ADHD – Aberdeen Surgery

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often thought of as a childhood condition, yet many people are not recognised until adulthood. Some adults only start to wonder about ADHD when their child is assessed, when work or study becomes harder to manage, or after years of feeling that they have to work twice as hard to keep up.

Common signs of ADHD in adults

ADHD affects attention, activity levels and impulse control. In adults it can look quite different from the stereotype of a restless child. Signs that people often describe include:

Difficulty starting, organising or finishing tasks, especially ones that feel boring or have no clear deadline.
Losing track of time, appointments, keys, phones or paperwork.
Being easily distracted, or switching between tasks without finishing them.
Restlessness, fidgeting or a feeling of being constantly on the go.
Acting or speaking before thinking, interrupting, or making quick decisions you later regret.
Intense focus on things that interest you, while everyday tasks pile up.
Strong emotional reactions, frustration or feeling overwhelmed.

Everyone experiences some of these from time to time. For ADHD to be considered, the patterns usually began in childhood, show up in more than one area of life, such as work, study, relationships or home, and cause real difficulty.

Why ADHD can be missed until adulthood

Many adults developed ways to cope that hid their difficulties. Some did well at school but found that strategies stopped working when life became more demanding. Others, particularly girls and women, showed the quieter, inattentive type of ADHD, which is easier to overlook. ADHD also commonly occurs alongside anxiety, depression, sleep problems and learning differences, which can make the picture harder to see.

How adult ADHD assessment works

There is no single blood test or scan for ADHD. An assessment is a careful clinical process that usually includes:

A detailed conversation about your current difficulties and how they affect daily life.
Your history from childhood. School reports, or input from a parent or someone who knew you when you were young, can be very helpful.
Standardised questionnaires, sometimes completed by you and by someone who knows you well.
Checking for other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, thyroid problems or the effects of substances.

Assessment and management in Australia follow evidence-based clinical guidance. Depending on your situation, more than one appointment is usually needed, and your GP may involve other health professionals, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Support after an assessment

If ADHD is diagnosed, management is tailored to the person. It can include education about ADHD, practical strategies, psychological support, coaching, workplace or study adjustments and, for some people, medicine. Your doctor will talk through the options, including their benefits and risks, so you can decide together what suits you.

What does it cost?

At Aberdeen Surgery, ADHD assessment and management is a private service, so a fee applies. Reception will give you the cost before you book. If other health professionals are involved, they set their own fees, and some may be eligible for Medicare rebates.

How to start the conversation

Book a longer appointment and tell reception the visit is about a possible ADHD assessment. Before you come, it helps to write down examples of the difficulties you notice, when they started and how they affect you. Bring any old school reports you can find, and a list of medicines you take.

If you are feeling very distressed, or having thoughts of harming yourself, please do not wait for an appointment. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 at any time, or 000 in an emergency.

Booking an ADHD assessment can feel like a big step. Knowing what happens along the way can make it easier. This guide walks through the process at Aberdeen Surgery, from the first phone call to a plan for ongoing care.

Step 1: Book a longer appointment

Call reception on (02) 6543 8424 or book online, and let us know the appointment is about ADHD so enough time is set aside. ADHD assessment and ongoing management at Aberdeen Surgery is provided by Dr Layth Almallah for children, teenagers and adults. It is a private service, so a fee applies. Reception will give you the cost before you book.

Step 2: Gather some background

You do not need to have everything ready, but the following can help the assessment:

Notes about the difficulties you or your child are having, when they started and where they happen.
School reports, old or current. For adults, these can show patterns from childhood.
Letters or reports from teachers, psychologists, paediatricians or other professionals.
A list of current medicines and any health conditions.
Your Medicare card, and any concession or DVA card.

Step 3: Talk it through

The first appointment is a conversation about what is happening now and what has happened in the past. Your doctor will ask about attention, activity, organisation, mood, sleep, relationships and how things are going at home, school or work. For children, the parent or carer is an important part of this conversation.

Step 4: Questionnaires and other information

You may be asked to complete standardised questionnaires. For children, teachers are often asked to complete them too. For adults, input from a partner or parent can help. Your doctor may also check for other conditions that can cause similar difficulties, such as sleep problems, anxiety, low mood, hearing or vision problems, or thyroid conditions, and may arrange tests if needed.

Step 5: Results and a plan

Once the information is gathered, your doctor will talk with you about the findings. If ADHD is diagnosed, you will discuss a management plan, which may include education, practical strategies, psychological support, school or workplace adjustments and, for some people, medicine. Depending on your situation, other professionals may be involved, and they set their own fees.

Ongoing care

ADHD management is not a one-off visit. Regular reviews help check how things are going and adjust the plan as needs change, such as starting high school, moving into work or going through a busy life stage. Having ongoing care at a local practice means you do not need to travel to a bigger town for routine reviews.

Questions to ask

How many appointments will the assessment take?
What will the total cost be, and what can be claimed through Medicare?
Will other professionals need to be involved?
What support is available while we wait for the results?

Every child has days when they cannot sit still, forget what they were asked to do or rush through their homework. That is a normal part of growing up. For some children, though, difficulties with attention, activity and impulse control are persistent, more than expected for their age and get in the way at home, at school and with friends. That is when it can be worth asking about ADHD.

The three ways ADHD can show up

ADHD is described in three presentations. A child may mainly have difficulty with attention, mainly have hyperactivity and impulsivity, or have a combination of both.

Inattention: often seems not to listen, loses things, makes careless mistakes, struggles to follow instructions or finish tasks, and is easily distracted.
Hyperactivity: fidgets, has trouble staying seated, runs or climbs at unsuitable times, talks a lot and seems driven by a motor.
Impulsivity: blurts out answers, has trouble waiting for a turn and interrupts others.

Children with the mainly inattentive presentation can be quiet daydreamers rather than disruptive, so their difficulties are sometimes missed.

What parents and teachers often notice

At home, parents may notice that morning routines, homework and bedtime are a daily struggle, or that their child seems to need far more reminders than siblings or friends. At school, teachers may describe a child who is bright but does not finish work, who is often out of their seat, or who drifts off during lessons. Some children have trouble with friendships because they find it hard to take turns or manage frustration.

ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, too much sugar or screen time. It is a neurodevelopmental condition, and it often runs in families.

Other things that can look like ADHD

Several conditions can cause similar behaviour, and some occur alongside ADHD. These include hearing or vision problems, sleep difficulties, anxiety, learning difficulties, autism and stressful life events. Part of an assessment is looking carefully at these possibilities.

Taking the next step

If you are concerned, a GP appointment is a good place to start. It helps to bring:

Notes on what you have noticed, when it started and where it happens.
School reports, or a short note from your child’s teacher.
Any previous reports from health or education professionals.

Your GP can talk through your concerns, check for other causes and explain the assessment pathway. Assessment of children often involves input from home and school, and may include a paediatrician, psychologist or other professionals, depending on your child’s needs.

ADHD care in Aberdeen

Aberdeen Surgery offers ADHD assessment and ongoing management for children, teenagers and adults with Dr Layth Almallah. This is a private service, so a fee applies, and reception will give you the cost before you book. Ask for a longer appointment when you call.

For a long time, ADHD was mainly recognised in boys who were noticeably hyperactive. Girls and women with ADHD were more likely to be missed, or to be treated for anxiety or low mood without anyone asking why they were struggling in the first place. Awareness has grown, and many women are now being assessed in adulthood.

How ADHD can look different

ADHD is the same condition regardless of gender, but the way it shows up, and the way others respond to it, can differ. Women and girls are more likely to have the inattentive presentation. Signs can include:

Daydreaming, drifting off in conversations or losing the thread of what is being said.
Feeling chronically disorganised, despite trying hard to keep on top of things.
Working late into the night to catch up, or relying on last-minute pressure to get things done.
Talking a lot, or an inner restlessness rather than visible hyperactivity.
Strong emotions, sensitivity to criticism and feeling overwhelmed.
Exhaustion from the effort of appearing organised and in control.

Masking and coping strategies

Many women describe years of masking: working very hard to hide difficulties, copying the behaviour of others and building elaborate systems to stay organised. These strategies can work for a time, but they take a lot of energy. When demands increase, for example with university, a new job, parenting or caring for others, the strategies may no longer be enough.

Hormones and life stages

Some women notice that their symptoms feel worse at certain times, such as before a period, after having a baby or around perimenopause. Research in this area is still developing, but it is worth mentioning any patterns you notice to your doctor.

ADHD and other conditions

ADHD commonly occurs alongside anxiety, depression, sleep problems and other conditions. Sometimes these are recognised first. A careful assessment looks at the whole picture, so that support addresses what is really going on.

Talking to a GP

If you recognise yourself in this article, consider booking a longer appointment to talk it through. It helps to write down examples of your difficulties, when you first noticed them and how they affect your work, study, relationships and home life. School reports, or a conversation with a parent about what you were like as a child, can also help.

At Aberdeen Surgery, ADHD assessment and management is provided by Dr Layth Almallah as a private service, so a fee applies. Reception will give you the cost before you book. If you would prefer to see a female GP for a general consultation first, Dr Sasikala (Sasi) Hariharan and Dr Prishantha Sirisena are female GPs at the practice.

ADHD affects everyday life in practical ways: getting out the door on time, finishing tasks, keeping track of paperwork and staying focused in a noisy room. Professional care is important, and so are the everyday systems that make life smoother. Here are strategies that many people with ADHD, and their families, find helpful.

Build simple routines

Keep regular times for waking, meals and bed where you can. Predictable routines reduce the number of decisions you need to make.
Break the morning and evening into short checklists, and keep them somewhere you will see them, such as the fridge or by the door.
Have a home for the things that go missing most, such as keys, wallet, phone and school bags.

Take the load off your memory

Use one calendar for everything, with reminders set well before each appointment.
Write tasks down as soon as they come up, rather than relying on remembering later.
Set alarms for transitions, such as finishing screen time or leaving for school.

Make tasks easier to start

Break big tasks into the smallest possible first step, such as opening the document or getting out the books.
Work in short blocks with planned breaks. A timer can help.
Reduce distractions where you can: a quieter space, notifications off, and only the materials you need.
Pair dull tasks with something enjoyable, such as music, or doing them alongside someone else.

At school

Talk with your child’s teachers about what helps. Many schools can offer reasonable adjustments, such as seating away from distractions, instructions given in writing as well as out loud, extra time for some tasks or movement breaks. Regular, brief communication between home and school can catch problems early.

At work

Adults may benefit from adjustments such as written instructions, clear priorities, a quieter workspace or noise-cancelling headphones, and regular check-ins with a manager. Whether you share your diagnosis at work is a personal choice.

Look after the basics

Sleep, regular physical activity, regular meals and time outdoors can all affect focus and mood. If sleep is a problem, mention it to your doctor, as poor sleep can make ADHD symptoms harder to manage.

Be kind to yourself

Many people with ADHD have spent years being told they are lazy or not trying hard enough. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, not a character flaw. Celebrate what works, and adjust what does not.

When to check in with your doctor

Book a review if things change, for example a new school, job or living situation, if strategies are no longer working, or if you notice changes in mood, sleep or stress. If you are feeling very low or overwhelmed, reach out early. Lifeline is available on 13 11 14 at any time.

ADHD in adults: signs, assessment and getting support in Australia