Pediatric ADHD at Passion Health Pediatrics: A Simple Guide for Parents
If your child is struggling to sit still, focus, or follow instructions, you may be wondering: “Is this just normal kid behavior, or could it be ADHD?” At Passion Health Pediatrics, our doctors see these questions every day. ADHD is common, real, and treatable—and your child’s pediatrician is a safe place to start sorting it out.
If you’re worried, you don’t have to guess alone. You can start with a quick, secure online screening and then talk through the results with our team:
ADHD Screening – Passion Health:
What ADHD Looks Like in Kids (In Real Life)
All kids have big energy and short attention spans sometimes. With ADHD, the challenges are stronger, happen more often, and cause real problems at school, at home, or with friends.
Parents often notice things like:
“My child is always moving—tapping, wiggling, getting up, even when they’re supposed to sit.”
“They start homework, then wander off and forget what they were doing.”
“We remind them five times to put on shoes and they’re still half‑dressed.”
“The teacher says they’re smart but ‘not working to their potential.’”
A few occasional moments like this are normal. ADHD is more about patterns: happening across places (home and school), lasting for months, and clearly getting in the way.
Three Common ADHD Patterns in Children
ADHD doesn’t look the same in every child. Your child might fit one of these patterns—or a mix.
1. Mostly inattentive
These are the kids who are often quietly struggling:
Daydreams or seems “in their own world”
Loses homework, jackets, or supplies
Forgets instructions or needs them repeated often
Has a hard time finishing tasks, even simple ones
This group—especially girls—often gets missed because they aren’t disruptive.
2. Mostly hyperactive/impulsive
These kids are hard to overlook:
“On the go” all the time, even when sitting
Talks a lot, interrupts, blurts out answers
Has trouble waiting turns or standing in line
Climbs, runs, or fidgets when others are sitting
They may be labeled the “class clown” or “troublemaker,” but what’s really going on is difficulty with self‑control, not bad character.
3. Combined type
Many kids show a mix of both focus and self‑control struggles. They may:
Be very active and talkative
Also lose track of tasks, forget details, or rush through work
You don’t need to decide which type your child has before you come in. That’s our job.
How ADHD Can Affect Your Child’s Life
At school
ADHD can show up as:
Incomplete or missing assignments
Difficulty staying in their seat or on task
Rushing through work with avoidable mistakes
Comments from teachers like “smart, but easily distracted”
Without support, this can chip away at confidence, even in bright kids.
At home
Common struggles include:
Long, frustrating homework sessions
Morning or bedtime routines that fall apart
Constant reminders that seem to bounce off
Big emotions and meltdowns over small changes or frustrations
Parents often feel like they are nagging all day or “failing” somehow. You’re not. ADHD is not caused by bad parenting.
With friends
Kids with ADHD may:
Interrupt or talk over others
Have trouble taking turns in games
Be “too much” for some kids, or miss social cues
Feel rejected or like they “don’t fit in”
Without understanding, they may start to believe something is wrong with them as a person, not just with how their brain works.
Why It Helps to Get an Answer Early
When ADHD is not recognized:
Kids may think “I’m the bad kid” or “I’m stupid,” even if they’re very capable.
Teachers may see only behavior and not the underlying struggle.
Families get stuck in a cycle of reminders, punishment, and guilt that helps no one.
When ADHD is recognized:
Kids can understand: “My brain works differently—and there are tools to help.”
Schools can add support and accommodations (like extra time, movement breaks, or visual schedules).
Parents can use strategies that fit how their child’s brain works instead of fighting it.
The goal is not to label your child—it’s to give them a fair shot to succeed.
How Passion Health Pediatrics Evaluates ADHD
Our pediatricians follow a calm, step‑by‑step process. You don’t need to come in with the “right words.” Just come in with your concerns.
Step 1: Starting the conversation
At the first visit, your child’s doctor will:
Listen to what you’ve been seeing at home
Ask about school (teacher comments, report cards, behavior notes)
Go over your child’s medical history, sleep, mood, and development
You may be given forms to fill out, and we often ask teachers to complete brief questionnaires too. That way we see the full picture, not just one moment in the clinic.
Step 2: Looking at possible causes
ADHD can show up alone or alongside other issues, such as:
Anxiety or depression
Learning differences (reading, writing, math)
Sleep problems
Hearing or vision issues
We look for patterns and rule out other explanations so we don’t miss anything important.
Step 3: Making a plan together
If your child meets criteria for ADHD, we’ll talk through:
What that means in simple terms
What you’re seeing at home and what the teacher is seeing at school
Options for support at home, at school, and (if appropriate) with medication
This is a shared decision‑making. You’re not handed a plan—you build it with us.
If needed, we can also loop in Passion Health Mental Health for extra therapy or more complex cases, so you’re still staying within one coordinated system.
Treatment Options: Putting Support Around Your Child
We typically combine several tools rather than relying on just one.
1. Parent and behavior strategies
We help you learn:
How to set up routines that your child can actually follow
How to break tasks into smaller steps (so “clean your room” becomes “pick up clothes, then toys, then books”)
How to use praise and rewards that motivate your child
How to set calm, consistent consequences that don’t escalate every conflict
These changes often reduce stress at home for everyone.
2. School support and accommodations
We can provide documentation and suggestions for school, such as:
Preferential seating (away from distractions)
Short, clear instructions and checklists
Extra time for tests or assignments
Movement breaks built into the day
Your child may qualify for a 504 plan or an IEP. We can help you understand the options and what to ask for.
3. Medication (when appropriate)
For some children, medicine is an important part of treatment. It can help with:
Focus and attention
Sitting still when needed
Reducing impulsive behaviors
If you choose to consider medication, your pediatrician will:
Explain the choices, side effects, and benefits
Start with the lowest reasonable dose and adjust slowly
Monitor appetite, sleep, mood, and growth at follow‑up visits
You stay in control; we provide guidance and close monitoring.
4. Therapy and skills building
Depending on your child’s needs, we may recommend:
Counseling to work on feelings, coping skills, and self‑esteem
Social skills training, especially if friendships are hard
Executive function coaching (for older kids and teens) to build planning and organization skills
Through Passion Health Mental Health, we can connect you to in‑system therapists when more support is needed.
Why Choose Passion Health Pediatrics for ADHD Care
Here’s what we focus on:
Whole‑child care: We look at learning, emotions, behavior, and health together—not in separate silos.
One connected system: Pediatrics, family medicine, and Passion Health Mental Health all under the same umbrella, so you’re not bouncing between disconnected clinics.
Practical, not judgmental: You will not hear “just try harder” from us. You will hear, “Let’s figure out what’s really going on and what can help.”
Multi‑location convenience: With multiple Passion Health locations, you can choose the clinic that works best for your family and still get consistent care and follow‑up.
When to Reach Out
Consider booking an ADHD evaluation at Passion Health Pediatrics if:
Teachers keep raising concerns about focus, activity level, or behavior
Homework is a near‑daily struggle
Your child is falling behind despite working hard
You see your child in many of the signs described here
You just have that “gut feeling” something more is going on
You don’t have to be sure it’s ADHD. That’s our role. Your role is to say, “Something doesn’t feel right; can we look into this?”
A simple way to begin:
Complete our brief ADHD screening online.
Schedule an appointment with a Passion Health pediatrician.
Bring your screening and your questions—no need to have it all figured out.
