ADHD Assessment for Children & Adults

Hyperactivity, Restlessness & Impulsivity

• Children: Often very active, fidgety, and impulsive.

• Adults: May feel internally restless, struggle to relax, or act impulsively (e.g., quick decisions, impulsive spending).

• Gender: Boys/men often appear more outwardly hyperactive; girls/women may look calm but feel restless inside.

Sensory Sensitivities

• Hypersensitivity or under-sensitivity to noise, touch, lights, and busy environments.

• Children: Strong reactions to clothing textures, noises, or crowded places.

• Adults: Sensory overload leading to irritability, overwhelm, or withdrawal.

• Gender: Women often report stronger sensory responses, sometimes mistaken for anxiety.

Difficulty Sustaining Attention

• Struggle to stay focused on tasks that feel boring, repetitive, or uninteresting.

• Children: Trouble with homework and classroom instructions.

• Adults: Difficulty with admin tasks, emails, long meetings, or finishing projects.

• Gender: Inattentive symptoms are more common in girls/women and often missed.

Underachievement at School or Work

• Capable but may struggle to meet expectations.

• Children: Inconsistent academic performance.

• Adults: Missed deadlines, career plateaus, or frequent job changes.

• Gender: Women may mask difficulties for longer, leading to burnout.

Challenges with Relationships & Friendships

• Difficulty with consistency, emotional regulation, or social cues.

• Children: May interrupt, act impulsively, or struggle with turn-taking.

• Adults: Forgetfulness, intensity, or difficulty maintaining social routines.

• Gender: Women often compensate by masking or people-pleasing.

Planning & Financial Management Difficulties

• Trouble organising tasks, sticking to budgets, or managing paperwork.

• Children: Forgetting materials or struggling with planning ahead.

• Adults: Issues with bills, budgeting, deadlines, or long-term planning.

Organisation & Time Management Problems

• Frequent lateness, procrastination, or difficulty prioritising.

• Children: Losing items, messy spaces, forgetting homework.

• Adults: Feeling overwhelmed or unable to structure tasks effectively.

Slow Processing or Passive Behaviour

• May seem quiet, slow to respond, or “in their own world.”

• Children: Dreamy or withdrawn presentation.

• Adults: Slower decision-making or difficulty keeping up in conversations.

• Gender: More common in girls/women, linked to inattentive ADHD.

Difficulty Starting Tasks (Executive Dysfunction)

• Knowing what needs to be done but struggling to begin.

• Appears as procrastination, avoidance, or “mental paralysis.”

Reduced Safety Awareness

• Risk-taking or difficulty recognising danger.

• Children: Impulsive play or unsafe decisions.

• Adults: Impulsive driving or decisions without thinking ahead.

• Gender: Often more obvious in boys/men; subtler forms may appear in girls/w