ADHD assessment in Pune: what actually happens, step by step

Who actually does ADHD assessments in Pune

Three kinds of professionals assess ADHD here. Knowing which one you need saves you money and at least one wasted appointment.

Psychiatrists. Medical doctors with a psychiatry degree (MD or DPM after MBBS). They diagnose ADHD and they’re the only ones on this list who can prescribe medication. You can look up any doctor on the National Medical Commission’s register.

Clinical psychologists. They must be registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). They do the detailed testing and the written reports that schools and employers ask for. They can’t prescribe.

Developmental paediatricians. Children’s doctors who specialise in development. The natural first stop for a young child, especially when attention problems come mixed with speech or motor concerns. They can prescribe.

If you’re an adult: start with a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. For a school-age child: a child psychiatrist or developmental paediatrician. Lots of families end up using two of these people together. That’s normal, and good ones refer to each other without fuss.

What the first appointment is like

Mostly, it’s a long conversation. Plan for 45 to 90 minutes. The doctor is building a picture, and the questions follow a pattern (NICE’s NG87 guideline describes the same structure clinics here follow):

1. What’s going wrong now. Work, studies, home, money, relationships. Since when. What you’ve already tried.
2. What you were like as a child. ADHD starts in childhood even when nobody named it. Expect a lot of school-years questions. This is why old report cards are gold. “Bright but careless” written in 1998 is evidence.
3. Whether it follows you everywhere. Trouble only at work, or only at home, points away from ADHD. The doctor wants a pattern across settings.
4. What else it could be. Anxiety, depression, thyroid problems and bad sleep all wreck attention. A careful doctor rules these out. Sometimes that means a blood test or an extra questionnaire.
5. Rating scales. Standard forms you fill in (for kids, teachers and parents fill them too). They back up the diagnosis. They don’t make it on their own.

If your history is clear, you might leave the first or second visit with a diagnosis. Kids almost always need more visits, because the school’s view matters and that takes time to collect. Slower is not worse here.

If they recommend formal testing

Sometimes the doctor or psychologist will suggest full psychometric testing. Fair reasons: the picture is fuzzy, a learning difficulty might be hiding underneath, or you need formal paperwork for a school, college or employer.

Testing takes hours, often split across visits, and ends in a written report that belongs to you. Two things to do before you book:

• Ask what question the testing will answer. If nobody can tell you, you may not need it yet.
• Ask for the all-in price, report included. Per-session rates hide the real cost. Our cost guide has the details.

After the diagnosis

You should walk out understanding the plan. Depending on age and severity it will mix: practical changes (alarms, lists, structure), therapy or coaching, parent training for younger kids, and sometimes medication. Only a psychiatrist or another medical doctor can prescribe and monitor that part.

Ask questions. Good ones:

• What else could this be?
• What happens if we do nothing for six months?
• What are the non-medication options?
• How will we know it’s working?

A good clinician likes these questions. If they get defensive, note that.

Picking the person

Whoever you choose, check the credential. Doctors: NMC or state medical council registration. Clinical psychologists: RCI registration. Our verification guide shows you how to check both in about five minutes.

Or skip that step: every provider on TruADHD already has this check done. Each profile shows the registration, the date we last verified it, and the fees the practice was willing to state. Where it says “Not disclosed”, they wouldn’t tell us, and we don’t guess. Our methodology explains the whole process.