ADHD brain screening in Congleton

Whether you're an adult near Congleton who's suspected ADHD for years, or a parent in Cheshire watching your child fall behind while the NHS list doesn't move, the situation is the same: you need objective evidence, and you need it now. Not in 3–5 years.

The standard ADHD pathway relies entirely on subjective assessment. Questionnaires that ask "do you fidget?" and "do you lose things?" These tools were designed in the 1970s based on studies of hyperactive boys. They systematically miss women with inattentive ADHD, adults who've learned to mask, and children who compensate through sheer effort.

Our approach is different. We measure the brain directly. The theta/beta ratio is the most-studied EEG biomarker for ADHD, supported by decades of published research and referenced in the FDA's clearance of the NEBA System. It doesn't matter how well you mask. Your brain can't fake a TBR.

Stimulant medications work for ADHD because they increase cortical arousal — they boost beta activity and reduce excess theta. This is why our baseline screening data becomes invaluable if you're later diagnosed and prescribed medication. A follow-up scan can objectively measure whether the medication has normalised your TBR.

This is the principle behind our medication comparison scan (£345): before-and-after brain data showing whether treatment is having the intended neurological effect. It's evidence-based medication management — not just 'do you feel better?' but 'has your theta/beta ratio moved towards the normative range?'

No questionnaire can provide this. Only direct brain measurement shows whether the underlying neurophysiology has changed. That's the fundamental advantage of objective data over subjective report.

Read the full breakdown of the research behind our screening on our ADHD brain science page.

We measure five frequency bands across four cortical sites simultaneously: delta (1–4 Hz, deep processing), theta (4–8 Hz — the key ADHD band, associated with unfocused states), alpha (8–12 Hz, relaxed awareness), beta (12–30 Hz, active focus), and gamma (30–45 Hz, higher processing).

The theta/beta ratio is the critical metric. In ADHD, the brain produces too much theta relative to beta. This pattern has been replicated across hundreds of studies worldwide. Our normative data covers age groups from 6–7 through to 60+, because the ratio naturally changes as the brain matures.

See the full step-by-step process on our how it works page, or visit our FAQ for common questions.

For children, the experience is designed to be reassuring and even fun. Parents stay in the room at all times. We explain the cap as a 'special hat that listens to your brain' and let children hold it, look at the electrodes, and understand there's nothing to be scared of.

The recording phases are kept simple: 'look at the cross,' 'close your eyes and think of something nice,' then 'play the game' (Go/No-Go). Most children aged 7+ manage the full protocol without difficulty. For younger children (6–7), we allow extra time and offer breaks between phases.

If a recording phase is too noisy due to movement or fidgeting — which is common and completely understandable given why they're here — we simply redo that phase at no extra cost. We never force a child to continue if they're uncomfortable. We offer a free return visit if the session can't be completed on the day. After screening, our parent's guide covers school support, EHCP applications and exam access arrangements.

For adults, preparation is minimal: clean hair, normal sleep, normal food, moderate caffeine, arrive 5 minutes early. The appointment takes about 30 minutes and you can go straight back to work or normal activities afterwards — there's no recovery time, no drowsiness, no side effects.

Many adults coming for ADHD screening are nervous — not about the scan itself, but about what they might find. Will the data confirm decades of suspicion? What if it doesn't? Both outcomes are useful. Elevated TBR gives you objective evidence to pursue diagnosis. Normal TBR, combined with persistent symptoms, points your clinician toward other explanations worth investigating.

Either way, you leave with data rather than uncertainty. That's the point. Our next steps guide covers every pathway after screening — NHS, Right to Choose, and private assessment — so you'll know exactly what to do with your results.

For more detail on the full process from booking to report, see how it works.

We screen children aged 6 and above, teenagers, and adults of all ages from Congleton and across Cheshire. Each person is compared against age-matched normative data from published research — because a 7-year-old's brain is neurologically very different from a 40-year-old's.

For children, the most common scenario is parents who've been told their child "just needs to try harder." For teenagers, it's GCSE or A-level pressure exposing hidden attention difficulties. For adults, it's often a lifetime of wondering — sometimes triggered by a child's diagnosis.

Women and girls are particularly underserved by standard assessment. The inattentive presentation — quiet, dreamy, internally restless — is systematically missed by questionnaires designed around hyperactive boys. Our brain screening measures neurology directly, bypassing the behavioural bias.

Learn more: children 6+ · teenagers · adults · women & girls

View packages: standard screening (£595) · comprehensive (£845) · family package (£1,095) · all pricing

After your screening: ADHD support hub · results explained · what to do next · GP appointment guide · parent's guide

Not everyone with attention difficulties has ADHD. Several conditions produce overlapping symptoms, which is why objective brain data is so valuable — it helps distinguish between them. Anxiety can mimic ADHD by causing restlessness, poor concentration, and distractibility. However, anxiety typically shows elevated alpha rather than elevated theta on EEG. Depression can reduce motivation and focus, but the neurological pattern is different from ADHD's characteristic theta/beta imbalance.

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) can coexist with ADHD — roughly 50–70%% of autistic people also meet criteria for ADHD. Our screening identifies the ADHD-specific theta/beta pattern regardless of comorbidities. Sleep disorders — particularly obstructive sleep apnoea and delayed sleep phase — can produce attention and concentration problems that look identical to ADHD during the day. Thyroid conditions can affect energy, focus, and mood.

Our screening measures what questionnaires cannot: the specific neurological pattern associated with ADHD. An elevated theta/beta ratio doesn't diagnose ADHD on its own, but it provides objective evidence of the cortical hypoarousal pattern that characterises the condition — evidence that helps your clinician make a more accurate differential diagnosis.

Your screening report opens multiple pathways simultaneously — you don't have to pick just one. Most clients from Congleton use the results in two or three ways at once. Immediately: book a GP appointment, bring the clinical letter, and request either an urgent CAMHS referral or a Right to Choose referral to Psychiatry-UK (NHS-funded, typically 3–6 months vs 2–5 years).

At the same time: send the report to your child's school SENCO for SEN register placement, EHCP evidence, or JCQ exam access arrangements (extra time, rest breaks). If you're an adult: begin an Access to Work application for government-funded coaching, assistive technology, and reasonable adjustments.

If the NHS pathway feels too slow even with Right to Choose, you can use the report alongside a private psychiatric assessment (£700–£1,500). The psychiatrist will have objective brain data before they even meet you — making the assessment more focused and potentially faster.

And if you're diagnosed and prescribed medication, your baseline brain data becomes invaluable. A follow-up medication comparison scan (£345) shows objective before-and-after changes in TBR and attention task performance — real evidence that treatment is working.

We always recommend staying on the NHS waiting list while pursuing our screening. The NHS pathway leads to fully-funded ongoing care. Our screening gives you evidence and support in the meantime — and data that strengthens your case when the NHS appointment finally arrives.

We screen clients at private venues across Cheshire and the wider region — not a hospital, not a clinical waiting room. Just a quiet, comfortable space where you or your child can relax. The venue is confirmed after booking based on your location and availability.

Alternatively, we come to you. Home visits are available across Cheshire — same equipment, same protocol, same report. Many clients from Congleton prefer this option, especially families screening children or adults who want maximum discretion. Book online or call to arrange.