ADHD in motherhood: Identification and treatment in perinatal mental health

Strengthen your ability to recognize ADHD during pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood. Learn to identify symptoms, navigate differential diagnosis and develop practical, strength-based treatment plans that reflect the challenges faced by mothers with ADHD.

Designed for mental health clinicians, physicians and allied health professionals, this training explores the identification and treatment of ADHD in motherhood, with a focus on the unique challenges of the perinatal period.

Led by Kristine Aanderson, R.Psych., MA, PMH-C, this training draws on more than 15 years of clinical experience in perinatal mental health. Kristine’s areas of specialization include ADHD in motherhood, perinatal OCD, birth trauma, fertility challenges and grief.

Participants will explore the recent consensus statement on identifying and treating ADHD in women. The training examines how ADHD may present differently during pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood. It also considers how the changes associated with motherhood can exacerbate or alter ADHD symptoms.

To address the underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis of ADHD during the perinatal period, this training examines several critical areas:

• Recognizing the limitations of conventional diagnostic criteria
• Using diagnostic tools developed specifically to identify ADHD in women
• Identifying symptoms that individuals may internalize, mask or compensate for
• Applying differential diagnostic approaches to distinguish ADHD from anxiety, trauma, depression, perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder or physiological conditions
• Reviewing frequently co-occurring conditions

Participants will also examine the challenges faced by mothers with ADHD. These include overstimulation, limited external structure, household management, emotional regulation, sleep deprivation and emotional labour. The training also explores the challenges of raising children while managing ADHD.

Drawing on recent research centred on the experiences of mothers with ADHD, the training examines strategies to help manage symptoms and stressors. These include auditory accommodations, psychoeducation, neurodiversity concepts, positive reinforcement, technology, social media, exercise, stress management, structure and psychological interventions.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Describe how ADHD symptoms may present differently in women during the perinatal period and identify tools that support accurate identification.
• Apply differential diagnostic strategies to distinguish ADHD from commonly overlapping conditions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, perinatal OCD and physiological causes.
• Develop and implement evidence-based treatment plans that incorporate psychoeducation, environmental supports, behavioural strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration to support mothers with ADHD.

Through clinical examples, discussion and resource-sharing, participants will strengthen their ability to recognize ADHD in the perinatal population. They will also explore how to develop practical, strength-based treatment plans that reflect the realities of navigating ADHD in motherhood. Register for the live webinar.

Can’t attend the live webinar? Explore the on-demand version of ADHD in motherhood: Identification and treatment in perinatal mental health and learn at your own pace. View the on-demand training.

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