Understanding the 3 Temperament Subtypes of ADHD: What Every Parent Should Know

When most people think of ADHD, they picture a child who’s always on the go, interrupting, or having trouble paying attention. But the truth is, ADHD looks different in every child. One way to better understand your child’s unique behavior is by looking at their temperament—or their natural personality style.

Our formal classification system offers three subtypes of ADHD: ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive, ADHD-Combined, and ADHD-Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive. However, these subtypes may not be as stable over time when compared to the temperament subtypes. 

Why Temperament Matters

Understanding your child’s temperament isn’t about labeling—it’s about tailoring your support. What works for one child with ADHD might not work for another. By recognizing your child’s natural style, you can respond in a way that builds connection, confidence, and success.

Researchers have found that kids with ADHD often fall into three different temperament subtypes: Mild, Surgent, and Irritable. Knowing which one fits your child best can help you support them in ways that match their needs.

1. Mild Temperament: The Easygoing Kids

Children with a mild temperament tend to be more calm and flexible. Even though they have ADHD, their behaviors may not seem extreme. They might:

• Be forgetful or easily distracted

• Struggle with staying organized

• Avoid conflict and get along well with others

These kids can “fly under the radar” because they’re not very disruptive. But they still need help staying focused, managing time, and staying on track in school. Their calm nature doesn’t mean their struggles are any less real. Often, these children benefit from executive functioning support and scaffolding. These strategies help the child stay on track with what they need to get done. 

2.  Surgent Temperament: The High-Energy Explorers

Surgent kids are full of energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm. They are outgoing and often love new experiences. You might notice:

• Constant movement and talking

• Impulsivity (blurting out, taking risks)

• A strong desire for fun and excitement

These children bring joy and creativity, but they can also be exhausting to keep up with. Their impulsive nature may lead to challenges with rules and safety.  Children with surgent ADHD tend to be outgoing, impulsive, and assertive. They have high activity levels and are driven to engage, explore, and pursue rewarding experiences. In other words, they have a “go-for-it” kind of behavior style, driven by excitement, curiosity, and the hope of achieving something good. These children tend to benefit from being kept busy. Some may do best when schedules are predictable. Clear rules and limits are key. Surgent kids may need extra monitoring and reminders when it comes to safety. 

3. Irritable Temperament: The Big-Feelings Kids

These children have strong emotional reactions. They may get frustrated, angry, or overwhelmed more easily than others. You might see:

• Frequent mood swings

• Tantrums or meltdowns

• Difficulty calming down once upset

The children in this group are prone to irritability and emotion dysregulation. This group is at higher risk for anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems as they get older. The emotion dysregulation may interfere with school, family, and social functioning. Many parents find that “the usual” parenting approaches don’t work for their irritable child. Children with irritable temperaments typically need a more tailored and comprehensive treatment approach.

Summary

ADHD is not one-size-fits-all. Whether your child is mild, surgent, irritable—or a mix of these—you’re not alone. Knowing their temperament can give you a better roadmap for parenting with compassion and confidence.

How Parent Coaches at Child and Teen Solutions in Seattle, Washington can Help

When it comes to intervention for ADHD, we recommend starting with parenting therapy. Parenting therapy is well grounded in research as a way of managing ADHD. While ADHD might not be “cured,” parenting therapy is an important way to avoid secondary problems associated with ADHD. Secondary problems tend to include parent-child conflict, school problems, and behavior challenges. Our team specializes in the more complex needs of irritable children with ADHD. 

Many people think of medication as the best treatment for ADHD. While medication may help in the short-term with behavior, there is no clear evidence that medication leads to long-term better outcomes in life. Even for children where medication may be needed, it is not a substitute for therapy interventions.    

What does seem to reliably help children with ADHD is matching the environment to their needs. Most people with ADHD find that they thrive in some environments and struggle in others. ADHD symptoms tend to fluctuate depending on the setting. Symptoms are reduced when engaged in stimulating, high interest activities. This does not necessarily mean that the person does not have ADHD. Rather, it highlights the importance of setting children up for success by meeting their needs in the environment. Our parenting therapists can help guide families on strategies and tools to best support their child with ADHD. 

Reach out to us today through our Contact page to learn more about our services for ADHD.