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Our ADHD Clinic is an initiative that has been developed in conjunction with Inside Out and Perth paediatricians. The purpose of this clinic is to provide education to your family about ADHD and discuss evidence-based strategies to support your child’s functioning.
This clinic is delivered over three sessions, each session of approximately 50 minutes in length. The format of the ADHD clinic is as follows:
Carer only session
50 minutes
Family session
(carers and children) 50 minutes
Family session
(carers and children) 50 minutes
Understanding ADHD
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for ‘Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder’ and is a natural variation in the development, structure and function of the brain. This variation can lead to differences in attention, self-regulation, motivation and executive functioning (such as planning and organising). ADHD comes with many strengths including creativity, resilience and empathy, and is one of the many aspects that makes your child wonderfully themselves.
Common traits of ADHD
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks that are perceived as non-desirable
- Easily distracted or ‘zones out’
- Difficulties starting tasks
- Difficulties switching tasks
- Difficulties with planning and organisation
- Difficulties with time management and memory
- High energy, often fidgeting or moving
- Talkativeness and impulsivity
- Having big emotions that are hard to regulate
- Different sensory preferences
Strengths of ADHD
While ADHD’ers may sometimes face challenges in environments not designed for their way of thinking, there are many strengths that come with ADHD, such as:
Every child is unique, and ADHD’ers presentation and traits will be expressed differently.
ADHD statistics
- ADHD is the most diagnosed form of neurodiversity in Australia, with a recorded diagnosis rate between 6–10% of children.1
- ADHD’er students receive 20,000 more negative messages than neurotypical peers by the time they are 12 years old.2
- 87% of ADHD’ers will also have one or more co-occurring neurotypes, e.g. Autism, Dyslexia.3
1 May T, Birch E, Chaves K, et al. The Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2023;57(8):1101–1116. doi:10.1177/00048674231166329
2 Dodson W. Emotional Disregulation and Rejection Sensitivity. CHADD. January 25 2023.
3 Gillberg C, Gillberg I, Rasmussen P, et al. Co-existing disorders in ADHD: implications for diagnosis and intervention. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2004, 13(Suppl 1):i80–i92. doi:10.1007/s00787-004-1008-4
How is ADHD Diagnosed?
GP referral to a specialist, then a Paediatrician, Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist will:
- Interview the child and their family
- Collect reports from parents and teachers
- Observe behaviours
- Compare findings to DSM-V criteria (used by professionals for diagnosis)
Traits must:
- Have been present for at least 6 months
- Have been present before the age of 12
- Occur in 2 or more settings, e.g. school and home
- Be inconsistent with documented developmental level / expectations
- Clearly impact daily life (social, academic, emotional)
- Not be better explained by another condition (e.g. anxiety or depression)
- Fit 6+ DSM-V criteria of one or both types of ADHD (most of the time)
Classifications of ADHD
Inattentive Type
- Finds being detail-focused challenging, makes careless mistakes
- Difficulty attending on tasks for a sustained amount of time
- Following instructions can be challenging, and can find it difficult to complete tasks
- Has difficulty with organisation
- Avoids / dislikes engaging in tasks that require sustained mental effort
- Misplaces or loses important items
- Easily distracted by external stimuli
- Forgetful in daily activities
- Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
Hyperactive / Impulsive Type
- Fidgets with items, taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat
- Leaves seat in situations when sitting is expected
- Runs or climbs in inappropriate situations
- Unable to engage in play / leisure activities quietly
- Frequently ‘on the go’ or acts as if ‘driven by a motor’
- Talks in abundance
- Eager to answer questions before the answer is finished
- Finds waiting their turn challenging
- Interrupts or intrudes on others
Combined Type
Displays 6+ signs of both Inattention and Hyperactivity / Impulsivity.
Many ADHD’ers don’t perfectly fit into one presentation, and traits can often change over time. What matters most is understanding your child’s unique profile and needs to provide tailored support that works for them.
What’s covered in the clinic
Our ADHD Clinic works through nine evidence-based, neuroaffirming topics with families. Each is introduced and tailored by an Inside Out occupational therapist to match where your child and family are at:
Ready to find out more?
Our ADHD Clinic delivers each of these topics one-on-one with families, alongside individualised strategies for your child. Get in touch to see whether the clinic is right for you.
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Have Questions?
We have answered as many questions as we can in our FAQ's, but feel free to reach out to us anytime.