For information

about children’s

mental health contact

the National

Mental Health

Information Center

toll-free:

1.800.789.2647

(English/Spanish)

1.866.889.2647

(TDD)

How Can I Find a System of Carefor My Child With ADHD?Contact the system of care community inthe box on the back of this fact sheet. If noneis listed or that system of care communityis not in your area, visit www.mentalhealth

.samhsa.gov/cmhs and click “Child,

Adolescent & Family” and then “Systemsof Care” to locate a system of care closeto you. If you prefer to speak to someone inperson to locate a system of care, or ifthere is not a system of care in your area,contact the National Mental HealthInformation Center by calling toll-free1.800.789.2647 or visitingwww.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov.

SMA-4059/2005

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

y Disorder: Systems of Care

Helping Children and Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Systems of CareThis fact sheet provides basic information onattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) in children and describes an approachto getting services and supports, called“systems of care,” that helps children, youth, andfamilies thrive at home, in school, in thecommunity, and throughout life.In a classroom of 30 children or youth, it is likelythat at least two students are affected byADHD. This surprisingly common conditionmakes it hard for children and youth to controltheir behavior (sit still, think before speaking oracting, etc.) and/or to pay attention. If leftuntreated, it can lead to school or jobdifficulties, depression, relationship problems,and substance abuse.What Is ADHD?There are three types of ADHD: thehyperactive-impulsive type, the inattentivetype, and a type that is a combination of both.The severity of ADHD varies among children,even siblings, so no two children will haveexactly the same symptoms. Also, you may hearthat girls have lower rates and less severe casesof the disorder than boys. More research isneeded on this subject, but girls may have lowerrates of the hyperactive type.Signs of the hyperactive and inattentive typesare as follows:Hyperactive-Impulsive• Feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands

or feet, or squirming while seated;

• Running, climbing, or getting up in situations

where sitting or quiet behavior is expected;

• Blurting out answers before hearing the

whole question; and

• Having difficulty waiting in line or

taking turns.

Inattentive

• May appear to not be listening or seems

easily distracted by irrelevant sights andsounds;

• Often failing to pay attention to details,

and making careless mistakes;

• Rarely following instructions carefully,

and often losing or forgetting things liketoys, pencils, books, or other toolsneeded for a task; and

• Often skipping from one uncompleted

activity to another.

Experts believe that in some cases, heredityplays a role in whether or not a child hasADHD. Symptoms of ADHD are first seen in

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Timothy is a 19-year-old college student studyingto be an auto technician. Like other young men hisage, he enjoys cars, sports, and video games. Hismother, Alice, described him as caring, familyoriented, a loyal friend, and a hard worker. Sheadded that Timothy copes with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression,learning disabilities, and alcoholism.Timothy was diagnosed with ADHD at age 15while he was being treated in a residentialfacility for alcohol use. Before then, he had ahistory of school difficulties and other kinds oftrouble. Alice said that, in retrospect, the ADHDdiagnosis explains a lot of past behaviors thatshe once thought were part of being a typicalteenager. She also recognized similarities withthings she experienced in her own life—Timothy’sADHD diagnosis led Alice to be screened, andshe learned that she has ADHD, too.Alice first learned about her system of care atTimothy’s high school back-to-school fair. Afterreading through some of the system of care’sinformational materials, she contacted them toenroll Timothy. Once he was enrolled in the systemof care, Timothy started to receive a wide rangeof services to give him the tools needed to copewith his challenges.The system of care’s care coordinator workedclosely with Timothy and Alice to identifyservices and supports that could help Timothy inthe short and long term. For instance, they workedclosely with his psychiatrist, other therapists, andhis school, while connecting Timothy withsupports that would help him develop life skills forthe future.One support was a program for youth consideredto be “at-risk” that Timothy attended twice a

week. In addition to helping him with homework,the program helped him learn how to manage hisbehaviors and live more productively. Forinstance, through the program, Timothyparticipated in community service activities,which helped him build pride in his achievementswhile showing him the value in helping others. Thefamilies of youth in the program also met once amonth to provide feedback to program leaders onwhat was and was not working. In addition to thisprogram, Timothy was involved in a youthmentorship program. A youth mentor regularlyvisited Timothy to offer advice, to serve as a rolemodel, and to just be there for him.In reference to Timothy’s individualized care plandeveloped through the system of care, Alice saidthat “each piece did its part because when youare talking about the big picture, no one servicecould treat the whole situation.”Alice also said that while Timothy has madegreat strides, he still faces challenges, such as thestigma associated with mental health needs.When Timothy enrolled in college, he did not seekout all of the supports and programs he couldhave.“I guess because he is a young adult now,” shesaid, “he’s tired of being associated with beingthe kid who is always being put in alternativeprograms—being the kid with mental healthissues.”By working with the system of care, Alice haslearned that coping with these disorders is aprocess, and she remains optimistic even whenTimothy experiences setbacks. Alice said, “Ifschool doesn’t work out, then we will come upwith something else.”

Timothy’s Story