Autism, ADHD and mental health: the benefits of a diagnosis

Is your child struggling at school or at home with no clear cause? If your child seems drained at the end of the school day, feels anxious at the idea of going to school, is inattentive or distracted, or struggles with unstructured time during their school day, there may be more to their challenges than meets the eye. While all children will go through phases of feeling bored, worried or tired at school, these feelings will typically pass quickly. However, for neurodivergent children, they will need additional support to help them thrive at school.

As many as one in five children in the UK are neurodivergent, which means they think and process information differently. Neurodiversity is a broad spectrum of conditions encompassing autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia. While some children will have more than one diagnosis, others will not be diagnosed yet.

Autism is often undiagnosed in girls and young women or misdiagnosed as a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. Many girls also develop coping strategies that mask their struggles, making it harder to recognise their autism due to feeling pressure to adapt to social norms. ADHD can also present differently in girls, who are more likely to be described as ‘inattentive’ or a ‘daydreamer’ compared to boys, who may be described as ‘disruptive’ or ‘hyperactive’. There is a common misconception that ADHD is solely a behavioural problem or that autism equates to severe developmental challenges – this is not true. Just as autism is a spectrum, every neurodivergent child will have different needs as well as strengths and skills.

Supporting neurodivergent children’s learning and development
Research indicates that the major differentiator for neurodivergent children in their ability to realise their potential in school is early intervention. The sooner a need can be identified, the more practised and prepared a student and their entire support network will become in managing their condition in a school environment. Left undiagnosed or late diagnosed, neurodevelopmental conditions or mental health struggles can have a detrimental impact on your child’s learning, which can lead to a worsening of symptom conditions in school settings and related to academic work which are then harder to unpick later in life. A formal diagnosis can open up a myriad of options for better support for students, such as additional tutoring or coaching, reasonable adjustments in exams or assistive technology such as transcription or time management software.

However, without an explicit understanding of the strategies and therapies that would best suit them based on their condition, it can be challenging for your child’s school to ensure that they have access to the most suitable support.

How to identify the support your child needs
Working with a qualified healthcare professional can help you to understand your child’s differences and how these might impact their daily life, including at school. Whether they struggle to process or recall information or have challenges with time management, a specialist can provide you both with a personalised care plan with tools, strategies and support to help them learn effectively and improve their social and emotional wellbeing. Using this, you and your child’s school can ensure that the appropriate measures are in place to strengthen your child’s wellbeing and academic performance. While some neurodivergent children will benefit from specialist support such as speech and language therapy, others will need changes to their environment. For some, better understanding from their teachers is the key to helping them thrive.

The impact of an early diagnosis is clear, but NHS waiting lists for an autism or ADHD assessment continue to grow.

What you should look for
Just like an NHS assessment, a private evaluation should follow the guidelines outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). You should also ensure that your provider is registered with a professional body such as the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). At HealthCare in Mind, our team are registered with the HCPC, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RC PSYCH).

Ensuring your child’s assessment is undertaken by a qualified professional who is experienced in working with children and young people of all genders can be an important step in ensuring they receive the correct diagnosis and, therefore, the appropriate support they need.

Different types of neurodivergence will need different approaches when it comes to learning; if these needs aren’t met, it can have long-term ramifications for your child’s academic performance and mental wellbeing. If you suspect your child may have autism, ADHD or another condition, early identification of their needs will ensure that they get the right support, not just at school but throughout their entire life.

How we can help
At HealthCare in Mind, we specialise in diagnostic assessments and treatments for a range of children’s neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions including anxiety and depression. Our experienced specialists are led by child and adolescent psychiatry and intellectual disability psychiatry, Dr Kate Higham, and can help you to:

• Identify any mental health challenges through a swift and comprehensive diagnostic assessment
• Deliver evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and counselling
• Develop a personalised care plan to improve their mental wellbeing

If you think your child might be struggling at school because of undiagnosed autism, ADHD or a mental health condition, get in touch: https://healthcareinmind.com/