ADHD Handout Guide
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If you’re looking for an ADHD handout to share with clients and caregivers, you’ve come to the right place.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects millions of Americans—both children and adults—and can cause low self-esteem as well as difficulties in relationships, school, and work.
Therapy plays a crucial role in helping clients with ADHD develop coping strategies and improve their relationships.
In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of ADHD, which includes an ADHD handout for clients, an ADHD handout for parents, and a free ADHD fact sheet PDF that you can download and save to your electronic health record (EHR).
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is typically diagnosed in childhood, but can persist well into adulthood.
Key symptoms include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Squirming or fidgeting a lot
- Talking excessively
- Trouble multitasking
- Forgetfulness or losing everyday things (e.g., keys, phone, or watch)
- Making careless mistakes
- Disorganization
- Impulsivity or risk-taking
- Interrupting and difficulty waiting turn
- Social challenges
- Low frustration tolerance
- Difficulty managing stress
There are three types of ADHD
Inattentive type
This type of ADHD makes it challenging for individuals to stay focused, finish a task, retain details, follow instructions, or stick to a routine.
Hyperactive-impulsive type
With this type of ADHD, individuals may feel restless, struggle to sit still, or fidget a lot. In children, you might notice them frequently running around, jumping, or climbing. Impulsivity also looks like speaking at inappropriate moments, interrupting others, and taking greater risks.
Combined type
This type includes a person with both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.
ADHD symptoms, presentation, and type can also change over time.
ADHD in children
In children, ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, impacting a total of six million children (9.8%), according to data from 2016 to 2019.
Here’s a demographic breakdown of those diagnosed, by age:
- 3 to 5 years old: 265,000 (2%)
- 6 to 11 years old 2.4 million (10%)
- 12 to 17 years old: 3.3 million (13%)
There are gender disparities in diagnosis, as boys are more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis (13%), compared to 6% of girls. This can lead to greater rates of self-blame for lack of achievement, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression among girls.
Gender differences in ADHD diagnosis and treatment
Once thought to affect males only, ADHD is often underdiagnosed in females, leaving them to struggle in silence.
There are cultural factors that contribute to misdiagnoses in girls and women. Girls often mask symptoms of ADHD, such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, or disorganization, as they are at a higher risk of social judgment. They are often encouraged to display more “feminine” behaviors and traits, like having good relationships with others and being obedient.
Consequently, ADHD can present differently in females. For example, girls tend to present with the inattentive type of ADHD, displaying more internalized and less disruptive symptoms, such as being easily distracted, disorganized, and forgetful.
On the other hand, boys tend to exhibit more disruptive behaviors, like hyperactivity, impulsivity, or aggression, leading to higher rates of referrals for assessments.
Girls who display internalized symptoms are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than those with externalizing symptoms, suggesting that current evaluation and assessment of ADHD favors the classically male presentation. Thus, clinicians can miss an ADHD diagnosis in females, leading them to be underdiagnosed and undertreated—despite meeting the diagnostic criteria.
What to know about ADHD in adults
Given the impact of underdiagnosis in women, it's critical to understand how ADHD may present differently among adult males and females.
Researchers suggest there are specific signs of undiagnosed ADHD in adults, such as:
- Higher scores on measures of anxiety and depression
- Engaging in high risk behaviors
- Low self-esteem
- Comorbid conditions (e.g., substance use, mood disorders, anxiety)
- Emotional dysregulation
- Other internalized symptoms of inattentive presentation (e.g., disorganization)
Many adults with ADHD may not realize they have it. However, they may have a history of issues with school, work, or relationships.
The good news is that researchers and clinicians are catching up. A 2023 report in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed an increase in prescription stimulant use in adults from 2016 to 2021, suggesting growing recognition of ADHD in adults.
Key information for parents of children with ADHD
While ADHD can affect children at school, in their relationships, and at home, proper treatment can help manage ADHD and prevent children from experiencing comorbid conditions in adulthood.
Early intervention is key—before problems start to occur with academic performance, poor self-esteem, and potentially substance use.
Here are some tips to support parents of children with ADHD:
- With better understanding comes better support, so learn all you can about ADHD. One helpful resource is the Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) organization, which offers information and courses on parenting a child with ADHD.
- Ensure your child receives a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan.
- Advocate for a school support plan and learn about your child’s educational rights.
- Speak to your child’s physician about medication options.
- Adapt communications strategies to support your child’s ADHD type, like:
- Providing clear and consistent expectations, directions, and boundaries
- Trying not to overload them with information
- Finding ways to record the conversation, like keeping a note
- Set aside time to talk or check-in at the same time each day
- Implement systems at home that support your kid, such as labels and same-place storage for items like their phone, keys, and other regularly used items.
- Join a support group with other parents of ADHD children, such as CHADD’s local chapters.
- Seek help from a professional therapist and clinician who can provide an assessment and/or medication management.
- Consider if you also have ADHD. As a hereditary condition, you might have ADHD too and may want to seek assessment and treatment
- Acknowledge and celebrate your child’s successes to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
- Try not to punish your child for things related to ADHD and instead treat them as learning experiences.
What’s included in the ADHD handout?
Our free, downloadable ADHD fact sheet PDF includes key information about the symptoms of ADHD, common gender differences in presentation, key tips for parents on supporting their child with ADHD, information about treating ADHD in women, and the impact of underdiagnosis.
Plus, you can tailor it to your client, easily transforming the ADHD PDF into an ADHD parent handout or an ADHD patient handout.
Use the ADHD handout to educate clients about their diagnosis in a therapy session, or print it out and provide it for them to take home and read at their own pace.
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