Who Can Diagnose ADHD, Autism and Learning Disorders in Sydney?
If you have started wondering whether you or your child may have ADHD, autism or a learning disorder, one of the first questions is often:
“Who can actually diagnose this?”
With psychologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists and GPs all involved in assessment and care, it can be difficult to know where to start.
The answer depends on what you are concerned about, whether the assessment is for a child or adult, and whether medication may be part of the treatment plan.
The good news is that you don't necessarily need to work all of this out before seeking help.
Who can diagnose ADHD?
ADHD is a clinical diagnosis based on a comprehensive assessment rather than a single test.
In Australia, ADHD can be diagnosed by appropriately qualified psychologists, psychiatrists and paediatricians. In NSW, the pathway is also changing to allow appropriately trained and endorsed GPs to diagnose and manage ADHD in certain circumstances.
A comprehensive ADHD assessment considers more than whether someone recognises themselves in a list of symptoms. It may explore:
attention and concentration
hyperactivity and impulsivity
executive functioning
developmental history
functioning at home, school, university or work
relationships
emotional and behavioural functioning
information from parents, teachers or partners
other possible explanations or co-occurring conditions.
There is no single blood test, brain scan or questionnaire that can confirm ADHD. Diagnosis relies on bringing together information from a range of sources.
Can a psychologist diagnose ADHD?
Yes.
A suitably qualified psychologist can conduct a comprehensive ADHD assessment and provide a diagnostic opinion within their professional scope.
Psychologists can also provide recommendations about strategies, psychological support, learning adjustments and other interventions based on the assessment findings.
However, psychologists cannot prescribe medication.
If medication is being considered, this requires involvement from an appropriately authorised medical practitioner. In NSW, psychostimulant prescribing is subject to specific regulatory requirements.
This means that some people may have their ADHD assessment completed by a psychologist and then work with a psychiatrist, paediatrician or appropriately authorised GP if medication is required.
Who can diagnose autism?
Autism can be diagnosed by appropriately qualified psychologists and psychiatrists, with paediatricians also commonly involved in the assessment of children.
An autism assessment generally considers a person's developmental history, social communication and interaction, patterns of behaviour and interests, sensory experiences and everyday functioning.
For children, information from parents and educators can be particularly valuable.
For adults, understanding childhood experiences is also important, even when an autism diagnosis is not considered until adulthood.
A good autism assessment isn't simply about identifying whether someone displays particular behaviours. It considers the developmental pattern and the way those characteristics affect the person's everyday life.
Who can diagnose a learning disorder?
Specific learning disorders, such as difficulties with reading, written expression or mathematics — require a different type of assessment.
A psychologist with appropriate training can conduct formal assessment using standardised cognitive and academic measures. The Australian Psychological Society notes that formal assessment for specific learning disorders involves standardised psychological and achievement testing and consideration of other possible explanations for learning difficulties.
This may involve assessments such as:
WISC - cognitive assessment for children
WAIS - cognitive assessment for adults
WIAT - academic achievement assessment.
These assessments can help identify patterns of cognitive and academic strengths and difficulties and determine whether a specific learning disorder may be contributing to someone's difficulties.
What about a GP?
A GP can be an excellent starting point if you aren't sure where to begin.
Your GP can discuss your concerns, consider medical or other factors that may be contributing, and refer you to an appropriate professional where needed.
For ADHD specifically, NSW is expanding the role of GPs. Since 2025, appropriately authorised GPs have been able to provide ongoing ADHD prescriptions for people who have already been diagnosed and stabilised on medication. NSW is also introducing a pathway for selected trained GPs to diagnose ADHD and commence treatment.
However, not every GP is an ADHD diagnostician or authorised to prescribe ADHD medication.
If you are unsure what pathway is appropriate, your regular GP can be a useful place to start.
What about a psychiatrist?
Psychiatrists are medical specialists who can diagnose ADHD and autism and can also assess and treat a range of mental health conditions.
One important difference is that psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication.
For someone seeking an ADHD diagnosis where medication may be considered, a psychiatrist may therefore be involved in both diagnosis and medication management.
What about a paediatrician?
For children and adolescents, a paediatrician may assess developmental, behavioural and learning concerns and can diagnose ADHD and autism within their scope.
Paediatricians are also medical doctors, so they can prescribe medication where appropriate and permitted.
A paediatrician may be particularly useful when there are broader developmental, medical or behavioural questions that need to be considered alongside ADHD or autism.
Do I need separate assessments for ADHD, autism and learning difficulties?
Not necessarily.
This is where assessment can become confusing for families.
A child who is struggling at school may have difficulties with attention, learning, social communication, emotional regulation or several of these areas at once.
Similarly, an adult may wonder:
“Is this ADHD, autism, anxiety, a learning difficulty, or some combination?”
You shouldn't necessarily have to work out the answer before you seek an assessment.
A comprehensive approach can help
At thegrowspace, we start with the concerns that brought you to us, rather than requiring you to decide on a diagnosis first.
Where appropriate, a comprehensive assessment can consider areas such as:
cognitive functioning
academic achievement
attention and executive functioning
social communication
emotional and behavioural functioning
developmental history
everyday functioning.
This can help build a clearer picture of what is contributing to the difficulties, rather than simply testing for one diagnosis in isolation.
What happens if I need medication?
This is one of the key differences between psychologists and medical practitioners.
Psychologists can assess and diagnose ADHD and autism, and can provide recommendations and psychological support, but psychologists do not prescribe medication.
If medication is considered appropriate following an ADHD diagnosis, a psychiatrist, paediatrician or appropriately authorised GP may be involved in prescribing and ongoing medication management.
This doesn't mean you necessarily need to choose between psychological assessment and medical care. The two can work together.
For many people, understanding their cognitive, behavioural and developmental profile is valuable regardless of whether medication is ultimately part of their treatment.
So, who should I see?
There isn't one right answer for everyone.
A possible starting point
ADHD → Psychologist, psychiatrist, paediatrician or appropriately trained GP
Autism → Psychologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician
Learning Difficulties → Psychologist with appropriate assessment training
ADHD + Autism → Comprehensive assessment with an appropriately qualified psychologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician
Learning + Attention difficulties → Comprehensive cognitive/academic and ADHD assessment
Unsure what's going on → Start with a GP or a service that can help determine the appropriate assessment pathway
The most important thing is to choose a professional who has appropriate training and experience in the area being assessed.
You don't need to diagnose the problem before seeking help
If you're searching for “who can diagnose ADHD in Sydney?”, “who can diagnose autism?” or “who can assess learning difficulties?”, you may already feel overwhelmed by the different options.
You don't necessarily need to decide whether you need an ADHD assessment, autism assessment, cognitive assessment or learning assessment before making contact.
At thegrowspace, we take a whole-person and whole-child approach to assessment. We can start with what you have noticed, consider the broader picture and help determine which areas need to be explored.
The goal isn't simply to provide a diagnosis.
It's to understand why someone may be struggling, identify their strengths and provide practical recommendations for what can help next.
Not sure where to start?
If you're wondering whether the difficulties you're seeing could be related to ADHD, autism, learning or something else, get in touch with thegrowspace to discuss the most appropriate assessment pathway for you or your child.