ADHD Care

You may lovingly call your child a wiggle worm or chatterbox. But what happens when these behaviors make it hard for them to focus?

If your child has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chances are they’re having trouble at home, in school and with friends. And their behaviors can be exhausting — for them and for you. You want to help them, but you might not know how.

Cleveland Clinic Children’s healthcare providers can help. We’ll work with your child and family to help manage their ADHD at home, school and throughout life. We offer expert testing and treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. And we give your child the tools they need to build healthy behaviors and relationships.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic Children’s for ADHD Care?

Personalized care:

We understand that ADHD doesn’t look the same in all children, and the signs vary at different ages. That’s why we spend time getting to know your child and you. We listen to your concerns, values and goals so we can craft a treatment plan that’s the best fit. Meet our team.

Specialized knowledge:

Our Summer Treatment Program (STP) is one of 10 in the United States that helps children with ADHD. The award-winning program was developed by a nationally recognized ADHD expert. Thousands of children and families have taken advantage of this unique resource.

Innovation and research:

We work to develop new treatments and tools to help kids who have ADHD. We also research which medicines work best in certain children, so we can offer the best medications if your child needs them.

National recognition:

U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Cleveland Clinic a top hospital in the nation. Newsweek has also named Cleveland Clinic a top hospital in the world.

Virtual visits:

Sometimes your child might not be up to seeing their provider in person. We understand that and offer virtual visits for some appointments, like follow-ups. You and your child can meet one-on-one with your provider from home, using a smartphone, computer or tablet. No travel needed.

ADHD Diagnosis at Cleveland Clinic Children’s

Your child will work with a team of compassionate providers who’ll support them and help them learn new behaviors. They might see:

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can look different depending on your child’s age and assigned sex at birth. We use the latest testing tools to figure out whether your child has ADHD and what type. Types of pediatric ADHD include:

Predominantly (mostly) hyperactive/impulsive.
Predominantly inattentive (formerly known as ADD).
Combined type.
Other specified/unspecified ADHD.

At their first visit, you and your child will spend at least 90 minutes with our ADHD experts. We’ll listen to your concerns and will want to know your child’s symptoms.

Next, we’ll ask questions and do activities with your child to learn more about them and their behaviors. This will help us rule out other conditions — like autism, anxiety or a sudden life change — that could cause your child’s symptoms.

We’ll go over all the results of our evaluation with you, so you can ask questions and get the answers you need. Sometimes, the results might show that a condition other than ADHD is causing your child’s symptoms. If that happens, we’ll refer you to a skilled provider who can design the treatment plan your child may need.

Providers Who Treat ADHD

Locations

We offer treatment for ADHD at the following location in Northeast Ohio.

ADHD Treatment at Cleveland Clinic Children's

If your child has ADHD, our team of experts can offer various treatment options to create a personalized care plan — one that focuses on your child’s strengths and builds on skills they already have.

Individual and family therapy

Therapy is a good treatment for children with ADHD. Our therapists will help your child and family work through challenging emotions, learn new coping skills and encourage positive ways to connect as a family.

Your child will meet regularly with a therapist, and you may also have family therapy sessions. We’ll keep an eye on your child’s progress and change how often they need therapy based on your family’s needs.

Parent coaching

It takes a lot of effort to parent a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Our psychologists and social workers teach you strategies to correct disruptive behavior, stay in charge and nurture a healthy relationship with your child.

You can connect with other parents who have children with ADHD at our group parent sessions. Together, you’ll learn new parenting skills through role play, group assignments and discussions.

Behavior management techniques

Our ADHD specialists teach your child age-appropriate social, emotional and behavioral skills to help them interact with others in the right way at home, in school and with friends.

Medication

Our ADHD Medication Monitoring Program helps you and your child’s providers choose the best dose of medication to treat their ADHD. We can use this four-week program to start a medication or change to a new one. The program helps us understand how well the drug is working, its side effects and the right dose for your child.

Using behavioral medications is a personal choice. If you decide you’d like to try medication, our program is safe and well-monitored by our ADHD experts.

ADHD Summer Treatment Program

Our seven-week, award-winning daytime treatment program can help your child manage ADHD symptoms. Supervised by five clinical staff members, children are placed by age in groups of 10 to 12. In this program, your child will:

Have fun socializing with kids their age who also have ADHD.
Spend time in a classroom to practice managing their behavior in a school environment.
Do daily group activities to build their social and problem-solving skills.
Take part in our medication monitoring program (when medically appropriate and with your approval).

Parents can participate in weekly evening training groups. Our ADHD specialists offer helpful education and resources so you can better manage your child’s symptoms and nurture their development.

Taking the Next Step

When your child’s fidgeting, talking out of turn and never paying attention moves beyond average “kid stuff,” you might not know what to do next. At Cleveland Clinic Children's, our team of leading ADHD providers offers the testing, treatments and support to help you and your child understand and manage their symptoms and find ways to develop healthy behaviors. We’re here to help your child succeed and thrive at home, school and with their friends.