Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder seen in both children and adults. People with ADHD may have trouble concentrating or sitting still, and may also struggle to regulate and manage impulsive behaviour. They may have poor working memory—but may also be able to hyperfocus on things that really interest them.

Children with ADHD are often seen as disruptive in schools, which can lead to them being ‘turned off’ from learning. The right support will include encouragement to focus on their strengths and interests, and manage the difficulties that arise from their inattention or hyperactivity. This page discusses both how ADHD presents, and the support that may be needed.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a condition that affects behaviour.

It is a neurodevelopmental disorder (like dyspraxia) that manifests in childhood but lasts into adulthood. The average age of diagnosis is around 7 years old—usually between around 6 years to 12 years old—although some people are not diagnosed until much later. Most people’s symptoms start between the ages of about 3 and 6 years old.

The exact cause of ADHD is not clear, and it is thought to be complex.

There seems to be a genetic element, because it runs in families, as with dyslexia and dyspraxia. However, it is certainly not controlled by just one gene. Several studies have suggested that there may be differences in the brain or neurotransmitters among people with ADHD. For example, some studies have shown that particular areas of the brain are different sizes in people with ADHD, but it is not clear what effect this might have or why.

---

---

Symptoms of ADHD

The three main presentations of ADHD are primarily inattentive, primarily impulsive and hyperactive, and a combination of the two.

The first presentation—which seems to be found more often in girls—tends to manifest in daydreaming and a failure to pay attention. These children may lose things more often than their peers, or seem very forgetful. They may have difficulty sticking with tasks that are difficult or time-consuming, and may also be unable to listen to or follow instructions. However, they tend to be relatively quiet, including at school.

Children with this presentation may therefore slip ‘under the radar’ of professionals, who are often more alert to the more disruptive hyperactive and impulsive presentation. This manifests in the more common stereotype of being unable to sit still, and constantly moving around or talking. This may be why girls are less often diagnosed with ADHD than boys.

Common symptoms of ADHD include:

• An inability to pay attention, and a lack of focus;

• Conversely, an ability to hyperfocus on issues that are of real interest (although the downside here is that they can struggle to move away from those issues when required);

• Poor time management;

• Difficulty regulating and controlling impulsive behaviour;

• Difficulty regulating emotions;

• Hyperactivity;

• Poor working memory and a tendency towards forgetfulness; and

• Executive dysfunction, which is a general inability to manage the cognitive processes that control other cognitive processes.

A formal diagnosis of ADHD in children or teenagers requires the presence of at least six symptoms of inattentiveness, or six symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

The symptoms must also have been present for at least six months, and have started before the age of 12. The symptoms must also be seen in at least two settings, to rule out interactions with the setting, and must make life difficult in at least one setting. Finally, there must be no other ‘better’ cause of the symptoms, such as a mental health problem or developmental disorder.

ADHD does not stop when a child reaches adulthood.

However, by that stage they may have become more adept at ‘masking’ their symptoms, or found ways round them. They are also no longer required to sit quietly in a classroom and learn, and instead can find work that plays to their strengths.

The symptoms of ADHD in adults are therefore much more subtle. They include lack of attention to detail, forgetfulness or losing things, poor organisational skills and moving onto new tasks before finishing the previous one.

However, getting a diagnosis in adulthood is more complicated. For a start, there is disagreement about whether the same symptoms can be used for diagnosis in adulthood. You also need to be able to show that you have the symptoms since childhood, and that they are genuinely interfering with your life.

Treatment for ADHD

ADHD is usually treated with some combination of behavioural therapy and medication. When children are younger at the point of diagnosis, treatment is most likely to focus on behavioural therapy for both them and their parents. For older children and adults, treatment will depend on the symptoms and their effects on daily life.

The best support for children and adults with ADHD is likely to involve a combination of managing problem behaviours, and encouraging strengths such as ability to hyperfocus or generate lots of ideas. Ways to manage difficult behaviours include use of calendars and reminders to improve organisation and time management, and building routines to help with regulation.

There are also some behaviours that are known to help with managing symptoms, including:

• Eating healthily, which means plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole grains and less ultra-processed foods.

  Our pages on Food, Diet and Nutrition explain why this might be the case. You may be particularly interested in the pages on the gut microbiome and ultra-processed food.

• Taking regular, or even daily, physical exercise.

  Our page on The Importance of Exercise explains why this might help. You may also find it helpful to read our page on how to exercise safely and effectively.

• Getting the right amount of sleep for your age and body.

  Our pages on What is Sleep? explains why this matters, and our page on The Importance of Sleep provides some ideas for improving your ‘sleep hygiene’ to help you get to sleep better.

• Limiting the amount of time you spend using screens, including computers, phones and tablets, especially on social media sites.

  Our page on Social Media and Mental Health explains more.

---

In Conclusion

Like many other developmental disorders and neurodivergent conditions, having ADHD can make life hard.

The real question to ask is why we expect people—especially children—to fit in by behaving in particular ways. Is the issue with people who are neurodivergent—or the society that expects them to conform?

---