Glossary

ADHD Glossary

The terms you meet on the way through ADHD assessment, treatment, benefits and school or work accommodations in Canada, each defined in one sentence. Terms with a longer explanation link to it.

119 terms

2

2e: 2e is short for twice-exceptional, meaning a person is both gifted and also has a disability, learning difference, or mental health condition such as ADHD.

A

accommodation: An accommodation is a change to how school or work is done so a person with ADHD can participate fairly, without changing the essential requirements.
accommodation letter: An accommodation letter is a document from a qualified clinician that explains functional limits and supports an accommodation request.
ACT therapy: ACT therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps a person make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while taking practical action guided by their values.
adhd: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or a mix of these that interfere with daily life.
ADHD coaching: ADHD coaching is practical, goal-focused support that helps a person build systems for planning, time management, organization, and follow-through.
ADHD medication misuse and diversion, and how can patients reduce these risks: Diversion of ADHD medication is when prescribed medication is shared, sold, traded, or otherwise used by someone other than the person it was prescribed for.
ADHD, combined presentation: ADHD, combined presentation is a form of ADHD where a person shows enough symptoms from both the inattentive and the hyperactive-impulsive groups.
ADHD, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation: ADHD, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation is a form of ADHD in which hyperactive and impulsive symptoms are more prominent than inattentive symptoms at the time of assessment.
ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation: ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation is a form of ADHD where inattentive symptoms are the main pattern at the time of assessment.
adverse effect: An adverse effect is an unwanted or harmful effect that happens during treatment.
age-of-onset criterion for ADHD: Age of onset is the ADHD diagnostic requirement that several symptoms were present before age 12.
ASRS: ASRS is the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, a short questionnaire used to screen for ADHD symptoms in adults.

B

behavioural activation: Behavioural activation is a structured therapy approach that helps a person do more useful, meaningful, or rewarding activities, even when motivation is low.
body doubling: Body doubling is a practical support strategy where a person does a task while another person is present, in person or virtually, to help with starting, staying on task, and finishing.
brand-name drug: A brand-name drug is the original marketed version of a medication sold under a company name rather than just its ingredient name.

C

CAARS: CAARS is the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales, a set of questionnaires used to gather structured information about adult ADHD symptoms and related problems.
CADDAC: CADDAC is a Canadian ADHD advocacy and education organization.
CADDRA: CADDRA is the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance, a national professional body that publishes Canadian ADHD practice guidelines and clinical tools.
CAMH: CAMH is the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, a large public mental health teaching hospital in Toronto with publicly available mental health information and educational resources.
capacity to consent: Capacity to consent is a person’s ability to understand information about a care decision and appreciate what could happen if they agree or refuse.
care pathway: A care pathway is the step-by-step route a person follows through care, from screening to assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
CBT: CBT is cognitive behavioural therapy, a structured talk therapy that helps people notice unhelpful thought patterns and practise more useful behaviours.
circle of care: Circle of care is the group of health-care providers and organizations involved in giving you health care who may share relevant personal health information to provide that care.
co-pay: A co-pay is a fixed amount or set share of a covered health cost that you pay yourself when you use a service or submit a claim.
cognitive flexibility: Cognitive flexibility is the mental ability to shift between ideas, rules, tasks, or plans when the situation changes.
cognitive restructuring: Cognitive restructuring is a CBT skill for noticing, testing, and reshaping unhelpful thoughts.
coinsurance: Coinsurance is the percentage of a covered claim that you pay, while your benefits plan pays the rest.
comorbidity: Comorbidity is when a person has two or more health conditions at the same time.
Conners 4: Conners 4 is a set of standardized rating scales used to help assess ADHD and related concerns in children and teens.
continuity of care: Continuity of care is care that stays connected over time, so your ADHD assessment, treatment, follow-up, and provider handoffs do not happen in isolation.
contraindication: A contraindication is a reason a treatment should not be used, or should be used only with extra caution, because it may be unsafe for that person.
controlled substance: A controlled substance is a drug regulated by Canadian law because it carries higher risks, such as misuse, dependence, or diversion.

D

DBT skills: DBT skills are practical coping skills from dialectical behaviour therapy used to manage intense emotions, impulsivity, stress, and relationships.
deductible: A deductible is the amount you must pay yourself before some insurance or drug plan coverage starts.
default mode network: Default mode network is a group of connected brain regions that tends to be more active when the mind is at rest, such as during daydreaming, self-reflection, or mind-wandering.
delayed sleep phase: Delayed sleep phase is a circadian rhythm pattern in which a person naturally falls asleep and wakes up much later than the schedule they need or want.
differential diagnosis: Differential diagnosis is the clinical process of considering and ruling out other conditions that could better explain a person’s symptoms.
DIVA-5: DIVA-5 is a structured diagnostic interview for ADHD in adults.
dopamine: Dopamine is a brain chemical that helps with motivation, reward, movement, and attention.
DSM-5-TR: DSM-5-TR is the text revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, the manual clinicians use as a diagnostic reference.
DTC: DTC is the Disability Tax Credit, a Canadian income tax measure administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.
duration of action: Duration of action is how long a medication’s helpful effects last after it starts working.

E

e-prescribing: E-prescribing is the secure electronic transmission of a prescription from an authorised prescriber to a pharmacy.
emotional burnout: Emotional burnout is a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion caused by ongoing stress that has not eased.
emotional lability: Emotional lability is rapid, strong shifts in emotion that seem bigger, faster, or harder to control than the situation would usually call for.
executive dysfunction: Executive dysfunction is a pattern of difficulty with planning, starting, organizing, remembering, switching, or finishing tasks.
executive function coaching: Executive function coaching is practical coaching that helps a person build skills for planning, task initiation, organization, time use, and follow-through.

F

family physician: A family physician is a medical doctor who provides ongoing primary care for people of all ages and often coordinates referrals, treatment, and follow-up.
follow-up visit: A follow-up visit is a planned check-in after an ADHD assessment or treatment decision to review how things are going and decide the next steps.
formulary: A formulary is a drug plan’s official list of medications and products it may cover, plus the rules for how they are covered.
functional impairment: Functional impairment is the real-world impact symptoms have on daily life, such as work, school, relationships, money management, or safety.

G

generic drug: A generic drug is a medication sold under its medicinal ingredient name instead of a brand name, after Health Canada has authorized it as equivalent in key ways to the brand product.

H

half-life: Half-life is the time it takes for the amount of a medication in your body to drop by half.
How do long-acting and immediate-release ADHD medications differ: A long-acting ADHD medication is a formulation designed to release medicine over a longer part of the day, rather than wearing off quickly after one dose.
How do prior and special authorization work for ADHD medication coverage in Canada: Prior authorization is approval a drug plan or benefits plan may require before it will pay for a medication, service, or supply.
hyperactivity: Hyperactivity is a pattern of unusually high activity, restlessness, or difficulty staying still that is more frequent or impairing than expected for the person’s age and setting.
hyperfocus: Hyperfocus is a period of very intense, sustained attention on one task or interest, often with reduced awareness of time, other tasks, or surroundings.

I

ICD-11 6A05: ICD-11 6A05 is the ICD-11 diagnostic code for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, in the World Health Organization’s classification system.
IEP: An IEP is an Individual Education Plan, a written school document that sets out a student’s learning needs, accommodations, and any special education supports.
immediate-release ADHD medication: Immediate-release ADHD medication is a short-acting formulation that releases the active medication soon after you take it, so its effects begin and wear off earlier than a long-acting version.
impulsivity: Impulsivity is acting, speaking, or deciding before you have fully thought through what could happen next.
inattention: Inattention is a symptom domain used in DSM-5-TR ADHD diagnosis that refers to persistent problems with sustaining focus, organisation, follow-through, and noticing details.
inattentive adhd: Inattentive ADHD is a pattern of ADHD symptoms where difficulties with attention, organization, follow-through and distractibility are more prominent than hyperactive or impulsive behaviour.
informed consent: Informed consent is permission you give for healthcare after you understand what is being proposed, why, the likely benefits, the risks, the alternatives, and what could happen if you say no.
insomnia: Insomnia is ongoing trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking earlier than wanted, with daytime effects such as fatigue, irritability, or poor concentration.
IPP: IPP is an Individual Program Plan, a written school document used in some Canadian provinces to set out a student’s learning goals, supports, accommodations, and who is responsible for them.
IPRC: IPRC is an Identification, Placement and Review Committee in Ontario that decides whether a student should be formally identified as exceptional and what school placement is appropriate.

L

late-diagnosed ADHD: Late-diagnosed ADHD is ADHD that is identified in adolescence or adulthood rather than in early childhood.
limited use mean on a drug plan: Limited use is a drug-plan status that means a medication may be covered only if specific conditions are met.

M

masking in ADHD: Masking in ADHD is hiding, compensating for, or working around ADHD traits so they are less visible to other people.
medication check-in: A medication check-in is a short follow-up visit with the prescribing clinician to review how a medication is working, side effects, timing, and whether any changes are needed.
medication holiday: A medication holiday is a planned break from a prescribed medication, usually discussed in advance with the clinician managing treatment.
METC: METC is the Medical Expense Tax Credit, a Canadian income tax credit for eligible medical expenses you paid.
mindfulness: Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment on purpose, with an attitude of openness rather than automatic judgment.
misuse of prescription stimulants: Medication misuse means using a prescribed medication in a way that is not prescribed, not for the prescribed person, or not for the intended medical purpose.

N

neurodivergent: Neurodivergent is an identity and community term for people whose brain functions, learns, or processes differently from what is treated as typical.
neurodiversity: Neurodiversity is the idea that differences in how people think, learn, process, and communicate are part of normal human variation.
neuropsychological assessment: A neuropsychological assessment is a detailed evaluation of thinking and learning, done to understand how attention, memory, language, processing speed, and other brain-based functions are working.
norepinephrine: Norepinephrine is a chemical messenger in the brain and body that helps with alertness, attention, and the stress response.

O

onset of action: Onset of action is the time from taking a medication to when you first notice an effect.
outcome monitoring: Outcome monitoring is the ongoing tracking of ADHD symptoms, side effects and day-to-day functioning to see whether treatment is helping and whether anything needs to change.
overwhelm in ADHD: Overwhelm in ADHD is the feeling that demands, choices, or sensory input have exceeded your ability to organise, start, or continue what needs doing.

P

paramedical benefit: A paramedical benefit is a part of a private extended health plan that may reimburse care from certain regulated health professionals outside hospital and physician services.
pervasiveness criterion for ADHD: Pervasiveness is the ADHD criterion that symptoms must be present in more than one setting, not only in one place or with one person.
PHIPA: PHIPA is Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act, the provincial law that sets rules for collecting, using, sharing, and protecting personal health information.
positive ADHD screener: A positive ADHD screener is a screening result that suggests ADHD may be worth assessing further.
PrescribeIT: PrescribeIT is Canada’s national e-prescribing service, run by Canada Health Infoway, that lets prescribers send prescriptions electronically to a patient’s pharmacy.
prescription monitoring program: A prescription monitoring program is a provincial system that tracks certain prescription medicines to support safer prescribing and dispensing.
procrastination in ADHD: Procrastination in ADHD is a pattern of delaying tasks that is often tied to executive functioning challenges, not simply laziness.
psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental disorders.
psychologist: A psychologist is a regulated mental health professional trained in assessment and psychotherapy.

R

RDSP: RDSP is a Canadian registered savings plan that helps a person with a disability save for the long term.
rebound with ADHD medication: Rebound is a short period when ADHD symptoms, or irritability and mood changes, show up more strongly as medication wears off.
registered psychotherapist: A registered psychotherapist is a regulated mental health professional who provides psychotherapy within their scope of practice.
rejection sensitive dysphoria: Rejection sensitive dysphoria is a non-DSM term for very intense emotional pain after real or perceived rejection, criticism, or failure.
remission in ADHD: Remission in ADHD is when ADHD symptoms and related impairment have reduced enough that the person no longer fully meets the diagnostic threshold, either completely or in partial remission.
response inhibition: Response inhibition is the ability to stop, delay, or hold back an automatic response when the situation calls for it.

S

screening tool: A screening tool is a brief questionnaire or checklist used to spot signs that ADHD may be worth assessing further.
shared care: Shared care is a care arrangement where an ADHD clinic and a primary care provider split responsibilities for treatment, monitoring, and follow-up.
sleep hygiene: Sleep hygiene is the set of daily habits and bedtime conditions that make good sleep more likely.
SNAP-IV: SNAP-IV is a symptom rating scale used to screen and track ADHD-related behaviours.
special authorization for medication coverage: Special authorization is a request for extra approval from a drug plan before a medication may be covered.
stigma in mental health care: Stigma is negative beliefs, stereotypes, or unfair treatment linked to a mental health condition or to getting mental health care.
stimulant medication: A stimulant medication is a prescription medicine that can help reduce core ADHD symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
substance use disorder: Substance use disorder is a medical term for a pattern of alcohol or drug use that causes harm, distress, or loss of control.
symptom validity: Symptom validity is whether a person’s reported symptoms appear consistent, credible, and in line with their history, functioning, and assessment information.

T

task paralysis: Task paralysis is a lived-experience term for feeling mentally stuck and unable to start, continue, or switch tasks, even when the task matters to you.
telehealth: Telehealth is health care delivered remotely, usually by video, phone, or secure digital tools instead of in-person visits.
therapeutic dose: A therapeutic dose is the amount of a medication that is expected to provide benefit while keeping side effects tolerable.
titration: Titration is the step-by-step adjustment of a medication dose to find a helpful balance between benefit and side effects.
tolerance to ADHD medication: Tolerance to ADHD medication is when the same medication at the same dose seems to work less well over time after an initial benefit.
treatment adherence: Treatment adherence is how consistently a person follows the care plan they agreed on with a clinician, such as medication use, therapy attendance, sleep habits, and behavioural strategies.
treatment plan: A treatment plan is a written outline of the goals, steps, supports, and follow-up for managing a health condition.
triplicate prescription program: A triplicate prescription program is a provincial monitored prescribing system that tracks certain higher-risk medications through special prescription rules or duplicate records.

U

undue hardship: Undue hardship is the legal point where an employer, school, or service provider in Canada can show that a requested accommodation would cause serious difficulty or expense.

V

Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale: The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale is a parent and teacher questionnaire used to gather information about ADHD symptoms and related concerns in children.
virtual care: Virtual care is health care delivered remotely, usually by phone, video, or secure messaging instead of in person.

W

WURS: WURS is the Wender Utah Rating Scale, a questionnaire used to look back at possible ADHD-related behaviours in childhood from an adult’s current point of view.