DNP 643 Module 6 Developmental/Behavioral Health Concern Presentation: ADHD in Preschool Children Example

Reviewed by Ingrid Vasterling, MSN, RN Arizona State University Updated October 2026

This DNP 643 Module 6 sample is the Developmental/Behavioral Health Concern Presentation for Developmentally Based Care of the Well Child, part of the pediatric nurse practitioner track in ASU's Doctor of Nursing Practice. ASU DNP 643 pairs students to deliver a scholarly PowerPoint at the Week 8 immersion, no longer than 20 minutes, on assessing and managing a developmental or behavioral concern, covering background and significance, personal, social and cultural influences and a synthesis of the best evidence. This sample takes ADHD in 4- and 5-year-olds. Fourteen slides with speaker notes cover why it matters, how it is diagnosed with rating scales from two settings, what shapes families' choices and why the evidence puts parent training in behavior management before medication.

CourseDNP 643 Developmentally Based Care of the Well Child
ModuleModule 6
Paper typePaired scholarly presentation slides with speaker notes
LengthAbout 677 words, 5 pages
FormatAPA 7 slide deck with speaker notes
SchoolArizona State University
ProgramDoctor of Nursing Practice
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for DNP 643 Module 6

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Too Young for a Pill? Assessing and Managing ADHD in 4- and 5-Year-Olds in Pediatric Primary Care

Student Name

Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University

DNP 643: Developmentally Based Care of the Well Child

Instructor Name

Month Day, Year

What this page is doingThe title raises the question parents and clinicians ask most about preschool ADHD, which the evidence synthesis answers, then names the age group and setting.
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Slide 1: Too Young for a Pill?

Title slide: ADHD in preschool children, assessment and management in pediatric primary care.

Speaker notes: We chose preschool ADHD because families often arrive asking whether a 4-year-old can have ADHD and whether medication is safe, and the evidence gives a clear order of steps.

Slide 2: Background and Significance

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood, and symptoms often begin before school entry.

Speaker notes: Untreated preschool ADHD is linked to expulsion from child care, injuries and family stress, which is the "so what" for primary care.

Slide 3: Key Definitions

Inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that are persistent, present in two or more settings, beyond what is expected for developmental level and impairing.

Speaker notes: In preschoolers, "beyond what is expected for developmental level" carries extra weight, since high activity is normal at 4.

Slide 4: The AAP Guideline Covers Ages 4 Through 18

Primary care clinicians should evaluate children from age 4 who show academic or behavioral problems with inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity (Wolraich et al., 2019).

Speaker notes: The guideline extended its range down to 4 years in 2011 and kept it there in the 2019 update.

Slide 5: Assessment

DSM-5 criteria; rating scales from parents and preschool teachers or child care providers; a developmental and behavioral history; screening for coexisting conditions.

Speaker notes: Information from two settings is essential; if the child is not in preschool, a structured setting such as a parenting class can provide the second observer.

What this page is doingThe assessment slide stresses information from two settings because it is the step most often skipped with preschoolers and the one the DSM-5 criteria require.
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Slide 6: What Else Could It Be?

Hearing or vision problems, language delay, autism spectrum disorder, sleep problems including sleep apnea, anxiety, trauma and adverse experiences, lead exposure.

Speaker notes: Coexisting conditions are common, and some, such as sleep apnea or a language delay, change the plan entirely.

Slide 7: Personal, Social and Cultural Influences

Parent beliefs about behavior and medication; stigma; access to behavioral therapy; insurance coverage; language; cultural norms about discipline.

Speaker notes: Families differ in how they see high activity and in their trust of medication, so the plan starts with what the family wants to change.

Slide 8: Evidence on Parent Training in Behavior Management

Programs such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and Triple P teach parents to strengthen positive behavior and use consistent, calm limits.

Speaker notes: A systematic review for AHRQ found that parent behavior training improved preschoolers' disruptive behavior and that the evidence for it was stronger than for medication in this age group (Charach et al., 2013).

Slide 9: Evidence on Medication

Methylphenidate is the most studied medication in preschoolers.

Speaker notes: In the Preschool ADHD Treatment Study, methylphenidate reduced symptoms but with smaller effects and more side effects, such as irritability and appetite loss, than in school-age children (Greenhill et al., 2006).

Slide 10: Synthesis

For ages 4 and 5, parent training in behavior management, plus behavioral classroom supports when available, is first line; methylphenidate may be added when behavior therapy does not give enough improvement and impairment remains moderate to severe (Wolraich et al., 2019).

Speaker notes: Drawing these together, the evidence supports an order of steps rather than a choice between them.

What this page is doingThe synthesis slide draws a conclusion across the guideline, a systematic review and a trial rather than repeating each study, which is what the assignment means by synthesizing the evidence.
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Slide 11: Primary Care Plan

Confirm the diagnosis; refer to parent training; coordinate with preschool; follow up within a month; reassess with rating scales; consider methylphenidate if needed, starting low and titrating slowly.

Speaker notes: Primary care stays the medical home throughout, and rating scales at each visit tell us whether the plan is working.

Slide 12: When Behavior Therapy Is Not Available

Waitlists and coverage gaps are common; options include group or online parent training and community programs.

Speaker notes: The guideline acknowledges access problems and allows medication to be considered when behavior therapy is unavailable and impairment is significant.

Slide 13: Take-Home Points

Diagnose carefully with input from two settings; look for what else is going on; start with parent training; use methylphenidate thoughtfully and monitor closely.

Slide 14: Questions

Thank you. We welcome questions on applying this approach in clinic.

Speaker notes: We are glad to discuss how to talk with families who are hesitant about either approach.

References

Charach, A., Carson, P., Fox, S., Ali, M. U., Beckett, J., & Lim, C. G. (2013). Interventions for preschool children at high risk for ADHD: A comparative effectiveness review. Pediatrics, 131(5), e1584-e1604. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-0974

Greenhill, L., Kollins, S., Abikoff, H., McCracken, J., Riddle, M., Swanson, J., McGough, J., Wigal, S., Wigal, T., Vitiello, B., Skrobala, A., Posner, K., Ghuman, J., Cunningham, C., Davies, M., Chuang, S., & Cooper, T. (2006). Efficacy and safety of immediate-release methylphenidate treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 45(11), 1284-1293. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.chi.0000235077.32661.61

Wolraich, M. L., Hagan, J. F., Allan, C., Chan, E., Davison, D., Earls, M., Evans, S. W., Flinn, S. K., Froehlich, T., Frost, J., Holbrook, J. R., Lehmann, C. U., Lessin, H. R., Okechukwu, K., Pierce, K. L., Winner, J. D., Zurhellen, W., & Subcommittee on Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder. (2019). Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 144(4), Article e20192528. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2528

Reading the DNP 643 Module 6 assignment instructions

The Developmental/Behavioral Health Concern Presentation is a 30-point paired assignment delivered at the Week 8 immersion. Topics come from a list released at the first immersion, and partners are assigned at random. The syllabus sets a limit of 20 minutes plus 10 for questions and gives an outline: background and significance, including how many children are affected and why it matters; definitions of key terms; personal, social and cultural influences on the family; and a synthesis of current evidence on management, with Level I and II evidence preferred. It also warns against using parenting websites to support management decisions and limits the use of textbooks. Because pairs are assigned at random, agree early on who drafts which slides and set a date to rehearse together.

Inside the DNP 643 Module 6 example

Fourteen slides with speaker notes follow the syllabus outline in order. The opening slides give background and significance and define ADHD in terms that fit preschoolers. Two slides on assessment and differential diagnosis stress rating scales from two settings and the conditions that mimic or accompany ADHD. A slide on personal, social and cultural influences addresses beliefs, stigma and access. Two evidence slides summarize a systematic review on parent training and a landmark trial on methylphenidate, and a synthesis slide draws them together with the AAP guideline into an order of steps. The closing slides give a primary care plan, an option when therapy is unavailable and take-home points. Margin notes mark the assessment and synthesis slides.

Reading the DNP 643 Module 6 grading rubric

The rubric for the 30-point presentation is in Canvas. Based on the syllabus guidance, credit is likely to follow the required elements: background and significance that answer why the concern matters, defined terms, a genuine discussion of social and cultural influences, a synthesis of high-level evidence that draws conclusions across studies, a practical plan for primary care and a professional delivery within time, including the question period. Deductions tend to come from study-by-study summaries without a conclusion, from weak sources such as parenting sites and from running over time. Partners are graded together, so both should be able to answer questions on any slide.

DNP 643 Module 6 help with common mistakes

A presentation that lists study after study without a conclusion misses the word synthesis in the assignment. Say what the studies add up to. Give the social and cultural influences real space, since they decide whether families accept a plan. Put one idea on each slide and leave room for speaking. Prepare for the question of what to do when the recommended therapy is not available locally. Rehearse with your partner to stay within 20 minutes. If your pair sends the desk the assigned topic and an outline, it can help you test whether the synthesis slide draws a real conclusion.

Write yours, or have the desk draft it

This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.

More DNP 643 and Doctor of Nursing Practice sample papers

DNP 643 Module 6 questions, answered

Where can I find a free DNP 643 Module 6 sample paper?

This page holds a full DNP 643 Module 6 sample: a fourteen-slide developmental and behavioral health presentation on ADHD in preschool children, with speaker notes.

Can a 4-year-old be diagnosed with ADHD?

Yes. The AAP guideline covers children from age 4 and calls for DSM-5 criteria with information from at least two settings, such as home and preschool.

What is first-line treatment for ADHD in preschoolers?

Parent training in behavior management, with methylphenidate considered if behavior therapy does not help enough and impairment remains moderate to severe.

How long is the DNP 643 presentation?

No more than 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for questions and comments, delivered in pairs at the Week 8 immersion.

What sources should the DNP 643 presentation use?

Current literature with Level I and II evidence preferred; parenting websites should not be used for management decisions, and textbooks only in limited cases.