When a child struggles with learning, many families wonder whether they need a full neuropsychological evaluation. While neuropsychological testing can be helpful in specific situations, it is not always the best first step—and in many cases, ADHD evaluation at MindWeal is faster, more accurate for the symptoms in question, more affordable, and leads to quicker treatment and school support.

Below is a clear explanation of why ADHD testing is often the most appropriate and effective starting point.

Faster access to care — no long waitlists

Neuropsychological testing often requires a wait of several months, multiple appointments, hours of testing, and a long delay before the report is written.

When a child is struggling academically, waiting months can worsen learning gaps, increase frustration, and affect mental health.

At MindWeal:

• Testing can be completed within days or weeks, not months
• Results are integrated quickly
• Treatment and school accommodations can begin immediately

Significantly more affordable

The cost of full neuropsychological testing is:

• Frequently $2,000 or more
• Often not covered by insurance
• Usually paid fully out of pocket by families

In contrast, ADHD testing at MindWeal is:

• Covered by most insurance plans we accept
• Only $195 for objective ADHD testing if self-pay (plus $249 for the New Patient evaluation and $149–$179 for the follow-up visit)

Families get answers sooner—without financial stress.

ADHD testing directly measures what most struggling learners actually need evaluated

Learning struggles can arise from problems in any of the three steps in the learning process:

Step 1: Taking in information

• Perception (seeing/hearing)
• Attention

Most children who struggle with learning have difficulty in this first step. ADHD affects about 10% of children, making it one of the most common causes of academic difficulty.

Our ADHD testing evaluates:

• Whether perception is intact
• Whether attention is impaired (in low-demand vs. high-demand conditions, visual vs. auditory)

Step 2: Storing information

• Short-term memory
• Working memory

These skills are part of executive functioning. Our MeSA test identifies whether these deficits may be present. They are far less common than simple attention problems. If ADHD testing suggests concerns, a neuropsychological evaluation may then be recommended.

Step 3: Using information

• Problem-solving
• Flexible thinking
• Reasoning

The MeSA test also suggests if these higher-level thinking skills may be affected. Again, these issues are much less common than attention-related problems. If needed, neuropsychological testing can follow.

ADHD testing at MindWeal helps us determine:

• If the primary issue is attention
• If the issue is processing speed or working memory
• If both are contributing
• Whether symptoms resemble ADHD but are actually something else

This gives us a precise understanding of which part of learning is breaking down.

More accurate for ADHD than neuropsychological testing

Many psychologists performing neuropsych testing:

• Do not comprehensively assess for mental health conditions like anxiety or depression
• Do not perform detailed, objective ADHD testing
• Rely mostly on parent symptom checklists
• May miss differences in attention across visual vs. auditory tasks or low vs. high demand

MindWeal’s evaluation:

• Uses M-Wise and clinical assessment to understand comorbidities
• Includes objective ADHD testing with far more detailed data (visual vs. auditory inattention, low-demand vs. high-demand attention, impulsivity profiles)

This leads to a far more precise and clinically meaningful diagnosis.

Seamless connection between testing and treatment

Psychologists who perform neuropsych testing:

• Cannot prescribe medication
• Refer families back to a psychiatrist
• Reports may or may not be fully reviewed
• Families often repeat the same history or pay for additional visits

At MindWeal:

• The same clinical team performs the evaluation, interprets testing, and provides treatment
• If medication is appropriate, it can be started quickly at the follow-up visit
• Schools receive clear, targeted accommodations that are easy to implement

Because everything happens within one system, your child receives consistent, streamlined care without delays or gaps.

More accurate results when attention problems and cognitive concerns coexist

When a child has both attention problems and possible cognitive difficulties, neuropsychological testing may actually produce inaccurate scores.

Here’s why:

• Step 1 of learning is attention
• If attention is impaired, a child may perform below their true ability
• This can falsely lower IQ scores, working memory scores, or processing speed results
• The neuropsych report may then suggest cognitive deficits that are not actually present

Because of this, treating ADHD first leads to far more accurate neuropsychological results—if they are needed at all.

At MindWeal, our stepwise approach ensures accuracy:

1. Treat ADHD first (if diagnosed)
2. Retest attention to confirm ADHD symptoms are fully treated
3. If learning struggles remain, then refer for neuropsychological testing

This avoids inaccurate conclusions and ensures that any later testing reflects your child’s true cognitive abilities.

Summary: Why ADHD Testing Is Often the Better First Step

• Much faster than neuropsychological testing
• Far less expensive
• Often covered by insurance
• More accurate for identifying ADHD and related attention issues
• Leads to quicker treatment and faster school accommodations
• Keeps care in one place—no referrals, no delays
• More accurate when attention and cognitive concerns occur together (treat ADHD first, formal testing later)

For most children struggling with learning, ADHD testing offers the right depth, the right approach, and the fastest path to clarity and help.