ADHD in Adults vs Children — Key Differences
More and more people are being diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood—often after years of wondering why things felt harder for them than others. Many adults had ADHD as children, but it went unnoticed or was misdiagnosed.
In this post, I want to highlight how ADHD symptoms can look different in adults compared to children. To be clear: adults with ADHD had it as kids, even if it wasn’t recognized at the time. Symptoms may have been missed, masked, or misunderstood. For some, ADHD symptoms become more noticeable as life gets busier, responsibilities pile up, or co-occurring mental health conditions develop.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning it stems from differences in how the brain grows and functions over time. While it's present from childhood, the way it shows up can evolve.
This post will focus on how ADHD symptoms may shift from childhood to adulthood. Understanding these differences can help you recognize changes in your mental health, spot signs of undiagnosed ADHD, or rule out whether something else might be contributing to how you’re feeling.
Core Symptoms of ADHD: A Quick Refresher
ADHD—formerly known as ADD—has three main presentations:
Inattentive Type
Hyperactive/Impulsive Type
Combined Type
Each type is based on a specific cluster of symptoms. Below are the diagnostic criteria for Inattentive and Hyperactive/Impulsive symptoms, as defined in the DSM-5.
People with inattentive ADHD often:
Have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or activities
Seem not to listen when spoken to directly
Struggle to follow through on instructions and often leave tasks unfinished
Have difficulty organizing tasks and activities
Are easily distracted by external stimuli
Are frequently forgetful in daily routines and responsibilities
People with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD often:
Fidget with or tap their hands or feet, or squirm in their seat
Leave their seat in situations where remaining seated is expected
Run or climb in inappropriate situations (more common in children)
Struggle to engage in quiet, leisurely activities
Seem constantly “on the go,” as if “driven by a motor”
Talk excessively
Blurt out answers before questions are completed
Have difficulty waiting their turn
Interrupt or intrude on others’ conversations or activities
These are some of the core symptoms of ADHD, and many of them are noticeable in both children and adults with little obvious difference—like difficulty sustaining attention, fidgeting, or being easily distracted.
However, some symptoms can look quite different in adults compared to children. As people grow and take on more responsibilities, the way ADHD shows up may shift in tone, intensity, or expression.
Key Differences: ADHD in Children vs. Adults
Some ADHD symptoms present differently in children versus adults, often due to years of socialization, masking, or coping strategies developed from living with undiagnosed ADHD.
Below are some key examples of how certain symptoms can show up differently across age groups.
Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or activities
Children:
Children with ADHD often struggle to sustain attention during schoolwork or while completing homework. They may also have trouble focusing while playing games with others or finishing chores, especially if the task is repetitive or requires sustained mental effort.
Adults:
This symptom presents similarly in adults, but with some key differences. Adults with ADHD often have difficulty maintaining focus during work tasks—particularly those that require significant effort or aren’t stimulating. They may compensate by redirecting their attention to other "productive" tasks, though these are often not the ones that actually need to be completed. Adults may also struggle to focus on household chores, as well as activities that require passive attention, like watching movies or TV shows.
Struggle to follow through on instructions and often leave tasks unfinished
Children:
Kids with ADHD often struggle to follow multi-step directions, especially for tasks like assignments or chores. They may forget parts of the instructions or get easily sidetracked. For example, a child might start cleaning their room but become distracted when they find an old, unfinished art project—and end up working on that instead, forgetting the original goal of cleaning.
Adults:
While similar, this symptom can show up differently in adults. An adult might skip a step while cooking because they misread or forgot part of the recipe. They may intend to pay a bill but forget it requires a specific payment method. Or they might start cleaning out their closet to donate clothes, only to leave the task unfinished after walking into another room and getting pulled into a completely different project—leaving the original task incomplete.
Fidget with or tap their hands or feet, or squirm in their seat
Children:
In children, difficulty sitting still is often more noticeable. They may fidget with items on their desk, make frequent movements in their seat, or touch multiple items while walking through a store. Their restlessness can be loud or distracting, especially in structured settings like classrooms or grocery stores.
Adults:
Adults with ADHD typically fidget too, but their behaviors are often more subtle or socially acceptable. They may frequently adjust their hair, tap a pen or pencil, bounce their leg, or hold a small object in their hand to keep occupied. While the restlessness remains, it’s often masked by years of learning how to "blend in" with their environment.
Difficulty waiting their turn
Children:
Children with ADHD often struggle with waiting their turn, whether it's standing in line for lunch at school or taking turns during games. They may interrupt, cut ahead, or show visible frustration while waiting.
Adults:
Adults may also experience impatience in situations like waiting in line at the grocery store or sitting in traffic. This can show up as irritability, restlessness, or feeling unusually agitated when things move slowly or aren't within their control.
Frequently forgetful in daily routines and responsibilities
Children:
Children with ADHD may frequently forget items like their backpack, lunchbox, or completed homework assignments. Even when they’ve done the work, they might forget to turn it in—leading to frustration for both kids and caregivers.
Adults:
Adults with ADHD often misplace everyday essentials like their keys, wallet, phone, or even the TV remote. They may rely heavily on external reminders—such as phone alarms, calendar alerts, or sticky notes—to stay on top of daily tasks and appointments.
Emotional Regulation and ADHD
Both children and adults with ADHD can experience emotional dysregulation, but it often shows up differently depending on age. Emotional dysregulation typically occurs when someone becomes overwhelmed, overstimulated, or unable to effectively manage their emotional response to a situation.
Children may display this through intense emotions, crying, anger, or what are often labeled as “tantrums.” These responses can be triggered by frustration, sudden transitions, or sensory overload.
Adults may experience emotional dysregulation as irritability, emotional shutdown, heightened anxiety, or guilt—especially around productivity or feeling like they're “falling behind.” These emotional responses can be internalized and less visible to others, but just as disruptive.
Life Context: Different Demands, Different Struggles
ADHD symptoms can show up differently in children and adults because the demands and expectations of daily life change over time.
Children are typically navigating challenges related to school structure and academic expectations. They’re learning how to build and maintain friendships, take turns, follow directions, and understand the social impact of interrupting. They’re also developing habits and routines for basic self-care, like hygiene and bedtime routines—which can be especially difficult for kids with ADHD.
Adults, on the other hand, often struggle with issues like productivity, time management, and meeting deadlines at work. While many adults have learned to mask or manage their symptoms socially, this can lead to stress, burnout, and difficulty showing up authentically in relationships. ADHD may also contribute to imbalances in household responsibilities, especially if a partner is unintentionally relied on to manage childcare, errands, or home projects.
Diagnosis: Why ADHD Is Often Missed in Adults
ADHD is frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed in adults. Many healthcare providers may have difficulty distinguishing ADHD from other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or autism, as these diagnoses can share overlapping symptoms.
Culturally, there’s also a harmful narrative that equates lack of productivity with laziness. This belief can lead to missed opportunities to explore underlying causes, such as ADHD, when someone struggles to stay focused, follow through on tasks, or complete responsibilities.
Adults who were undiagnosed as children often develop compensatory strategies or masking behaviors to cope with their symptoms. While these strategies may work for a while, they can become less effective or even collapse under pressure. Major life transitions—such as starting college, becoming a parent, or working in a high-stress job—can unmask ADHD symptoms that were previously manageable.
Recognizing these signs and seeking support can be a crucial step toward improved focus, self-understanding, and mental well-being.
Treatment and Support: Similar Tools, Different Applications
There are several effective treatment options available for ADHD, and the right approach can vary depending on your needs and preferences.
Many people—regardless of age—choose to pursue medication to help manage ADHD symptoms. Others find that combining medication with therapy offers the most support.
Therapy for ADHD can help you build practical tools for managing time, tasks, routines, and overwhelm. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), in particular, can be helpful for identifying and challenging negative automatic thoughts that may stem from struggling with focus, productivity, or self-worth.
In therapy, you can also explore mindfulness-based strategies to improve emotional regulation, increase self-awareness, and build coping skills that actually work for your life.
Some people choose to manage their ADHD with therapy alone—and that’s completely valid. What matters most is finding a treatment approach that feels supportive and sustainable for you.
When to Seek Help
It may be helpful to seek out support through therapy to better manage your ADHD symptoms if:
You suspect it’s more than just burnout or stress and think your symptoms may be related to undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD
You’re looking for reassurance and want help adjusting or refining your ADHD coping strategies
You’ve been diagnosed with ADHD but haven’t pursued treatment yet—it’s never too late to start therapy
Your symptoms are beginning to impact your work, relationships, or your ability to show up the way you want to in daily life
Therapy can help you build structure, improve emotional regulation, and develop practical tools that actually fit your lifestyle.
How Virtual Therapy Can Help Adults with ADHD
Virtual therapy can be a great option for adults with ADHD. It’s often easier to fit into a busy schedule, eliminates commute time, and allows you to attend sessions from the comfort of your own space.
Through virtual sessions, you can work on building the systems, routines, and strategies that help you manage ADHD symptoms more effectively—whether that means improving focus, organization, emotional regulation, or task follow-through.
If you’re ready to start building tools that work for your unique brain and lifestyle, schedule a free consultation with Create Wellness Counseling today and take the first step toward feeling more in control.
Resources
About Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 10/23/34. (https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/about/index.html)
