Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can make school and social activities challenging for kids. At Nemours, our pediatric behavioral and developmental experts offer complete diagnostic assessments for ADHD in children. And we use information from those who know your child best to make a diagnosis and help you and your family manage your child’s ADHD symptoms.

Learn More About ADHD

All kids can have a hard time paying attention, listening and following directions, sitting still, or waiting their turn sometimes. But these challenges are more difficult and happen more often for kids with ADHD. 

Kids may have signs of ADHD from one, two or all of these categories:

Inattentive

• easily distracted (trouble listening, focusing their attention, concentrating, staying on task)
• often daydream, dawdle, lose track of things

Hyperactive

• fidgety, restless and easily bored
• trouble sitting still or staying quiet when needed
• rush through things and make careless mistakes

Impulsive

• act too quickly before thinking, do risky things
• interrupt, push, grab, find it hard to wait
• have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation

Combined (the most common type)

• includes all of the behaviors above

Sometimes, ADHD symptoms in kids can be the result of other conditions. So we work with other pediatric specialists to give kids the most appropriate care that meets all of their needs.

Before making a diagnosis, we recommend that your child has a medical examination that includes a hearing and vision test to rule out symptoms that mimic symptoms of ADHD in children. You and your child will then meet with our behavioral health experts to begin gathering information about your child. 

We’ll do a clinical assessment, similar to an interview, which may include screening questionnaires for you, your child’s teacher(s), school and others who may have daily interaction with your child. We may also perform testing that measures your child's IQ and achievement to rule out a learning disability or developmental delay.

Other services, which may vary depending on the condition or location, may include:

• education, providing information and resources about ADHD
• parent training techniques for managing ADHD symptoms, with behavior strategies for your whole family
• individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help your child learn new behavior patterns for home and school
• ADHD medication management and help to decide if medications (stimulants or nonstimulants) are best for your child
• working with your child’s community providers, including your child’s primary care pediatrician and teachers, to help your child function better in school and social settings

With the right diagnosis, our pediatric developmental and behavioral health experts can help your child and family understand the disorder. And we’ll work with you to learn strategies to help you cope and adapt to ADHD symptoms.

Regional ADHD Highlights 

Services, programs and care teams differ at each location. Call for details.