ADHD 101

ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It’s a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means it affects how your brain develops. Symptoms include fidgeting, difficulty paying attention, and losing things. ADHD is treatable with medications and therapies that manage symptoms and make daily life easier. Watch this video from the American Psychiatric Association for an explanation of ADHD.

Despite its name, ADHD doesn’t mean that you lack attention. It means that it’s harder for you to control your attention or direct it to specific tasks. ADHD symptoms begin in childhood (commonly between ages 3 and 6) and may continue into adulthood. There’s no cure for ADHD, but treatments like medications and behavioral therapies can help manage symptoms.

ADHD causes

ADHD is genetic. This means your child is born with certain gene changes that cause differences in their brain development (neurodivergence). Often, the gene changes that cause ADHD are passed down within biological families. Kids with ADHD commonly have biological parents or siblings with the condition.

What is Attention

Researchers continue to look into how ADHD affects the brain. Watch this video from the Child Mind Institute on Attention.

With ADHD, the frontal lobe of your child’s brain is wired in a way that makes it harder for them to use directed attention. Directed attention is the ability to focus on something you don’t find very interesting.

We use directed attention to plan, multitask, and solve problems (executive functions). It can take a lot of energy to use directed attention, especially when there are other, more interesting things around us.

If your child has ADHD, it takes even more energy than usual to direct their attention to things they have to do. That means after a long day at school, your child might resist doing a task that otherwise seems simple — like hanging up their coat or backpack. The attention it requires to do these “basic” chores is simply not available to them.

On the other hand, your child is better than most neurotypical kids at using automatic attention. This is the type of attention we use to focus on something we’re interested in. It allows for something called hyperfocus, or the ability to “get in the zone” and do something for hours on end. Your child might use hyperfocus to become really good at a hobby or game or to reach certain goals.

ADHD: Evidence-Based Resources for Parents, Community Centers & Educators

Curated links to reputable, evidence-based organizations, practical guides, and community supports — including Jewish community resources.

For Parents

Practical, parent-facing information on symptoms, diagnosis, behavior strategies, treatment options, and how to navigate school supports.

• CDC — ADHD Overview — symptoms checklist, what to expect at each age, guidance for families.
• CHADD — Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder — national resource center offering fact sheets, parent training programs, webinars, and a searchable local chapter network.
• Understood.org — a non-profit dedicated to understanding neuro-diversity.
• Child Mind Institute — ADHD — concise articles and toolkits for parents on behavior strategies, executive function supports, and family tips. Child-centered explanations, treatment options, and guidance for working with clinicians and schools.
• ADDitude Magazine — a parent- and clinician-facing magazine with tactics for home, school, and social skills.
• Parent to Parent of Miami — offers support groups and therapy workshops for children ages 7–17, including ADHD-focused sessions.

For Educators

Evidence-based classroom strategies, legal supports (504/IDEA), and professional development links.

• U.S. Department of Education — IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) — information on special education eligibility, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and procedural rights.
• Tools and strategies for IEP and 504
• Classroom strategies & executive function supports

Jewish Community Resources

Jewish community centers, synagogues, and organizations increasingly provide inclusion programs and learning supports for neurodiverse individuals.

• Matan — Jewish Disability Inclusion Resources — for educators and congregations to support students with ADHD and learning differences in Jewish educational settings.
• Gateways — a Jewish organization dedicated to creating community-based models for inclusion in Jewish education
• Hidden Sparks — a Jewish non-profit dedicated to finding the learner in all children
• CAJE – Center for Jewish Education Miami