Getting an ADHD Diagnosis for Your Child in Australia: A Step-by-Step Guide

Something is different about your child. You've known it for a while — the teachers have started mentioning it, the school reports use phrases like "needs reminders to stay on task" and "easily distracted." You suspect ADHD. You don't know where to start.

Here's exactly what to do.

Step 1: Start With Your GP

Your first call is to your GP (General Practitioner). Make a longer appointment — 20 minutes minimum — and come prepared with specific examples of what you're observing. Not "he can't focus" but "he loses track of what he's doing multiple times during a 10-minute task, needs constant redirection at school, and has never been able to sit through a meal without getting up."

Your GP has two roles here: ruling out other medical causes (thyroid issues, hearing or vision problems, sleep disorders) and providing a referral. In Australia, ADHD can only be diagnosed by a paediatrician or psychiatrist — not a GP. Your GP writes the referral.

Step 2: Choose Your Pathway — Public or Private

Public pathway: You can be referred to a public hospital developmental paediatrics clinic. The advantage is cost — bulk billed. The disadvantage is wait times, which in major cities currently range from 6 months to over 2 years.

Private paediatrician: Private paediatric appointments cost approximately $350–$500 out of pocket after Medicare rebate. Wait times are typically 4–16 weeks. This is the most common pathway for families who need answers sooner.

Private psychiatrist: More commonly used for complex presentations or older children/teenagers. Similar cost range. Wait times vary.

Step 3: The Assessment Process

A comprehensive ADHD assessment for a child typically involves:

A detailed clinical interview with parents about developmental history, current functioning, and symptom onset
Completion of standardised rating scales (Conners, Vanderbilt, SDQ) by parents and teachers
Observation of the child, and often direct assessment with the child
Review of school reports and any previous assessments
Ruling out other explanations

This is not a blood test or brain scan. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis based on a pattern of behaviour across multiple settings. That's why the process takes time and requires input from school.

Step 4: After the Diagnosis

A written diagnostic report from the paediatrician is your key document. Keep multiple copies. You'll need it for:

NDIS applications (ADHD alone doesn't guarantee NDIS eligibility, but combined with functional impairment and other co-occurring conditions it often does)
School accommodation requests (Individual Learning Plan, additional time for tests, supervised exam conditions)
Medication prescriptions (stimulant medications require a specialist prescription)
Access to Medicare-rebated allied health services through a Mental Health Care Plan

Costs to Expect

Private paediatrician initial appointment: $350–$500 out of pocket. Follow-up appointments: $150–$250. Psychological assessment (if needed): $1,200–$2,500. NDIS assessment: funded through NDIS once you have access, or out of pocket beforehand.

What to Do While You're Waiting

The wait for a paediatric appointment is genuinely hard. While you wait: request a meeting with your child's school to put informal supports in place (they don't need a formal diagnosis to accommodate your child). Connect with ADHD Australia — they have peer support and family resources. And start documenting. Keep a journal of specific incidents, frequency, and impact. This documentation strengthens the assessment process significantly.