Objective Testing for ADHD

What to Expect:

Qb Testing

When families come to see me for a clinical assessment, I will often take a thorough history and ask for forms to be completed prior to the initial appointment from the parent and teacher and sometimes the child directly (depending on age). If ADHD is suspected, I will talk with the family about getting a QbTest (done at a separate appointment with a technician).

The QbTest is not a stand alone tool for diagnosing ADHD, it is meant to be used along with the clinical interview and subjective tests and rating scales. 

What is a QbTest?

The QbTest is an FDA-cleared test that measures all 3 core symptom domains; hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. QbTest is used when evaluating ADHD symptoms and measuring response to ADHD treatment. 

QbTest involves a 15 or 20-minute computer-based task that measures your child's ability to maintain attention and impulse control. Meanwhile, an infrared camera tracks movements, and therefore activity, during the test. The results are based on a comparison of your child's performance with data from other people of the same sex and age who do not have ADHD. 

QbTest helps everyone be able to talk about what is happening.

I believe that everyone needs to understand what is happening when a child or teen has difficulty staying focused or feels like they "zone out" multiple times a day. I have seen the power of objective testing help expedite time to diagnosis for families in my practice. 

Take a look at a sample QbTest below. The results help guide discussions about what is happening and helps everyone get on the same page. 

Left side: Qb Test results of an individual with ADHD.  Right side: QbTest results of an individual without ADHD

CNS Vital Signs

Neurocognitive testing clinical procedure is used to efficiently and objectively assess a broad spectrum of brain function performance or domains under challenge for individuals ages 8-90 (requires a 4th grade reading level). CNS Vital Signs helps to assess executive function, learning and memory, perceptual-motor function, complex attention and social cognition through up to 10 normed neurocognitive tests. This takes up to 45 minutes to complete.