ADHD Tools & Resources
Learn how to help manage ADHD throughout the education years and life stages. Download these guides for more information and tips.
Knowing how to help a kid with ADHD is empowering to all. Get started.
Whether you are a caregiver or an educator for children and teens that may be experiencing symptoms of ADHD or that have already been diagnosed, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll find the information and resources necessary to make a difference.
What ADHD Is
Attention-Deficit/
Hyperactivity
Disorder
ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. It is a medically recognized disorder, and the symptoms cause real challenges at home, at school and/or in social settings. ADHD and ADD (Attention-Deficit Disorder) describe the same condition.
What ADHD Is Not
ADHD is
not a myth
It is not about a lack of intelligence or motivation. It is not caused by bad parents or teachers. It is not classified as a learning disorder. It is not just an “excuse.”
How ADHD Appears
What does ADHD look like?
Symptoms of ADHD in children may include often making careless mistakes in schoolwork, having difficulty paying attention in play activities, and leaving his or her seat in the classroom. ADHD starts in childhood but can continue into adolescence and adulthood.
What It’s Like to Be a Child With ADHD
What It’s Like to Be a Teen With ADHD
Diagnosing ADHD
See an expert
Only a qualified healthcare professional can determine if a child has ADHD by taking several steps, including evaluating symptoms, frequency, and family history. There is no simple test for ADHD. However, there is a standardized way that ADHD is diagnosed. To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child must have at least six of the inattentive symptoms and/or six of the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms listed in this table. In addition, the child must:
- Have symptoms for at least six months to a degree that is inconsistent with his or her developmental level and that negatively impacts him or her directly on social and academic/occupational activities
- Have had several symptoms before age 12
- Have several symptoms in at least two settings (such as home, school or work)
- Have symptoms that clearly interfere with or reduce the quality of social, academic or occupational functioning
- Have symptoms that cannot be better explained by another cause
Inattentive Symptoms*
| Difficulty paying attention to details/makes careless mistakes |
| Difficulty sustaining attention |
| Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly |
| Unable to follow instructions and fails to finish tasks |
| Trouble with organization |
| Avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort |
| Loses important things |
| Easily distracted |
| Forgetful in daily activities |
HYPERACTIVE/IMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS*
| Fidgets/squirms |
| Has trouble staying seated |
| Excessive running/climbing or restlessness |
| Trouble with quiet activities |
| Is "on the go" as if "driven by a motor" |
| Talks too much |
| Blurts out answers |
| Difficulty awaiting turn |
| Interrupts conversations or intrudes on others |
*These symptoms must be present often and in 2 or more settings, such as at home, in school, and/or in social settings.
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