ADHD Assessment & Treatment
What If It's Not ADHD?
An ADHD Assessment That Looks at the Whole Pattern
Most new patients are seen within days
Sound Familiar?
Is This You?
People asking about ADHD often describe patterns like these
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The Late-Diagnosed
You've always struggled but compensated through intelligence and effort. Now you're wondering if ADHD explains why everything takes so much harder for you.
Some adults seek an evaluation when familiar ways of managing work or daily tasks stop helping.
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The Stimulant Skeptic
You suspect ADHD but don't want to jump straight to Adderall. You want someone to investigate properly before prescribing anything.
A diagnosis should account for the pattern. Sleep, medication effects, and medical history may change what we investigate.
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The Failed Treatment
You've tried ADHD medications before but they didn't help—or helped briefly then stopped. Now you're questioning the diagnosis.
An earlier medication response is one part of the history. We review the diagnosis and what else may affect attention.
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The New Struggle
You never had focus issues before, but something changed. Postpartum fog, midlife brain changes, or unexplained cognitive decline.
A new change in concentration deserves a review of its timing, health context, and current medications.
- Who this fits
- Children 10 and older, teens or adults with focus problems, changed symptoms, or an ADHD question that needs a full history.
- Visit type
- ADHD evaluation that reviews attention, sleep, medicines, mood, and relevant medical history.
- Access
- Telehealth in California and Arizona; Gilbert and Rancho Palos Verdes office visits depend on clinical fit and scheduling.
Your Path Forward
The ADHD Evaluation Process
The next step depends on the findings
- HistoryFocus symptoms and their timing
- Medical contextSleep, medications, and relevant prior tests
- TestingConsidered when clinically indicated
- CA + AZTelehealth in both states
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Initial Evaluation
We review attention symptoms, developmental and treatment history, sleep, medications, and relevant medical context.
History reviewed · Prior records considered · Questions identified · Next step discussed
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Results and Diagnosis
If testing or outside records would answer a question, we review them before settling the plan.
Results reviewed if ordered · Diagnosis discussed · Treatment options considered · Questions answered
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Treatment Review
If treatment starts or changes, we review benefit, side effects, and function.
Response reviewed · Safety discussed · Plan adjusted if needed · Other care coordinated
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Ongoing Care
Follow-up depends on treatment, response, and monitoring needs.
Symptoms revisited · Medication monitored if used · Next visit planned · Questions revisited
Who you'll see
Who you may work with
Horizon Peak psychiatric care is provided by Canybec Sulayman, PMHNP-BC, MBA, and Sharon Hernandez, PMHNP-BC. Canybec practices in California and Arizona. Sharon accepts appointment requests from California adults. Provider matching depends on state, clinical fit, insurance or self-pay, and current scheduling options.
Self-pay: Canybec Sulayman $450 initial; Sharon Hernandez $350 initial (California only). Follow-up visits $150.
What Else Could Affect Attention?
A focus problem deserves a careful history.
ADHD may be part of the answer. Sleep, mood, medication effects, and medical history may also matter. We ask when symptoms began and what changed before deciding whether testing or treatment is appropriate.
The plan should fit the pattern found in the evaluation.
What We Investigate
Other Factors That Can Affect Attention
Some of these can coexist with ADHD. Their relevance depends on your history and symptoms.
Sleep Problems
Poor sleep or possible sleep apnea can affect attention and may need separate evaluation.
Thyroid Conditions
We review symptoms and prior thyroid results, and consider testing when the history supports it.
Iron or B12 Deficiency
Nutritional history and existing results may point to testing. No single lab value diagnoses ADHD.
Show 3 more
Anxiety or Depression
Mood and anxiety symptoms can affect concentration and can also occur alongside ADHD.
Medication Effects
Current medicines and supplements may contribute to attention problems.
Hormonal Changes
Symptom timing and reproductive history may be relevant for some patients.
ADHD Questions
When Focus Problems Need a Closer Look
Some people have struggled with attention for years. Others notice a change after poor sleep, a new medication, or a shift in health. The timing helps us decide what to examine.
Read more
An ADHD assessment looks at developmental history and current function across settings. We also ask about mood, sleep, and medical factors that may affect attention. A diagnosis follows the full evaluation, not a single checklist or lab result.
We explain what the history supports and which questions remain open.
NICE ADHD guidance describes a full history-based assessment and advises against routine blood tests during ADHD medication care without a clinical indication. It is UK clinical guidance; US prescribing rules are addressed separately.
Questions in an ADHD Assessment
| Clinical question | What we review | |
|---|---|---|
| Symptoms | When did the focus problem start? | Review childhood and adult patterns, function, and changes over time |
| Other diagnoses | What else could affect attention? | Review sleep, mood, anxiety, substance use, and medical history |
| Testing | Would a test answer a clinical question? | Review prior results; order targeted tests when indicated |
| Medication | What has already been tried? | Review benefit, adverse effects, and prescribing considerations |
| Plan | What does the evaluation support? | Discuss treatment and referrals based on the findings |
What Happens After Diagnosis?
If ADHD Is Diagnosed
- Discuss stimulant and non-stimulant options when appropriate
- Review behavioral and environmental strategies
- Consider medication risks, benefits, and monitoring
If Another Issue Needs Care
- Address a documented medical finding with the appropriate clinician
- Consider sleep evaluation when symptoms point to it
- Coordinate with primary care or a specialist when needed
If More Than One Factor Is Present
- Build a plan around the full clinical picture
- Review response and side effects over time
- Adjust treatment when the findings warrant it
When the Findings Change the Question
Why the Workup Matters
If concentration changed after a medication change or a period of poor sleep, that timing matters. We review those details alongside ADHD symptoms. Relevant prior results may help; new tests are considered only when they could answer a specific question.
We discuss what the evaluation supports and what still needs follow-up.
ADHD Evaluation
- Initial Evaluation
- Length confirmed when scheduled
- Testing
- When clinically indicated
- Format
- In-person or telehealth
- Coverage
- Plan and provider checked
- Locations
- Gilbert, AZ or Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Useful Before Your Evaluation
ADHD Assessment FAQs
Questions Patients Ask Before an ADHD Evaluation
What happens during an ADHD assessment?
We review when attention problems began, how they affect daily life, prior treatment, sleep, medicines, mood, and relevant medical history. Testing or referrals depend on what that history shows.
Do I have to take a stimulant if I am diagnosed with ADHD?
No. We discuss medication and non-medication options, including risks and benefits, and choose a plan based on the evaluation. Do not start, stop, or change a prescription without your clinician.
Should I be re-evaluated if I already have an ADHD diagnosis?
A fresh review may help when symptoms or treatment response change. We consider prior records and look for other factors without assuming the earlier diagnosis was wrong.
Are labs always ordered?
No. There is no fixed ADHD lab panel. We review prior results and consider targeted tests, such as thyroid studies, iron or ferritin, or B12, only when the history gives us a reason.
Show 4 more questions
Can I request an evaluation by telehealth?
Telehealth is available in Arizona and California. In-person care is available at the Gilbert, Arizona, and Rancho Palos Verdes, California, offices. The team confirms format and availability before scheduling.
Do you evaluate children and teens?
Yes. We evaluate children 10 and older, teens and adults for ADHD. Children and teens see Canybec Sulayman; Sharon Hernandez sees adults in California. The team confirms clinician fit, state, and visit format when you request care.
Can you prescribe stimulants by telehealth?
Controlled-substance prescribing depends on the clinical evaluation and current state and federal rules. We discuss whether an in-person visit is needed before making a prescribing decision.
Do you accept insurance?
If you plan to use insurance, our team checks the specific plan, provider, and benefits before scheduling. A benefits check is not a guarantee of coverage, payment, or final cost.
Ready for Answers About Your Focus Issues?
Request an ADHD evaluation. We check clinical fit, location, and insurance or self-pay details before scheduling. Appointment availability varies.
Request ADHD Evaluation