Guide to ADHD for parents

In this guide to ADHD for parents, we provide an overview of ADHD, how to help family members in understanding ADHD, effective treatment interventions, and tips to explain ADHD to parents. 

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder affecting millions of children and adults in the United States.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 11% of children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S. have ever been diagnosed with ADHD, and six in 10 children have moderate or severe ADHD.

Given the prevalence of ADHD, it is critical that clinicians feel equipped to provide families with the resources they need. 

You can also download a free guide to ADHD for parents that you can provide to family members to help them in understanding ADHD.

ADHD information for parents

Clinicians may not need to inform parents of the specific diagnostic criteria for ADHD, but it may be helpful to have a quick overview of the condition to feel fully informed when providing psychoeducation on ADHD for parents. 

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in a child’s developmental period, often before the child enters school. 

There are three types of ADHD for parents to know about: inattentive type, hyperactive/impulsive type, or combined presentation. 

Symptoms of ADHD in children

Below, we’ve summarized the main symptoms of each type of ADHD and the diagnostic criteria to help parents in understanding ADHD.

Inattentive ADHD

Children with inattentive ADHD experience six or more of the following symptoms:

• Poor attention to detail and making careless mistakes
• Difficulty sustaining attention and may appear to zone out or not seem to be listening when spoken to directly
• Struggles to follow through with instructions or needs help to finish tasks
• Experiences trouble organizing tasks and activities
• Avoids or dislikes tasks that take sustained time and effort
• Forgetfulness, losing things necessary for everyday tasks (e.g., schoolwork, keys, homework)
• Easily distracted
• Forgetful in daily activities

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Hyperactive/impulsive ADHD

Children with hyperactive or impulsive ADHD have five or more of the following symptoms:

• Often fidgets, taps hands or feet, or squirms in their seat
• Frequently leaves their seat in situations where staying seated is expected
• Runs around or climbs excessively in inappropriate situations (for teens/adults, feeling restless)
• Struggles to play or engage in activities quietly
• Appears to be constantly "on the go," acting as if "driven by a motor"
• Talks excessively
• Often blurts out answers before questions are completed
• Struggles to wait their turn
• Frequently interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butting into conversations or games)

Combined type

Kids with combined ADHD have symptoms in both of these categories, and they are present in several settings over the last six months. 

To receive a diagnosis, kids who meet these criteria must have several of these symptoms prior to age 12, in two or more settings (e.g., at school, home, work, or with friends and relatives), and show that symptoms reduce their quality of life and functioning.

ADHD prevalence and key statistics

ADHD is among the most prevalent mental health conditions impacting children in the United States, affecting approximately seven million children. But it doesn’t impact all children the same. 

CDC data shows differences in:

• Gender: ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in males, affecting 15% of males and 8% of females.
• Race and ethnicity: Rates of ADHD vary among different racial groups: 
• Asian children accounted for 4% of ADHD diagnoses
• Black and white children both had 12% of ADHD diagnoses
• American Indian/Alaskan Native children accounted for 10% of ADHD diagnoses
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders received 6% of ADHD diagnoses
• 10% of Hispanic children were diagnosed with ADHD
• Severity: Six in 10 children were diagnosed with moderate to severe ADHD, according to the CDC. Children with ADHD and other mental health diagnoses were more likely to have severe ADHD. According to a parent survey, approximately 78% of children with ADHD had at least one other co-occurring condition, including anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, and Tourette syndrome.
• Diagnosis: The CDC estimates that diagnoses of children between three and 17 vary from six to 16 percent across states in the U.S.
• Treatment: The number of children receiving ADHD treatment also varies:
• It’s estimated that 58% to 92% of children receive treatment across states. 
• Treatment options vary, with 38% to 81% taking medication and 39% to 62% receiving behavioral therapy.

ADHD is an ongoing public health concern. 

However, more children are receiving a diagnosis, with one million more children diagnosed in 2022 compared to 2016, which is a positive step toward getting children and families support and resources for understanding ADHD.

How to explain ADHD to parents

ADHD can make it challenging for children to pay attention, follow instructions, control impulses, and sit still. 

While most children are distractible and may struggle to pay attention, ADHD is different. 

Symptoms are more noticeable, and ADHD can make life difficult for children, causing conflicts in school, social challenges, and difficulties at home. 

At the top of this article, you can download a printable handout with information on ADHD for parents, including an overview of ADHD symptoms, prevalence and key statistics, and treatment options. 

ADHD therapy interventions

There are two main types of treatment for ADHD:

Medication 

Up to 80% of children with ADHD respond to stimulant medication, such as Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Vyvanse, Methylin, or Metadate. There are also non-stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, such as Wellbutrin, clonidine, and atomoxetine. 

As with all prescribed medication, children might experience side effects and should work with a medication provider or psychiatrist to find the proper medication and dose. 

Behavioral therapy 

Several types of therapy can support children with ADHD and their families while affirming the child, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). 

Strategies that support executive functioning, like checklists, planners, color coding, and text-to-audio apps, may also be helpful for treating and understanding ADHD. 

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Can a child with ADHD lead an everyday life?

This is a difficult question to answer, as some clinicians firmly believe that children with neurodevelopmental disorders, like ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, are not inherently wrong or need to be treated. 

Interventions like behavioral modifications have come under criticism because they focus on aversive techniques that may elicit adverse reactions and cause emotional distress. It also perpetuates the notion that neurodivergent people are abnormal when their brain works differently. 

Perhaps a more appropriate question is to consider how the family and systems can adapt to promote neurodiverse ways of thinking, which may cause less distress in neurodivergent children. 

However, as a clinician answering this question about ADHD for parents, it may be helpful to reframe the question and focus on ways they can support their child.

Ways for parents and caregivers to support children with ADHD include:

• Getting an assessment for ADHD (depending on the school or insurance company, this may need to be done by a psychologist if the student requires a special education plan or accommodations)
• Learning about ADHD
• Becoming your child’s advocate and case manager until they can become their own
• Creating an affirming support team, including a pediatrician, therapist, and school social worker
• Asking for supportive accommodations, such as deadline extensions, quiet spaces, non-school or home-school days, and the ability to get up and move around
• Giving your child their own affirming space, such as creating a sensory deprivation or time out area at home
• Working with a therapist to find the best ways to communicate as a family
• Finding a support group about ADHD for parents

Sources

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2023). ADHD resource center. 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Data and statistics on ADHD. 
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). (n.d.). Parenting a child with ADHD. 
• Child Mind Institute. (n.d.). Complete guide to ADHD. 
• Danielson, M. L., Claussen, A. H., Bitsko, R. H., Katz, S. M., Newsome, K., Blumberg, S. J., Kogan, M. D., & Ghandour, R. (2024). ADHD Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Adolescents in 2022: Diagnosis, Severity, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Treatment.

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