What ADHD and Autism Evaluations Can Tell You — at Any Age
A formal evaluation doesn't just give you a label. It gives you answers.
For a lot of people, the question has been sitting quietly in the background for years. Maybe it started when a teacher mentioned something, or a friend's diagnosis suddenly sounded familiar. Maybe you've read a list of symptoms and felt an uncomfortable sense of recognition. Or maybe you've just spent a long time feeling like you were working twice as hard as everyone else and never quite figured out why. Getting tested for ADHD or autism as an adult, or seeking an evaluation for a child, isn't a dramatic step. It's a practical one. And for many people, it's the step that finally makes everything else make sense.
How We Can Help
At Resolutions Therapy Practice, our ADHD and autism testing services are led by Elizabeth Miller, LPCC-S, RPT, a licensed counselor and Registered Play Therapist with deep expertise in neurodivergent clients of all ages. Elizabeth provides comprehensive evaluations for ages three through adult, with in-person appointments available at our Florence and Maysville, Kentucky locations, and telehealth options available throughout the state.
What Does Testing Actually Look Like?
The word "testing" can sound intimidating, but it's more accurately described as a thorough conversation, with some structured tools added in. For autism evaluations, we use the ADOS-2, the gold-standard assessment for autism diagnosis. It evaluates communication, social interaction, and behavior patterns through naturalistic observation and guided activities, not a written exam. The process unfolds over three appointments: an intake session to gather background and history, the full assessment, and a dedicated results appointment where findings are explained clearly and questions are welcomed.
ADHD evaluations are similarly comprehensive, drawing on clinical interviews, standardized rating scales, and cognitive testing. For children, parent and teacher observations are often incorporated to build the most complete picture possible.
The goal in both cases isn't to label someone. It's to understand how a person's brain works, so they can get the right support, access appropriate accommodations, and stop wondering if something is "wrong" with them.
ADHD and Autism Don't Always Look the Way You Think
One of the most important things to understand about both ADHD and autism is that they don't always present the way we picture them. ADHD isn't just a child bouncing off the walls. In adults, it often looks like chronic disorganization, trouble with time management, emotional dysregulation, or a persistent sense of underperformance despite real effort. In women and girls especially, ADHD is frequently missed because many people have learned to mask their symptoms. To appear fine on the outside while quietly struggling underneath.
Autism in adults and older teens is similarly easy to overlook, especially in people who have spent years developing strategies to fit in. A long history of feeling "different," difficulty with sensory sensitivities, intense focused interests, or struggles with the unwritten rules of social interaction can all be part of the picture — even when someone has built a functional life around them.
A formal evaluation can bring clarity to experiences that may have felt confusing or isolating for a long time. And for children, early identification opens the door to support that can make a meaningful difference in how they move through school, relationships, and the world.
What Happens After a Diagnosis?
A diagnosis isn't an ending — it's a starting point. At Resolutions Therapy Practice, we make sure the results of any evaluation come with practical, personalized recommendations. That might mean therapy, school accommodations, medication management through our on-site psychiatric nurse practitioners, or simply a deeper understanding of strengths and needs that can inform how someone lives and works and connects with others. If you're already working with a therapist at RTP, our team can collaborate with your permission, to make the evaluation even more complete and ensure your care stays connected.
If you've been wondering whether an evaluation might be worth it, trust that instinct. The clarity that comes from understanding how your brain works is worth asking the question. ADHD and autism testing is available at Resolutions Therapy Practice in Florence and Maysville, Kentucky, with telehealth options across the state. Contact Resolutions Therapy Practice and learn more, verify your insurance coverage, or schedule your first appointment
Helpful Resources:
CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)