ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

ADHD is neurodevelopmental — a difference in how a brain develops and works, present from early childhood, lifelong. It is not an illness to cure, and it is not caused by parenting.

What it looks like in children

• Inattentiveness: easily distracted, finding it hard to listen or follow instructions, forgetting everyday tasks.
• Hyperactivity-impulsivity: fidgeting, restlessness, getting up when they’re supposed to sit still, finding it hard to wait their turn, interrupting.
• Most children show a combination of both; some show mainly one. Girls more often show the quieter, inattentive side — which is easier to miss.

ADHD and autism

ADHD is not part of the autism spectrum — they are distinct conditions with separate diagnostic criteria. But they overlap heavily on the surface (attention, restlessness, social difficulty) and frequently occur together: studies commonly report that roughly a third to a half of autistic children also show ADHD symptoms. Since the DSM-5 (2013), clinicians can diagnose both in the same child — before that, an autism diagnosis ruled ADHD out. Our full comparison: ADHD vs autism — the difference, and why it’s often both.

What it means in Singapore

Attention and developmental concerns go through the same assessment front door as autism: a GP or polyclinic referral to KKH’s Department of Child Development or NUH’s Child Development Unit, or a private developmental paediatrician. You don’t need to know “which one” before seeking assessment — describe everything you see and let the evaluation map it.