Nova Neurodivergence

Nova Neurodivergence is a Newcastle based service offering comprehensive diagnostic assessments for children, adolescents and adults who may be living with Attention Deficit Disorder.

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​In conducting assessments, consultant psychologist Sharon McDermott follows the Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder developed by the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA), using standardised assessment tools.

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The diagnostic assessment process is conducted over a number of sessions. For children and adolescents, an initial appointment will be made to see their parents/carers separately prior to the psychometric assessment session. The initial clinical interview includes exploring the person's developmental history and their symptoms (including onset, severity and functional impacts), as well as gathering information about the person’s strengths. 

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Where possible, other informants (such as teachers, or the partners of adult clients) will be asked to provide additional information and perspectives. This may include requesting access to any relevant prior reports from other health professionals and educational reports (primary, secondary, tertiary) for Sharon to review for identification of symptoms and functional impacts at different developmental stages. This also involves requesting adults provide their educational reports from childhood/adolescence if available. Parents, teachers and (where relevant) adult partners will also be asked to complete formal standardised rating scales eg The Adult ADHD Symptom Rating Scale – Observer Version.

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Please note that a doctor's referral is not required for an ADHD assessment. NDIS funding may be available for children up to 9 years of age, under the early intervention approach.

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Upon completion of the assessment process, a comprehensive written report will be provided. Depending upon the assessment findings, it may be necessary to obtain a referral to see a paediatrician or psychiatrist to explore whether medication therapy may be beneficial.

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Sharon also conducts stand alone cognitive assessments of young people aged 6 years to 16 years, using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V). The WISC-V assesses cognitive abilities and intellectual functioning, providing insights into the young person's strengths and weaknesses across various domains, including language, memory and problem solving. This information is helpful in understanding a child's learning profile, which can help in educational planning, identifying potential learning disabilities or cognitive disorders, developing individualised learning plans, or indicate the need for interventions (such as speech pathology). The WISC-V is also useful in identifying giftedness in students. A doctor's referral is not required for psychometric assessment, and a comprehensive report will be provided upon completion of the assessment.

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