to prescribe ADHD medication through the NHS while Healthcare4Kids retains specialist responsibility and carries out ADHD monitoring.

Healthcare4Kids can send a Shared Care Agreement to the GP. Many GPs who participate ask for the child to have started medication and to be stable before agreeing. Families are advised to discuss this with their GP first. A child is considered stable when they have been on the same dose of medication for 3 months.

Healthcare4Kids can ask the GP to prescribe under a Shared Care Agreement. Many participating GPs require the child to have started and become stable on the medication first.

No. GPs are not obliged to participate in shared care.

If shared care is not agreed and the child remains under Healthcare4Kids, private prescriptions can be issued without a prescription-writing fee. The family pays the pharmacy for the medication.

Healthcare4Kids continues to monitor the child's height, weight, blood pressure and heart rate. The GP is not expected to carry out this ADHD monitoring. The GP receives medical reports and details of medication changes.

Yes. Under shared care, Healthcare4Kids retains specialist responsibility, carries out monitoring and sends the GP medical reports and medication-change information. The child must continue attending the required Healthcare4Kids reviews.

Healthcare4Kids will need an up-to-date blood-pressure reading before fine-tuning the medication or dose. If a new medication requires a new Shared Care Agreement, a further agreement and fee may apply.

Yes. A child can have both ADHD and autism, and Healthcare4Kids can assess both conditions together.

Yes. The combined autism and ADHD assessment considers both conditions in one multidisciplinary, three-hour appointment.

The assessment considers associated developmental, emotional, mental and physical health concerns. Where a concern requires a different specialist assessment, the report can identify this and set out recommendations or next steps.

For a child diagnosed with ADHD elsewhere, Healthcare4Kids offers an ADHD confirmation appointment before taking over clinical responsibility. The team reviews the original diagnostic report, latest medical report where applicable, parent and school feedback, and completes a 60-minute clinic appointment. A child or young person seeking support with an existing autism diagnosis may be offered a symptom-control appointment where appropriate.

Healthcare4Kids can review an existing ADHD diagnosis through an ADHD confirmation appointment. This includes review of the original diagnostic report, school and parent feedback, a 60-minute clinic appointment, an in-depth medical report and a signed confirmation of diagnosis.

The clinical team considers pre-existing conditions and the child's wider emotional, mental and physical health. The team can assess a child in the context of conditions such as visual impairment, epilepsy, prematurity or a chromosomal syndrome.

Yes. The relevant in-depth assessment reports and applicable diagnostic confirmation reports are included in the assessment fees described in the current information.

No. Follow-up care after diagnosis is not included in the initial ADHD, autism, combined or general assessment fee and is charged separately.

Yes. Healthcare4Kids does not charge to write a private prescription, but the family must pay the pharmacy for the medication. The price varies by medication.

Healthcare4Kids does not charge for writing a private prescription. The family pays the pharmacist for the medication.

During titration, your child may need more frequent appointments, which are charged separately. Medication supplied by the pharmacy and any applicable shared-care or professional-letter fees are also charged separately.

Healthcare4Kids does not accept payment directly from medical insurance companies and treats patients on a self-funded basis. Some insurers may reimburse families directly. Families must check their own policy, pay Healthcare4Kids in full and may request a receipt after payment.

Cancellation or rearrangement requests should be emailed to admin@healthcare4kids.co.uk. Fees may apply to late changes, cancellation or non-attendance in line with the current terms and conditions. Diagnostic deposits are non-refundable.

After the required registration steps are completed, the next available appropriate appointment is offered. Waiting times vary according to appointment type and current availability.

The vast majority of appointments take place during school hours. A small number of appointments may be available outside school hours, subject to availability.

No. Healthcare4Kids does not routinely offer evening or weekend clinical appointments.

Initial appointments are face to face. Some follow-up appointments may take place online; the team will confirm whether an online format is appropriate when booking.

Contact the admin team as soon as possible if an appointment date or time is unsuitable. Fees may apply to late rearrangements in line with the current terms and conditions.

If you miss an appointment, you will be charged the full appointment fee in line with the current terms and conditions.

Yes. Another parent, carer or family member may attend. For an assessment involving a pre-school child, an additional adult who knows the child must stay with them during the psychology assessment while the parent or parents provide developmental history to the medical specialist.

Please tell the admin team about your child's needs before the appointment so that reasonable adjustments can be discussed and arranged where possible.

The family receives written reports and recommendations. If ADHD or another treatable co-existing condition is diagnosed, Healthcare4Kids can discuss medication and ongoing care where clinically appropriate. Follow-up care is not included in the assessment fee and is charged separately.

Following an assessment, reports may include recommendations and links to relevant information resources. For ongoing ADHD care, limited email communication is available between appointments for medication-related updates and queries.

Yes. Assessment reports can include recommendations for school and may be shared with education services to support access to appropriate resources.

Healthcare4Kids gathers school feedback directly and may liaise with schools as part of relevant assessment pathways, subject to consent.

Recommendations are individual to the child and are included in the relevant assessment reports. Examples may include staged instructions, visual reminders, supportive seating, adapted writing equipment and additional organisation support.

Yes. Follow-up appointments form part of ongoing care. Children under ADHD care must attend an in-clinic review at least every six months. General follow-up appointments normally last approximately 30 minutes and are usually six-monthly unless the medical team agrees otherwise.

Children under our ADHD care must attend an in-clinic follow-up at least every six months. Other review timings depend on the child's treatment and clinical needs.

Contact the Healthcare4Kids admin team at admin@healthcare4kids.co.uk. For medication-related care between reviews, the service supports limited email communication so the clinical team can consider updates and queries.

Yes, subject to clinical suitability and service availability. If a family returns after a significant interval, a further face-to-face appointment and/or updated school feedback may be required before treatment starts.

Healthcare4Kids does not provide ongoing treatment beyond the 18th birthday. Families should plan transfer to an adult specialist before the young person turns 18; arrangements will depend on the receiving adult service.

Yes. Medical reports and relevant medication information are shared with the GP where required for the child's care and in line with the applicable consent arrangements.

Healthcare4Kids requests confidential information directly from school for relevant assessments. Families can share formal diagnostic reports with schools and education services, subject to consent. Completed reports are not shared directly with school automatically.

Email the Healthcare4Kids team with medication-related concerns and relevant updates. The clinical team can review progress, answer medication queries and adjust treatment where appropriate. For urgent or severe symptoms, seek urgent medical help rather than waiting for an email response.

Yes. Families travel to us from across the Midlands and from much further afield in the UK. Because assessment involves seeing your child in person, you will need to attend the clinic at least once.

No. Our clinicians run full clinic lists and cannot visit at home. If your child finds leaving the house very difficult, please email us - we will talk through what we can do to make an appointment manageable.

Our assessments follow NICE guidelines - CG128 for autism in under-19s and NG87 for ADHD. Reports written to this standard should be accepted by your child's school and by the NHS.

Yes. Assessment for adopted children needs particular care around early history and attachment. Please contact us and we will explain how we approach it and what information helps.