ADHD Evaluation & Treatment for Children, Teens, and Adults

ADHD is not a lack of intelligence, effort, or character. It is a difference in how the brain regulates attention, motivation, time, and emotion. Many people with ADHD can focus intensely on what interests them; the challenge is directing attention where it needs to go, when it needs to go there.

ADHD is often missed, especially in adults, women, and people who have learned to compensate. By the time many people seek help, they have spent years hearing that they are "lazy," "disorganized," or "not living up to their potential."

ADHD May Look Like

• Trouble starting tasks, even important ones, until the last minute
• Losing track of time, missing deadlines, or running late
• Many projects started, few finished
• Forgetfulness, misplacing things, or missing appointments
• Restlessness, impulsive decisions, or interrupting others
• Feeling overwhelmed by paperwork, email, and daily responsibilities
• Strong emotional reactions, frustration, or sensitivity to criticism
• In children: difficulty following instructions, fidgeting, blurting out, or daydreaming in class

"ADHD is one of the most treatable conditions in psychiatry, and arguably in all of medicine. About 7 in 10 people respond well to the first medication tried, and roughly 9 in 10 respond when more than one option is tried.⁷ Left untreated, though, the numbers below show just how much it can cost a person."
Erwin Baird, PMHNP-BC

Why Treating ADHD Matters: The Research

Untreated ADHD affects far more than school or work performance. Large studies show:

• Most adults with ADHD are never treated. About 4.4% of U.S. adults have ADHD, yet only about 1 in 10 of them had received treatment for it in the past year.¹
• Higher mortality. People with ADHD had roughly twice the risk of early death compared with those without ADHD, with accidents as the leading cause.²
• Car accidents. ADHD is linked to a higher risk of motor vehicle crashes. During months when people took ADHD medication, crash risk was about 38% lower in men and 42% lower in women.³
• Substance use. Individuals with ADHD are more likely to develop substance use problems. Treatment was associated with about 35% fewer substance-related emergency visits in men and 31% fewer in women.⁴
• Legal problems. During periods of treatment, criminal convictions were about 32% lower in men and 41% lower in women.⁵
• Depression and anxiety. Nearly 4 in 10 adults with ADHD also experience a mood disorder, and close to half have an anxiety disorder.¹
• Lost productivity. Adults with ADHD lose an estimated 22 days of work performance per year.⁶

These numbers are not meant to frighten anyone. They show that ADHD is a real, treatable condition and that effective treatment can change the course of a person's life.

My Approach

1. Thorough evaluation. A detailed history from childhood to today, validated rating scales, and screening for conditions that can mimic or accompany ADHD, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, sleep problems, trauma, and thyroid issues.
2. Understanding your brain. I explain what is happening neurologically, including dopamine, executive function, and reward and motivation, so the treatment plan makes sense to you.
3. Personalized medication management. When appropriate, stimulant and non-stimulant options are carefully selected, dosed, and monitored for benefit, side effects, sleep, appetite, and heart health.
4. Skills and systems. Practical strategies for time management, organization, prioritization, and follow-through, because medication helps the brain, but systems help your life.
5. Whole-person care. Sleep, exercise, nutrition, stress, relationships, and co-occurring conditions are all part of the plan.

Who I Help

I work with children, teens, college students, professionals, and adults diagnosed later in life. Services are available in English, Spanish, and Tagalog via telehealth across California and in person in San Diego.

If you've spent years working harder than everyone else just to keep up, you deserve answers. Schedule an ADHD evaluation today.

References: 1. Kessler et al., Am J Psychiatry, 2006. 2. Dalsgaard et al., The Lancet, 2015. 3. Chang et al., JAMA Psychiatry, 2017. 4. Quinn et al., Am J Psychiatry, 2017. 5. Lichtenstein et al., N Engl J Med, 2012. 6. Kessler et al., J Occup Environ Med, 2005. 7. Faraone et al., World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement, Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2021. Research findings reflect associations in large populations and do not guarantee individual results.