Ask about coexisting conditions
Guideline advice, not formally gradedADHD evidence
A targeted check can spot learning, language, autism or tic-related needs too.
Start with the time you have
1 minute
Write down the learning, communication or movement concern you want to mention.
5 minutes
Write the concern and one example of it from home or school.
15 minutes
Collect the reports you already have and write your questions about further assessment.
A plan
Check the whole picture
- Describe concerns beyond core ADHD symptoms.
- Ask which screening or assessment is appropriate.
- Include confirmed needs in the shared support plan.
How sure the science is
Guideline advice, not formally graded, ADHD evidence
- Recommended by ADHD clinical guidelines, but nobody has pooled the trials and graded how sure they are.
- Guideline advice is a considered judgement, not a measured certainty.
- Measured in people with ADHD.
AAP key action statement 3 (AAP evidence grade B, strong recommendation) and CDC diagnostic guidance; no GRADE certainty assigned to the pathway.
The number, drawn
Screen for developmental and physical conditions alongside ADHD
Why it matters
- An ADHD diagnosis does not explain every learning, communication or movement difficulty a child has.
- The AAP recommends screening for co-occurring developmental and physical conditions, including learning and language disorders, autism and tics.
- Finding extra needs can change the treatment and the school support plan, and a screen is a first check, not a second diagnosis.
How to do it
- Tell the clinician about reading, language, communication or movement worries that keep coming back.
- Bring the school assessments or observations you have and let the clinician interpret them.
- Ask which concerns need a proper assessment and which can be watched for now.
- If extra needs are confirmed, ask for them to be written into the care plan and the school support plan.
- Screening results need a clinician to interpret them.
- ADHD, autism, learning conditions and tics can occur together, and none of them should be diagnosed or ruled out from a checklist alone.
Putting it into practice
In real life
- Bring a school report showing reading is still hard even with attention support in place.
- Mention movements or sounds that keep recurring and ask whether they need looking at.
Watch out for
- Common mistakeA screening result is not a confirmed diagnosis. Ask what the next assessment step is.
- Common mistakeNot every school difficulty comes from attention. Raise specific learning or language concerns by name.
Trusted guides
How we rated it
- Evidence grade
- A Moderate or high certainty evidence in people with ADHD, or an explicit ADHD guideline recommendation.
- The number
- Screen for developmental and physical conditions alongside ADHD (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2019)
- Benefit
- 76/100 An editorial priority for the general list, weighted by certainty. It does not predict what will happen for you.
- Effort
- Some effort
Sources
- Tier 1 guidelineClinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of ADHD in Children and AdolescentsAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, 2019
- Tier 1 guidelineDiagnosing ADHDCDC, 2026
- Tier 1 guidelineADHD in children and young peopleNHS, 2025
- 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.