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ADHD glossary · Family perspectives

What is ADHD? A simple explanation for families

Read a source-attributed ADHD definition, then use a shared-moment example to make room for the person, parent, sibling, partner, grandparent, and educator.

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health describes attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, as a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. [1] That is the source's definition. Our focus at RDY is the conversation around everyday life: what the person wants understood, what needs coordinating, and who has been left out of the conversation.

By RDY Editorial · Prepared

General education and practical perspectives. Editorial standards.

At a glance

What it is
NIMH's term for a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. [1]
What it is not
This page is not an assessment of anyone, a treatment guide, or an explanation for every family disagreement.
Try next
Choose one everyday moment to discuss, ask each person what they noticed, and write down one question you want to return to.

Read the definition with its source

The National Institute of Mental Health's public overview is the source for the definition above. [1] We have kept that definition separate from our examples. We do not use this page to interpret symptoms, decide whether someone has ADHD, or recommend healthcare. Readers who want the institution's fuller explanation can follow the original source in the references. NIMH also notes that the mix of these characteristics varies between people; the short definition here is not a checklist. [1]

Begin with the person, not a complete story about them

We want RDY's language to leave room for the person to speak. Ask what they call their experience and which words they prefer. A parent, partner, or educator might have an important observation, but it should not automatically replace the person's account. A useful opening is, 'What do you wish I understood about this part of your day?'

Describe a moment without assigning a motive

Compare 'You do not care about leaving on time' with 'At 8:10 we were still looking for the bag.' The second sentence is an example of the kind of note we suggest: a time, a task, and something you observed. Then add the other person's words, including disagreement with your account. Our note is for a practical conversation, not a clinical conclusion.

Look around the whole household

A school morning can involve a child looking for a bag, a sibling waiting at the door, a parent watching the time, and a grandparent arriving for pickup. We would ask each person a different question: What were you trying to do? What information were you missing? Which part did you agree to handle? These are prompts for understanding a shared moment, not claims about what ADHD caused.

One moment, three accounts

In this invented example, the parent writes, 'At 8:10, the bag was still on the table.' The child adds, 'I was waiting to find out whether today was sports day.' The sibling says, 'I thought we had already agreed I would walk ahead.' Instead of deciding whose account explains everything, the family chooses a coordination question: 'Where will we put tomorrow's confirmed plan?' The example leaves each account intact and makes no assumption about a diagnosis or a cause.

Choose a small conversation to continue

You do not have to settle every issue after reading a definition. If you want a next step, choose one question about a shared routine: where a note belongs, who sends an update, or how to ask for quiet company. Keep the answer open to revision. This page does not require an account or a personal story from you.

RDY action

Make a shared-moment note

Our optional prompt keeps different viewpoints visible on one page.

  1. Name one moment, task, or routine.
  2. Write what you directly observed without assigning a motive.
  3. Invite the person's account in their own words.
  4. Add a separate line for another household member's view, if they want to contribute.
  5. Choose one coordination question to discuss next.

Check in: Can you distinguish each person's account from your interpretation?

Decide what fits

Do you only want to understand the term?
Read the attributed definition and follow NIMH's original overview if you want the source's fuller explanation.
Are you writing about someone else?
Ask what they want represented and shared. Use their words where they want to contribute.
Are two people describing the same moment differently?
Keep both accounts visible. Pick one practical question without forcing agreement on the whole story.

Keep a label from taking over the conversation

  • Do not present a household note as a diagnosis.
  • Avoid attributing an argument or missed task to ADHD on someone else's behalf.
  • Ask before sharing another person's story.
  • Leave space for preferences, interests, and responsibilities beyond the topic of ADHD.

Different perspectives

The same situation can feel different depending on your place in the family. Start with the perspective that fits, and make room for the other person’s account.

person with ADHD

Your preferred language and your account are the starting point.

Try: Finish: 'One thing I want you to understand about this routine is ___.'

child

You can explain a moment with words, a drawing, or pointing.

Try: Show an adult one part of the day you want to talk about.

teen

Choose the questions you want adults to hear, and which details you want kept private.

Try: Write your own opening sentence before a family or school conversation.

parent or caregiver

Keep your observation and the child's account on separate lines.

Try: Ask, 'What did I miss?' before proposing an explanation.

sibling

Your experience of a shared routine belongs in the discussion too.

Try: Describe your own need without becoming the spokesperson for your brother or sister.

partner

Discuss the specific agreement you need rather than using a label to settle a disagreement.

Try: Ask who is handling the next action and when you will check in.

grandparent

Start with the person's current words and the household's current arrangements.

Try: Ask what they want you to know before offering an older family story as a comparison.

educator

Bring observations about the shared task while leaving room for the student's account.

Try: Describe what instructions were available, then ask what the student understood them to mean.

Questions you may have

What does ADHD stand for?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as named in the National Institute of Mental Health overview cited here. [1]

Does RDY use this page to assess me or my child?

No. This is an attributed definition and a set of optional conversation prompts. We do not assess an individual through this page.

Can I use the conversation prompts if I am supporting someone else?

Yes. Choose the perspective that fits your relationship, and invite the person's own words rather than fill in their experience for them.

Evidence and limitations

NIMH is credited for the neutral definition. The household scenes and discussion prompts are RDY's illustrative writing, not findings from that publication.

Limits: The cited public overview is a government source, not an individual assessment or a study of RDY. No diagnostic, treatment, developmental-course, or efficacy conclusions are reproduced here.

Sources and what they support

These sources support the specific statements identified below. Our practical exercises are suggestions to consider, not evidence of a treatment effect.

  1. National Institute of Mental Health.

    Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — National Institute of Mental Health

    Source type: government educational overview.

    NIMH lists its last review as August 2026; no day is supplied. Accessed .

    Source check, September 5, 2026: The current NIMH overview was opened on September 5, 2026. Its definition and abbreviation were checked. NIMH describes different combinations of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity; this is not a checklist for an individual.

    Supports: NIMH's neutral ADHD definition and expansion of the abbreviation. The source is not cited for RDY's household exercises.

    Correction check: No correction or retraction notice found in the accessed publisher material or focused publisher-site search. This is not exhaustive retraction-database clearance.

Disclosures

  • Attributed definition and RDY conversation ideas. No individualized medical guidance.

Updates and corrections

Published .

Found a factual error or something unclear? Use the contact route on our Trust page. Read our research method for the evidence approach.