Does My Child Have ADHD? What Parents Should Know

If you're a parent in Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Claremont or the Inland Empire feeling overwhelmed by your child's behavior and wondering if an ADHD diagnosis is the next step, you're not alone. At Head & Heart Family Therapy, we regularly work with families navigating this very question. ADHD has become a go-to label for children exhibiting challenging behaviors like inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. But is it always the right diagnosis?

Let's break it down.

Why ADHD Gets Diagnosed So Quickly

ADHD is often seen as the solution when a child has persistent behavior issues that are interfering with school, home, or social life. Teachers and parents—especially those feeling burnt out—may turn to it out of desperation, hoping that a diagnosis will unlock support or treatment.

The most common form of treatment for ADHD is medication. According to the CDC, stimulant medications are the most widely prescribed treatments for children diagnosed with ADHD (CDC, 2022). These medications target dopamine and norepinephrine imbalances in the brain—the chemicals often linked to ADHD.

But here's the issue: medication is meant to help rebalance the brain. If it doesn’t, there’s a strong chance the diagnosis may not fit. Many parents come to us after trying medication expressing it only worsened their child’s symptoms, leaving them more confused and frustrated.

The Problem With Misdiagnosis

There is no single, definitive test to accurately diagnosis ADHD. Diagnoses typically rely on checklists, teacher reports, and observations that can be highly subjective. And the symptoms of ADHD? They overlap with many other conditions: anxiety, trauma, learning disabilities, sensory issues, and even mood disorders.

A 2016 study from the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that nearly 1 in 5 children diagnosed with ADHD may have been misdiagnosed due to age-related immaturity alone.

Misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment

and missed opportunities to address the real issue. It can also lead to stigma, unnecessary medication, and a long-term misunderstanding of your child’s needs.

At Head & Heart, We Take a Different Approach

Before jumping to labels, we like to start with something much simpler and far less invasive: emotional dysregulation.

Most children we see are not "problem kids" or even struggling with ADHD. They're simply dysregulated. Emotional dysregulation means your child has trouble recognizing, expressing, and managing their emotions. These kids may appear hyperactive or inattentive, but what's really going on is emotional overwhelm.

Using Child-Centered Play Therapy, we help children express their inner world through play. Many of our young clients begin therapy with behaviors that look a lot like ADHD—but after working with us, they no longer meet the diagnostic criteria.

Sound familiar? You're not alone. Parenting a dysregulated child is exhausting, and the system can be hard to navigate.

Let’s Talk Before the Label

If you're in Claremont, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, or the surrounding Inland Empire and you’re feeling unsure about whether your child has ADHD or something else entirely, we invite you to reach out.

At Head & Heart Family Therapy, we believe in starting with support, not stigma. We don’t rush to label children. We take time to understand them.

Give us a call today—we'd love to team up with you and explore what's really going on beneath the behaviors.