A look at
Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity
Disorder
(ADHD)

Ricky

Ricky sits on his hands to stop them from
moving. “It’s like I have a motor inside me
going “brrrrrr” all the time and I can’t
stop it.”

Does this sound like
your child?

Is it hard for your child to sit still?

Does your child act without thinking first?

Does your child start but not finish things?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, you may want to read this booklet to learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder!called ADHD for short. ADHD is a real illness that starts in childhood. It can change the way children act, think, and feel.

Parents of these children may know there is a problem, but they may not be sure what the problem is or what to do about it. Reading this booklet will help you learn what you can do to help your child.

Five steps to understand and get help
for ADHD

1. Look for signs of ADHD
2. Learn that ADHD is an illness that can be treated
3. Ask your child's doctor for help
4. Talk to your child's teachers
5. Work together to help your child

Carlos

“When I read the checklist, I couldn’t believe it. I was nodding and saying  “sí, sí” for each thing. I made many check marks. They all described my son, Juan. It made me want to figure out this whole thing so he could finally get better.”

Step 1

Look for signs of ADHD

Put a check mark next to each one that sounds like your child.

My child often...

is moving something—fingers, hands, arms feet, or legs.

walks, runs, or climbs around when others are seated.

has trouble waiting in line or taking turns.

doesn’t finish things.

gets bored after just a short while.

daydreams or seems to be in another world.

talks when other people are talking.

gets frustrated with schoolwork or homework.

acts quickly without thinking first.

is sidetracked by what is going on around him or her.

Noah

“I do OK in gym class. Library time is the worst. All I hear is “sssshhh.” I tell myself “Don’t talk,” but I never stop myself in time.”

Pearl

“I get in trouble all the time,” Pearl tells her school counselor. “My teacher doesn’t like me. At recess none of the other kids want to play with me. Am I bad?”

Step 2

Learn that ADHD is an illness that can be treated.

ADHD can make children feel bad about themselves. They may see themselves as failures, when they are not. They need help with this common childhood illness.

With the right care, children with ADHD are able to pay attention, control their behavior, and slow their fast pace. With the illness under control, children can grow, learn, and develop better than before.

Kanesha

“Tyronne’s teacher gave me a booklet on ADHD to read. It really helped. I used to think I was not a good parent or that he was not a good kid. Now I know it has been ADHD all along. It’s an illness—like Ginetta’s asthma. No one is to blame. It’s a card we’ve been dealt. That’s all. Now that we know what we are dealing with and how to treat it, it’s getting better.”

Puran

”I called the community mental health center because you don’t need insurance to go there. We met with a child psychiatrist. The doctor asked us questions about how my daughter Shahi acts at home and school. The doctor also wanted to know about any bad things that had happened in her life, like when her father died. Then we got some forms for Shahi’s teachers to fill out. This was how we found out she had ADHD.”

Step 3

Ask your child's doctor for help.

If you are worried about your child’s behavior, trust your feelings. Ask your child’s doctor for help. Many parents start by taking their child to see a family doctor or pediatrician. Some families go on to see doctors who specialize in childhood problems such as ADHD. These doctors are called "child psychiatrists" or "child psychologists." Tell the doctor about the behavior that worries you. The doctor will tell you if the cause may be ADHD.

Medicine and "behavior therapy" and are the most common treatments for ADHD. Medicine for ADHD can help children pay attention, finish tasks, and think before they act. Behavior therapy involves meeting with the doctor to work on new skills to make it easier to deal with relationships, rules, limits, and choices. Both medicine and behavior therapy are safe and proven to work. These treatments used together give the best results.

Step 4

Talk to your child's teachers.

Your child’s school may be able to help in many ways. Talk to your child’s teachers about ADHD.

• Ask if your child is having any problems in the classroom or on the playground.

• Tell the teachers that your child has ADHD, a common childhood illness.

• List any medications your child takes and explain any other treatments.

• Find out if your child can get any special services that help with learning.

To make sure your child gets all the help he or she needs, you can also talk to a guidance counselor at the school.

Step 5

Work together to help your child.

Parents, children, teachers, and doctors should work together as members of a team. Together you can set goals for your child and find the right treatment to reach those goals. Some of the goals families can work toward include:

• helping children feel better about themselves,

• helping children do better in school,

• helping children follow classroom and household rules,

• helping children make more friends, and

• reducing the behaviors that cause problems.

Some children with ADHD also get tutoring or
counseling at school. Let your doctor know
about any services provided by the school.

Rachel

“In therapy I work on ways to remember things better. One is called BHB. It stands
for Backpack, Homework, Books. And I
say to myself, “Have you got your BHB
on?” My mom says it to me too. It helps
me remember my school stuff.”

For more information:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
You can call or write any of these organizations for free information about ADHD. You can also find more information on their web sites. “Free call” phone numbers can be used by anyone, anywhere in the United States.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Office of Communications
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Free call: 1-800-615-6464
Local call: 301-443-4513
Hearing impaired (TTY): 301-443-8431
Web site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Children and Adults with Attention-
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
(CHADD)

8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
Free call: 1-800-233-4050
Web site: http://www.chadd.org

Federation of Families for
Children's Mental Health

1101 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Local call: 703-684-7710
Web site: http://www.ffcmh.org

National Information Center for
Children and Youth with Disabilities
(NICHCY)

P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
Free call: 1-800-695-0285
Web site: http://www.nichcy.org

All contact information was current as of the printed date of this booklet. Check the web sites for any changes in this information.

~ NIH Publication No. 04-5429
~ Printed March 2004