The good things about ADHD: your child's strengths

Children with ADHD hear a lot about what they get wrong: sit still, stop interrupting, where is your book, why have you not finished. Over time many start to believe it, and say things like "I'm so stupid" over one wrong answer. That is one reason the good things about ADHD deserve as much attention as the difficulties.

What does the research say about ADHD strengths?

Research into the positive side of ADHD is still young, but it is growing. When researchers in the Netherlands asked more than 200 adults with ADHD what positive qualities they linked to it, the answers fell into five groups: creativity, being dynamic and full of energy, flexibility, warmth and social skills, and quick, wide-ranging thinking.

Creativity has the most research behind it. A review of 31 studies found that people with ADHD traits were often better at coming up with many different ideas, though this was not found in people with a formal ADHD diagnosis. Many people with ADHD also describe periods of deep, absorbed focus on things that interest them, sometimes called hyperfocus. That is still being studied.

Two honest caveats. Most of this research is in adults, and much of it is based on what people report about themselves. And no strength is guaranteed: every child with ADHD is different.

Strengths parents often notice

When we ask parents what their child is good at, the same things come up again and again. Your child may be:

• Full of ideas. Curious, imaginative, quick to see a different way of doing things.
• Energetic and enthusiastic. When something grabs them, they throw themselves into it.
• Able to focus deeply on what they love. Building, drawing, sport, music or a favourite subject can hold them for hours.
• Quick to think on their feet. Good in a crisis, happy to improvise, good at spotting connections.
• Funny and warm. Often lively company, kind and quick to stand up for others.
• Willing to have a go. Brave about trying new things, even when they might not work.
• Resilient. Many children with ADHD get knocked back more often than their friends, and keep going.

Why noticing strengths matters

When ADHD is not recognised or supported, falling behind at school, anxiety and low self-esteem are common. A child who only hears about their difficulties can start to see themselves as the problem. Children who know what they are good at, and hear it from the adults around them, tend to cope better with the hard parts.

It also helps the people supporting your child. Teachers and doctors can use a child's interests and strengths to plan support that works with them, not against them.

How to spot and build on your child's strengths

1. Notice what absorbs them. What do they choose to do when no one is asking? That is often where their strengths are.
2. Praise the specific thing. "That was a clever way to fix it" means more than "well done".
3. Give them outlets. Sport, drama, music, building, cooking or art give energy and ideas somewhere to go.
4. Use their interests for learning. A child who loves football may happily practise maths through league tables.
5. Tell school. Share what your child does well, not only what is hard, so teachers see the whole child.
6. Ask your child. Older children and teenagers often know their strengths better than we think.

Strengths and support go together

Strengths do not cancel out difficulties. A child can be bright, funny and creative and still find school, friendships or family life very hard. Getting the right understanding and support, at home, at school and sometimes with medication, often makes it easier for those strengths to show.

Plenty of well-known people in sport, music, acting and business have spoken publicly about their ADHD. They are a reminder that ADHD does not decide what a child can become. If you are wondering whether your child has ADHD, our ADHD questionnaire and our guide to helping a child with ADHD at home are good places to start, and you can read how a private ADHD assessment for your child works.