Parent guide | 31 pages
Is It ADHD, Anxiety, or Just Being a Kid?
When your child is struggling, stop searching for a label and start asking better questions.
A psychiatrist-written guide to understanding what is developmentally typical, what may deserve a closer look, and how to prepare for a careful professional evaluation.
From second-guessing every behavior to feeling better prepared for the next conversation.
$24 USD
- PDF download
- 31 pages
- Secure Stripe checkout
- No account needed
Written by Shalini Chawla, MD, Board-Certified Adult Psychiatrist and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
Actual pages from the 31-page guide
Tap a page to enlarge it.
Table of contents
Chapter 1. The Diagnosis Explosion: What's Actually Happening
Why more children are being evaluated today, and what that means for your family.
Chapter 2. ADHD: The Most Overdiagnosed, Underdiagnosed, and Misunderstood Condition
Typical attention and activity compared with patterns that may point to ADHD.
Chapter 3. Anxiety: When Worry Is Normal, and When It Isn't
Everyday worry compared with anxiety that interferes with daily life.
Chapter 4. The Things Most Often Mistaken for a Disorder
Sleep, development, stress and other factors that can look like a condition.
Chapter 5. The Conditions That Are Genuinely Underdiagnosed
Concerns that can be missed and may deserve a closer look.
Chapter 6. Getting the Right Evaluation: What to Ask For
Preparing for an assessment and the questions to bring to school and your pediatrician.
A letter to your child or teen about ADHD
Glossary, references, a crisis and safety page, and closing resources
Inside, you'll find
- Comparison tables of typical development and clinical concerns
- How overlapping symptoms can look alike
- Looking at impairment, duration and setting together
- Preparing for an assessment
- Questions for school and your pediatrician
- Example wording for conversations
How to use it
- 1Download the PDF and read the opening sections first.
- 2Notice which parts match what you are seeing at home or at school.
- 3Choose one next step to try, and bring your notes to your child's clinician or school.
Who this is for
Parents and caregivers who want a clearer picture of what they are seeing and what to do next.
Educational, not a substitute for care
This guide cannot diagnose your child. It does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a qualified clinician. If you are worried about immediate safety, call or text 988 or contact emergency services.
About the author
Shalini Chawla, MD
Board-Certified Adult Psychiatrist and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Read more about Dr. ChawlaWhat happens after you buy
- 1. You pay on Stripe's secure checkout page. No account is needed.
- 2. You return to a confirmation page with your download link.
- 3. A receipt is emailed to the address you used at checkout.
Bundles that include this title
Related books
$24 for Is It ADHD, Anxiety, or Just Being a Kid?