Does My Child Have ADHD?
Many parents first begin wondering whether their child might have ADHD after a conversation with a teacher, a comment on a school report, or difficulties they have noticed at home. Perhaps their child struggles to follow instructions, frequently loses belongings or finds it difficult to concentrate on tasks that other children seem to manage more easily.
These experiences can leave parents wondering whether ADHD might explain their child's difficulties or whether something else may be contributing. Understanding the common signs of ADHD, how they can present differently between children, and what a comprehensive assessment involves can help families decide on the next steps.
Only a thorough assessment by a qualified professional can determine whether a child has ADHD, and this article is general information only. It can help to know what parents and teachers commonly notice, why those behaviours can have many causes, and what an assessment at Sydney Children's Practice involves.
What teachers may notice
Teachers may mention that a child has trouble staying focused during independent work, calls out, leaves tasks unfinished or seems not to hear instructions. Written work may be disorganised or rushed, even when the child clearly understands the content. Some teachers notice a gap between what a child can do in a conversation and what ends up on the page.
If a teacher has raised concerns, it can help to ask for specific examples. Are difficulties occurring during particular subjects or activities? Does your child struggle most when working independently, following multiple instructions, or completing longer tasks? Are there situations in which they manage particularly well?
Understanding when difficulties occur, what appears to make them better or worse, and how they affect learning or relationships can provide valuable information. It is also helpful to consider whether similar patterns are evident at home or in other settings, although they may look quite different depending on the demands of the environment.
What parents may notice at home
At home, parents may notice difficulties with everyday routines that seem straightforward for other children. Getting ready for school might involve repeated reminders, misplaced belongings, or becoming distracted halfway through a task. Instructions involving several steps may be difficult to remember, and starting or completing homework can require considerable effort.
These difficulties can reflect challenges with executive functioning skills, including planning, organisation, working memory, time management, and getting started on tasks. Other children may be noticeably restless, talk frequently, interrupt conversations, or find waiting particularly difficult. Children with ADHD may also show considerable variation in their ability to concentrate. Some can remain deeply engaged in activities they find interesting or rewarding while struggling to maintain attention during less engaging or more demanding tasks. Being able to focus well in certain situations does not necessarily rule out ADHD.
Some children with attention difficulties also find games and friendships harder, perhaps because they interrupt, struggle to take turns or act before thinking. Big emotional reactions, frustration and low self-esteem can be part of the picture, particularly when a child is often corrected or feels they are always in trouble.
ADHD does not always involve obvious hyperactivity. Some children primarily experience difficulties with attention, organisation, remembering instructions, or completing tasks. These difficulties can be less noticeable to teachers and parents, particularly when a child is quiet, academically capable, or working hard to compensate.
Girls with ADHD are sometimes overlooked because their difficulties may be less disruptive in the classroom or because they have developed strategies to conceal or compensate for them. Our article on ADHD in girls looks at why these signs are often missed. Anxiety and low confidence may also develop when children repeatedly struggle to meet expectations despite considerable effort.
All children experience inattention, restlessness, or impulsivity from time to time. ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition involving persistent difficulties with attention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that are inconsistent with developmental expectations and significantly affect every day functioning.
When considering ADHD, clinicians look at whether symptoms have been present for at least 6 months, began during childhood, occur across more than one setting, and meaningfully affect areas such as learning, relationships, or family life. A child's age, developmental stage, and individual circumstances are also important.
Why these signs can have many explanations
Many of these behaviours are not unique to ADHD. Difficulty concentrating, restlessness and emotional reactions can also be linked to anxiety, low mood, poor or insufficient sleep, a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, or hearing or vision problems. Stress or changes at home can play a part, as can a mismatch between a child's needs and their learning environment. Autism and ADHD can also occur together, and a child may experience more than one of these at once.
Importantly, these factors are not always alternative explanations. Children with ADHD may also experience anxiety, learning difficulties, sleep problems, or other neurodevelopmental conditions. In some cases, several factors contribute to the difficulties parents and teachers are noticing.
This is why a list of ADHD signs or an online screening questionnaire cannot establish a diagnosis on its own. A comprehensive assessment considers the child's developmental history, individual strengths, everyday functioning, and experiences across different environments. It also explores whether other conditions or circumstances may better explain or be contributing to the child's difficulties.
Our articles on anxiety in children and improving sleep in younger children cover two of the most common alternative explanations.
What an ADHD assessment involves at our practice
Families concerned about ADHD may begin by speaking with their GP or contacting a psychologist experienced in assessing children and adolescents.
At Sydney Children's Practice, our ADHD assessments aim to develop a comprehensive understanding of a child's attention behaviour, cognitive abilities, and learning needs. We recognise that difficulties with attention, concentration, and behaviour can have several explanations, and that ADHD may also occur alongside other developmental or learning difficulties.
Our assessment process involves four main stages:
1. Clinical and developmental interview
We begin with a detailed interview with parents to understand their child's developmental history, current difficulties, strengths, and everyday functioning. For adolescent presentations, we also involve the young person in the interview. The appointment generally takes around 60 minutes and helps the psychologist determine whether further ADHD assessment is appropriate or whether another assessment or support pathway may be more suitable.
2. Cognitive, educational and attention testing
Our comprehensive assessment includes standardised cognitive testing using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and educational assessment using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT). These assessments help identify a child's cognitive and academic strengths and difficulties and investigate whether intellectual or learning challenges may be contributing to the concerns raised by parents and teachers.
We also incorporate a test of attention, which is a computerised performance-based assessment that measures aspects of attention and response control under standardised conditions.
Testing typically takes place across two individual appointments of up to two hours each, with additional assessment components incorporated where clinically indicated.
3. Rating scales and information from home and school
We use standardised ADHD rating scales, to gather information about attention, activity levels, impulsivity, and everyday functioning from parents and teachers. These reports help us understand how a child's difficulties present across different settings. With parental consent, the psychologist may also seek additional information from teachers or recommend a school observation where appropriate. Where potential intellectual difficulties are identified, we incorporate an adaptive behaviour questionnaire to better understand the child's everyday functioning and support needs.
4. Feedback, diagnosis and recommendations
Once the assessment is complete, the psychologist integrates information from the clinical interview, developmental history, cognitive and educational testing, attention measures, and parent and teacher reports. Families receive a comprehensive written report and attend a feedback appointment. The psychologist explains the findings, discusses whether the diagnostic criteria for ADHD or another condition have been met, and provides individualised recommendations to support the child at home and school.
Support after an assessment can also include strategies at school and at home, parent support and therapy, which our article on ADHD therapy for children and teens describes.
When to seek an assessment
There is no single right moment. Families often decide to look into an assessment when difficulties have continued over months, show up both at home and at school, and are affecting learning, friendships, confidence or family life. Late in the school year can be a practical time to start the conversation, because it allows families to gather information from this year's teacher while their observations are fresh.
At Sydney Children's Practice, our psychologists provide comprehensive ADHD assessments and ongoing support for children, adolescents and their families at our clinics in Glebe and Stanmore. Fees vary depending on the psychologist and your child's needs. Families receive clear information about the anticipated fees before proceeding. ADHD assessments at Sydney Children's Practice are generally privately funded and are not covered by standard Medicare psychology treatment rebates, although some private health funds may offer a partial rebate depending on the family’s policy. Families are welcome to get in touch to discuss concerns or explore whether an assessment may be helpful.
The information in this article is general in nature and is not a substitute for individualised assessment or professional advice. If you have concerns about your child, we encourage you to seek guidance from a qualified health professional.
Bradley Bowen, MPsych (Clinical Psychology), BA (Hons I), BSc, AMusA, MAPS is a Board-registered Clinical Psychologist and Clinic Director of Sydney Children’s Practice. He has worked with children, adolescents, and families for over 25 years and has been practising as a Clinical Psychologist since 2011. Bradley has a particular interest in supporting neurodivergent children, including those with ADHD and Autism, and works using evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and Mindfulness.
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