ADHD Treatment for Children & Adolescents

Key Takeaways

• Comprehensive ADHD evaluations help identify your child’s unique strengths, challenges, and treatment needs.
• Personalized treatment plans may include therapy, medication management, and guidance for school accommodations such as IEPs and 504 Plans.
• Our fellowship-trained & board certified child and adolescent psychiatry specialists provide compassionate care through in-office and virtual pediatric mental health services throughout Pennsylvania and surrounding states.

What is ADHD in Children and Adolescents?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects a child’s ability to focus, stay organized, manage impulses, and regulate activity levels. Symptoms often begin in childhood and can affect learning, relationships, and everyday functioning both at home and at school.

Not every child experiences ADHD the same way. Some primarily struggle with inattention, while others experience hyperactivity, impulsivity, or a combination of both. Early evaluation and personalized ADHD treatment for children can help improve academic performance, emotional well-being, and long-term success.

Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Children

Children who frequently struggle to stay seated, follow classroom expectations, or control impulsive behaviors may be referred for an ADHD evaluation after concerns are raised by parents, teachers, or pediatricians.

Nathan Hardy, MD. Weill Cornell Medicine Faculty. In-office child psychiatry in Philadelphia & Virtual visits throughout PA & NY.

child or adolescent who has difficulty sitting still in the classroom or who may distract others may get additional attention (or concern) from their teacher, leading to an evaluation for childhood ADHD.

Children with predominantly inattentive ADHD may be overlooked because they are often quiet rather than disruptive. A teacher may not realize that they are struggling with ADHD, even if they are distracted, struggling to stay organized, missing important details, or have difficulty completing schoolwork. A “hyperactive” child is simply more likely to get the teacher’s attention, often leading to delayed evaluation and treatment.

Your child may benefit from a comprehensive ADHD evaluation if they experience any of the following alongside attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity concerns:

• Increased Anxiety
• Low Mood
• Poor Self-Esteem
• Behaviorally Acting Out
• School avoidance
• Poor academic performance
• Others

ADHD Treatment for Children & Teens

Treatment for ADHD in Children and Adolescents should be tailored to the individual by an expert psychiatrist and mental health provider. Your child’s treatment may include:

Child ADHD Evaluations & Accommodations

Evaluations for Children and Adolescents with ADHD start with a thorough 60-90 minute initial evaluation by a Fellowship Trained and Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, or a Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, with expertise in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Part of this evaluation will include a discussion about the non-pharmacological management of ADHD in your child, including services and accommodations for school. This may include IEP and 504 planning (a specific plan to help your child succeed at school). Your Psychiatrist or Child & Adolescent provider at RPA will be able to help coordinate this plan with your school and/or pediatrician as applicable. If medication management is also applicable to your child’s care, your provider will discuss the risks and benefits of psychiatric medication management for ADHD in children. Your provider may also discuss psychotherapy for your child, which can be utilized with or without psychiatric medication management for ADHD in children.

Therapy for ADHD in Children & Adolescents

Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates offers in-office and online therapy for children and adolescents with ADHD. Therapy may include behavioral and organizational strategies for ADHD, ADHD specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and skills training, and other modalities of psychotherapy. Most of our Fellowship Trained Psychiatrists and nurse practitioners who see children provide both medication management and therapy to their patients.

Psychiatric Medication Management for Children with ADHD

The Fellowship Trained and Board Certified Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists at Rittenhouse understand that the decision to start medication management for ADHD treatment in children is a sensitive one. They will discuss the risks and benefits of ADHD treatment for your child, and answer any questions that you may have. If you mutually decide to start treatment for your child with a medication for ADHD (such as a stimulant or a non-stimulant medication), they will utilize the lowest effective doses for your child in order to effectively treat their ADHD, yet limit the risks for potential side effects of ADHD medication management.

The providers at Rittenhouse will also work to help you navigate the ADHD stimulant medication shortage. For information, please see our ADHD shortage guide. 

ADHD Medication Management for Children & Adolescents Available in these States:

• Delaware
• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania

* The prescription of controlled medications via online psychiatric appointments is dependent on state and federal regulations and provider licensing. Call our scheduling specialists for up-to-date information.