Nurture

ADHD

4 – 18 years · 6 min read

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a difference in how the brain manages attention, activity and impulses. Every child is sometimes restless or distracted; with ADHD it happens far more than for other children of the same age, in more than one place, and it gets in the way of everyday life.

ADHD is not caused by poor parenting or sugar. It often runs in families.

What parents often notice

  • Finding it very hard to sit through meals, lessons or stories, even ones they enjoy.
  • Starting many things and finishing few; losing things; forgetting instructions part-way through.
  • Acting before thinking: grabbing, interrupting, running into the road.
  • Being able to focus for hours on a game they love, but not on homework. This is typical of ADHD, not a sign it is absent.
  • Big feelings that flare quickly and settle quickly.
  • In some children, especially girls, ADHD is mostly daydreaming and quiet disorganisation, and is easily missed.

What helps at home

  • Give one instruction at a time, with your child looking at you, and ask them to say it back.
  • Break tasks into small steps with a tick list; use timers for short bursts of work with movement breaks.
  • Catch them being good. Specific praise (“You put your shoes away first time!”) works better than correction.
  • Keep mornings and evenings the same every day. Prepare the night before.
  • Plenty of outdoor play, regular sleep and meals help attention more than any single food or supplement.

Myths and facts

  • MythThey can concentrate on the phone, so it can’t be ADHD.

    FactChildren with ADHD can hyper-focus on things they find exciting. The difficulty is with tasks that are not.

  • MythADHD is just naughtiness and needs stricter discipline.

    FactHarsh punishment usually makes things worse. Clear routines and warm, consistent responses help.

When to talk to a professional

  • Difficulties show up both at home and at school (or with other caregivers), for six months or more.
  • Teachers are raising the same concerns you see at home.
  • Your child is often hurt, left out, or upset with themselves because of it.

Who can help

  • Developmental paediatrician
  • Child psychiatrist
  • Child psychologist

Sources

Last updated 28 September 2026 · General information, not medical advice. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for a qualified professional.