ADHD at every age

Under 6

If you are worried about a young child, talk to your child's pediatrician.

For children under 6, the recommended first treatment is parent training in behaviour management. At this age it works as well as medicine, and the improvement can last for years.² Skills for parents

School age (6 to 12)

Signs often become more noticeable when a child starts school.¹

• For children aged 6 and over, guidance recommends behaviour therapy and medicine together. Parent training is recommended up to age 12, along with support in the classroom and help with organisational skills.⁵
• Georgian schools can make an individual learning plan for children who need extra support.⁶ Support at school

Teenagers

Older children and teenagers can raise their own concerns with a teacher.⁷ Symptoms often ease with age, but for most young people they do not disappear.³

• Impulsive symptoms are linked to more accidental injuries and risky driving, so learning to drive deserves extra care.⁸
• Training in organisational skills is one of the recommended kinds of help.⁵
• In Georgia, parents choose the mental health service and the doctor for children under 16.⁹

Young adults (18 to 25)

About 2 in 3 children with ADHD still have some symptoms at age 25.³ University, a first job and living alone all ask more of planning and self-organisation.

Moving from child to adult care is where support often stops. In a national UK study of young people treated for ADHD, only about 1 in 5 of those referred to adult services went to a first appointment.⁴

• Start planning the move to adult care a year or two before your child turns 18.
• Ask the child psychiatrist for a written summary of the diagnosis and treatment.
• Keep copies of all reports and school documents.

ADHD at work and university · Your rights

Adults

ADHD can be diagnosed for the first time in adulthood. Because signs start in childhood, the assessment includes questions about your school years.¹⁰

• People with ADHD are more likely to also have anxiety or depression.¹⁰
• Talking therapies such as CBT, lifestyle changes and adjustments at work can help.¹⁰

Adult self-check · Tips for adults

Girls and women

In childhood, ADHD is about twice as common in boys as in girls.⁸ Girls and women more often have the inattentive type: daydreaming, forgetfulness and disorganisation rather than visible restlessness. This is easier to miss, so ADHD is recognised less often in women.^10,1

If a daughter is struggling quietly at school, or you recognise these signs in yourself, ADHD is worth asking about.

Where this information comes from

1. NHS (UK National Health Service). "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Symptoms."
2. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Behavior Therapy First for Young Children."
3. Faraone, S.V., Biederman, J. and Mick, E. (2006). "The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of follow-up studies." Psychological Medicine 36(2): 159–165.
4. Eke, H. et al. (2020). "Transition between child and adult services for young people with ADHD: findings from a British national surveillance study." British Journal of Psychiatry 217(5): 616–622.
5. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Treatment of ADHD."
6. Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia (12 February 2024). Order No. 25/ნ amending Order No. 16/ნ of 21 February 2018 on inclusive education and identifying students with special educational needs (in Georgian).
7. NHS (UK National Health Service). "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Living with."
8. Faraone, S.V. et al. (2021). "The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 evidence-based conclusions about the disorder." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 128: 789–818.
9. Parliament of Georgia. Law of Georgia on Mental Health, Articles 14 and 20¹ (consolidated text of 29 April 2026; in Georgian).
10. NHS (UK National Health Service). "ADHD in adults."