It’s a question many parents carry quietly for a long time. SPARQ is a free reflection booklet, created by our clinicians, to help you gather what you’ve noticed calmly and at your own pace, so you can decide whether an assessment feels right for your child.
- Make sense of what you’re seeing at home, at school and in other settings
- Notice your child’s strengths, as well as the things they find harder
- Feel prepared for conversations with school, your GP or other professionals
- Private and at your own pace: print it or type on screen, and your answers stay with you
We’ll email you the booklet, followed by a few short, supportive emails over the next few weeks. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Statement. We’ll never ask about your child.
★★★★★ 5.0 from 25 Google reviews
"If you are wondering whether an assessment may be helpful, it doesn't mean that you are 'overthinking' or 'seeing things that aren't there': it means you've noticed patterns, questions or concerns that deserve the space for reflection and careful thought."
Why there's rarely a quick answer
Online quizzes and checklists can seem like the fastest way to find out whether your child is autistic or has ADHD. But autism and ADHD don't look the same in every child, and a score can't take account of the whole picture. For example:
- Children can present very differently at home, at school and elsewhere. Some hold things together all day, then become distressed, exhausted or overwhelmed when they get home.
- Autism and ADHD can show up in similar ways, and many children have both.
- Strengths and interests matter as much as difficulties in understanding how your child's brain works.
- Early experiences, family stress or changes in care can sit alongside autism and ADHD, making the picture more complex.
- Some patterns only make sense when you look back over time.
Only a full assessment by qualified clinicians can tell you whether your child is autistic or has ADHD. What you can do now is notice the patterns, and give your questions the space they deserve. That's what SPARQ is for.
SPARQ may help if…
- You're wondering about autism, ADHD or both, and don't know where to start
- You feel unsure, and want to think things through before speaking to anyone
- You've raised concerns before and felt they weren't heard
- Your child seems very different at home from how they are at school
- You're preparing for a conversation with school, your GP or another professional
- You're considering an assessment and want to decide whether it feels helpful and proportionate
What SPARQ helps you reflect on
SPARQ has twelve short sections, each with a few gentle questions and space for your notes. It starts with your child's strengths and interests, then explores how they get on at home and at school, with friendships and communication, and with sensory experiences and routines. Further sections cover attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, how things have changed over time, and any early experiences or family stress, before finishing with your biggest concerns and questions.
There are no right or wrong answers and no score: just space to think.
SPARQ stands for Spectrum Parents: Ask, Reflect and Question.
How to get your booklet
- Enter your first name and email. That's all we ask for.
- Check your inbox. Your booklet arrives within a few minutes. If you can't see it, check your spam or promotions folder.
- Reflect at your own pace. Jot down examples, questions and changes you've noticed, and come back to it whenever you need to.
Over the following few weeks, we'll also send a few short emails on things parents often ask us about, such as when a child holds it together at school, and what happens in an assessment. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Created by experienced clinicians
SPARQ was created by the Spectrum North West team at our practice in Grappenhall, Warrington, including Lesley Taylor, Chartered Clinical Psychologist, and Sarah Brady, Lead Speech and Language Therapist. Our clinicians are HCPC-registered, and most work within, or have many years working in the NHS.
The questions in SPARQ reflect the areas we explore with families during an assessment. So whatever you decide next, you'll have a clearer picture of your child and the questions that matter most to you.
"The team were absolutely incredible throughout the whole process. They were knowledgeable, patient, compassionate and truly took the time to understand our son as a whole person, not just a list of behaviours or difficulties."
Victoria, parent | Verified Google review
You don't need to have the answer yet
Start by noticing. SPARQ gives you a calm, private space to reflect on your child, at your own pace.
Get your free reflection booklet
We'll email you the booklet, followed by a few short, supportive emails over the next few weeks. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Statement.
Already feel ready to talk? Book an online pre-diagnostic consultation: no commitment, just a conversation.