My child is gifted / sensitive / creative — how does that fit with ADHD?

If you’ve ever thought, “But my child is so clever / emotional / artistic — can they still have ADHD?” the answer is almost certainly yes. ADHD doesn’t cancel out giftedness. Or sensitivity. Or creativity. In fact, they often go together.

Here’s how they overlap — and sometimes get mistaken for each other:

Gifted kids can be intense. ADHD can be intense.
Fast brains, big ideas, passionate responses. Both groups may struggle with emotional regulation, boredom, or frustration when their environment doesn’t meet them where they are.

Creative thinkers might also have ADHD, or vice versa.
Many ADHDers think in nonlinear, visually rich, or metaphor-heavy ways. That’s not a weakness — it’s an incredible strength. But without support, their creativity can be mistaken for chaos or defiance.

Sensitivity and empathy can be heightened.
ADHD doesn’t mean your child lacks emotional intelligence. In fact, they might feel everything more deeply. They may notice injustice, respond strongly to tone, or feel overwhelmed by change — and that’s not “too much.” That’s their brain working hard.

But here’s the challenge:

Because these traits can mask each other, gifted kids with ADHD often go undiagnosed. Or they’re diagnosed late — once the demands of school or life exceed what their strengths can compensate for.

And some people still wrongly assume that ADHD = low intelligence, which is false. ADHD affects how a brain works, not how well it works.

So what can you do?

Support both. Don’t assume their strengths mean they’re coping. Don’t assume their struggles cancel out their brilliance. Learn about twice-exceptionality (2e). Adjust expectations. And help your child see that all their traits are valid — even the ones that don’t always play nicely together.

You don’t need to pick between “Are they gifted or ADHD?”
They might be both. And both deserve understanding.