Understanding ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, affects how the brain manages attention, activity levels, and impulse control. What that looks like in practice can be very different from one person to another — which is why ADHD is recognised as having three distinct presentations.

The 3 Types of ADHD

01
Inattentive

(ADHD-I)

Primarily affects attention, focus, and organisation.

More commonly identified in adults and in women and girls.

  • Difficulty concentrating or staying focused

  • Easily distracted or daydreams

  • Forgetful in daily activities

  • Loses things needed for tasks

  • Avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort

02
Hyperactive-Impulsive

(ADHD-HI)

Primarily affects activity levels and impulse control.

More commonly identified in young children.

  • Fidgets, taps, or struggles to sit still

  • Talks excessively or interrupts others

  • Acts without thinking

  • Restless or constantly on the go

  • Difficulty waiting their turn

03
Combined

(ADHD-C)

Features symptoms from both presentations.

Often becomes clearer as children move through school.

  • A mix of inattentive and hyperactive symptoms

  • Difficulty focusing and frequent restlessness

  • Impulsive actions alongside organisational challenges

  • May rush through some tasks and lose focus on others

  • The most commonly diagnosed presentation

What We Offer

How ADHD Can Change With Age

ADHD doesn't always look the same throughout life. Younger children naturally have shorter attention spans and higher energy levels, so ADHD stands out when these behaviours are extreme for the child's developmental stage.

As children grow and academic expectations rise, symptoms often shift. Hyperactivity tends to decrease with age, while inattentive symptoms can become more noticeable in adolescence. Many children initially identified with the hyperactive-impulsive presentation later meet criteria for the combined presentation as they grow up. Some children who start out with the combined presentation may later show predominantly inattentive symptoms as hyperactivity naturally fades.

This is one of the reasons assessment is so valuable — it provides clarity about how ADHD is presenting now, and how to support the individual through the changes ahead.

Why Assessment Matters

ADHD that goes unrecognised can affect many areas of life — education, work, relationships, and wellbeing. People often spend years wondering why certain things feel harder than they should, or watching their child struggle without understanding why.

A thorough assessment provides something different: clarity. It offers a clear explanation, an evidence-based diagnosis where appropriate, and practical recommendations for support. With that understanding in place, individuals and families can make informed choices about what comes next — whether that's accessing treatment, requesting reasonable adjustments at work or school, or simply having the language to make sense of their own experiences.

A diagnosis of ADHD is made against the criteria set out in the DSM-5-TR — the clinical manual used internationally by psychologists, psychiatrists, and other healthcare professionals. These criteria are what allow us to give you an assessment that is accurate, consistent, and grounded in evidence.

How ADHD Is Diagnosed

There are five things we look at carefully during the diagnostic process:

  • ADHD symptoms fall into two core domains: inattention, and hyperactivity-impulsivity. To meet diagnostic criteria:

    • Adults (aged 17 and over) must show five or more symptoms in one or both domains

    • Children must show six or more

    • Symptoms must have been present for at least six months

  • Some symptoms must have been present before the age of 12 — even if they weren't recognised as ADHD at the time. This is what helps us distinguish ADHD from difficulties that begin later in life for other reasons.

  • Symptoms need to be present in two or more areas of life — at home, at work, at school, or in social and community settings. This ensures the difficulties are consistent rather than limited to one situation.

  • The symptoms must cause genuine functional impairment. This might include:

    • Challenges with organisation or time management

    • Difficulty meeting deadlines

    • Struggles with emotional regulation

    • Relationship or communication difficulties

    • Reduced performance at work or school

    The focus is on real-world impact, not simply the presence of traits. Many people have moments of distractibility or impulsivity; what distinguishes ADHD is the consistent and meaningful effect on daily life.

  • Part of a thorough assessment involves carefully ruling out other factors that may better explain the symptoms, such as:

    • Anxiety or depression

    • Trauma

    • Sleep difficulties

    • Learning differences

    • Autism

    • Medical conditions

    • Substance use

    This step is what makes the diagnosis accurate and holistic. ADHD often co-exists with other conditions, and understanding the full picture allows us to give you guidance that is genuinely useful.

Diagnosis and Support

A diagnosis of ADHD is made against specific criteria set out in the DSM-5-TR. The inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive presentations each require a certain number of symptoms from their respective categories; the combined presentation requires symptoms from both.

Understanding which presentation applies — to yourself or to your child — helps you understand how the brain works and what kind of support is likely to be most effective. The most well-evidenced approaches combine appropriate medication with behavioural therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Both have strong research support, particularly for adults, where CBT alongside medication is well-established as an effective approach.

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