# Notice worry behind the behaviour

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://adhd100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://adhd100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://adhd100.jock.pl/notice-your-childs-anxiety/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-29
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-29, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 41 of 100 in the list: https://adhd100.jock.pl/#notice-your-childs-anxiety

Watch for fear and avoidance, not only the ADHD signs everyone can see.

**The number:** About 40% of US children with ADHD also had anxiety in a parent survey ([CDC, 2026](https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html))

## The evidence

- How sure: Certainty of evidence: Not rated. Measured in people with ADHD.
- Evidence grade: C. Grade C: small or mixed studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Worth knowing, not worth betting on.
- Basis: CDC ADHD survey data establish co-occurrence; general child mental-health guidance supports recognition and seeking help.
- Outcome: parent-reported anxiety among US children with ADHD, approximate
- Comparison: survey prevalence, not the benefit of this action
- Benefit: 62/100. The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.

## Why it matters

CDC reports anxiety in about four in ten US children with ADHD in a national parent survey. Anxiety can show up as irritability, stomach aches or avoiding school and play, so it can be mistaken for difficult behaviour. Noticing the pattern can help you describe the problem to a professional, but does not establish a diagnosis.

## How to do it

1. Ask gently what feels worrying, instead of assuming your child is refusing on purpose.
2. Notice when fear or avoidance starts getting in the way at school, at home or with friends.
3. Describe the pattern to your child's health professional and ask what they advise.

## Talk to a clinician first

This cannot diagnose anxiety. Get prompt help for severe distress, self-harm or major loss of functioning.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Try the question out loud: 'What feels hardest or most worrying about this?'
- 5 minutes: Write down one repeated worry, when it appears and what your child avoids.
- 15 minutes: Talk with your child, then prepare a short account of the pattern for their health professional.

### What it looks like

- Your child reports stomach aches before school and worries about getting things wrong.
- A child who looks angry is actually scared about joining a group.

### Common mistakes

- Arguing that a worry is irrational may close the conversation, so first listen to the fear.
- Do not treat every physical symptom as anxiety, so mention persistent symptoms to a clinician.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [Anxiety and Depression in Children](https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/about/about-anxiety-and-depression-in-children.html), CDC

## Sources

- [Data on ADHD in Children](https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html), CDC, 2026 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Anxiety and Depression in Children](https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/about/about-anxiety-and-depression-in-children.html), CDC, 2026 (Tier 1 guideline)

---

General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.

Report an error: meet@jock.pl

Reuse: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/