ADHD Family Tours · Shanghai 上海
Shanghai
Disney, Museums & English-Language Care
Seven days in Shanghai: Shanghai Disneyland, the Science and Technology Museum, the Natural History Museum and a ferry across the Huangpu, with the option of an English-language child psychiatry consultation at Shanghai United Family, or an interpreted one at Shanghai Mental Health Center.
Trip length
7 days / 6 nights
Trip type
Family trip + English-language assessment
Best time to go
March–May and October–November
Best for
Families who need care in English; children who love theme parks
Overview
The easiest city for a family who needs everything in English.
Shanghai has the most English-language options for a family. Shanghai United Family's mental health team includes a child and adolescent psychiatrist and offers psycho-educational and neuropsychological assessment. Shanghai Mental Health Center has a child and adolescent department that assesses and treats ADHD and runs ADHD parent classes, in Chinese.
The sightseeing is built for short attention spans and lots of energy: a theme park, two hands-on museums and a ferry ride, each in its own morning, with afternoons free.
This route suits
- Families with a child who has ADHD who need everything in English
- Parents considering a psycho-educational assessment
- Children who'd rank Disneyland above any temple
- Families combining the trip with business in Shanghai
Trip type · Family trip + English-language assessment
What the trip includes
Medicine travel plan
Sorted before you book flights, not at the border.
- Checklist of your child's medicines against Chinese controlled-drug rules
- Doctor's letter template: diagnosis, medicine, dose and quantity, for personal use
- Trip length planned around how much medicine you can sensibly carry
- Time-zone dosing plan to agree with your child's doctor
ADHD-friendly itinerary
Built around attention, energy and routine.
- One hotel base for the whole stay, so no repacking
- One main outing a day, mostly in the morning
- Timed or pre-booked tickets to avoid long queues
- Visual day-by-day schedule you can share with your child
English-language assessment (Shanghai)
At a private international hospital, for families who need English throughout.
- Child and adolescent psychiatrist consultation in English
- Psycho-educational or neuropsychological assessment where recommended
- Number and length of sessions confirmed by the clinic in advance
- Report in English for your school and doctor
Family coordinator
One person who knows your child's plan.
- Airport pick-up and a calm first evening
- On call through the trip for changes of plan
- Restaurant picks with plain, familiar food options
- Backup indoor plan for rain, heat or a hard day
Medicine plans are always agreed with your child's own doctor. Any consultation is optional. Background reading: pediatric care · medical travel checklist
Want a route planned around your child?
Tell us your child's age, medicines, what they love and what's hard. We'll shape the Shanghai days around them — free, with no obligation.
Treatment timeline
Before, during and after
| Visit | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Before you go | 6–8 weeks ahead | Medicine plan agreed with your child's doctor; doctor's letter; tickets booked; visual schedule sent. |
| The trip | This itinerary | One base, one main outing a day, quiet afternoons. Optional consultation early in the week. |
| Afterwards | At home | Any consultation summary goes to your child's doctor; a short call with your coordinator about how it went. |
Built for ADHD
How the days are paced
- One hotel base, with Disneyland as a day trip rather than a move
- Museums on weekday mornings, when they're calmest
- Assessment sessions placed between outing days
- Afternoon downtime every day
- A spare day before you fly
If you add a consultation
What happens at the clinic
| Before | We send your child's past assessments, school reports, rating scales and medicine history to the clinic, translated where needed. |
|---|---|
| 08:30 | Breakfast and usual medicines; your coordinator meets you at the hotel with snacks and something to do in the waiting room. |
| 09:00 | Registration (bring your child's passport). |
| 09:30 | Consultation with the doctor; your coordinator interprets at public hospitals. |
| Late morning | Plan and next steps explained; a written summary follows for your doctor at home. |
| Afternoon | Something fun and physical as a reward. |
Itinerary · 7 days / 6 nights
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive
- Airport pick-up; check in to one hotel for the week
- Evening walk on the Bund
Overnight: Central Shanghai
- Day 2
Consultation
- Morning: optional consultation or first assessment session
- Afternoon: Huangpu ferry and Pudong riverside
Overnight: Central Shanghai
- Day 3
Science museum
- Morning: Science and Technology Museum
- Afternoon: Century Park
Overnight: Central Shanghai
- Day 4
Disneyland
- Full day at Shanghai Disneyland
- Back to the same hotel
Overnight: Central Shanghai
- Day 5
Quiet day
- Late start; optional second assessment session
- Afternoon off
Overnight: Central Shanghai
- Day 6
Natural History Museum
- Morning: Natural History Museum
- Afternoon: Jing'an Sculpture Park
Overnight: Central Shanghai
- Day 7
Depart
- Transfer to the airport
Make this itinerary yours
Change the dates, add rest days, upgrade hotels or combine it with another route. Your coordinator sends a revised plan and itemised quote.
Travel
What you’ll see
Shanghai Disneyland
The Disney resort in Pudong, with rides, shows and parades.
Tip: Plan the three rides your child cares most about, and leave before the evening crowds if energy runs out.
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
A large hands-on science museum in Pudong, next to Century Park.
Tip: Book ahead; Century Park next door is good for running off energy afterwards.
Shanghai Natural History Museum
Dinosaurs and animal galleries in a striking modern building in Jing'an Sculpture Park.
Tip: The dinosaur hall is the place to start.
Huangpu ferry & the Bund
A short public ferry across the river between the Bund and Pudong, with the skyline on both sides.
Tip: A cheap, quick boat ride that's often more fun for children than a long cruise.
Hospitals
Optional care on this route
Shanghai United Family Hospital 上海和睦家医院
Private international hospital · English-language care
Its mental health team includes a child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychotherapist seeing patients aged 0 to 25, and offers psycho-educational and neuropsychological assessment.
We use it for
- Consultation in English
- Psycho-educational assessment
Shanghai Mental Health Center 上海市精神卫生中心
Public psychiatric hospital · child & adolescent department
Its child and adolescent psychiatry department, founded in 1986, assesses, diagnoses and treats ADHD in under-18s and runs ADHD parent classes. Consultations in Chinese, with your coordinator interpreting.
We use it for
- Second opinion
- Medication review
Children's Hospital of Fudan University 复旦大学附属儿科医院
Public children's hospital
Runs a learning-difficulties clinic (opened 2020) where children with ADHD are the most common patients. Consultations in Chinese, interpreted.
We use it for
- Learning difficulties
- Developmental review
Consultations are optional and confirmed after we've seen your child's records. An English-speaking coordinator comes to every appointment and interprets where the clinic works in Chinese.
Medicines sorted before you book?
Send us your child's medicine names and doses. We'll explain how China's rules apply and what to agree with your child's doctor.
Aftercare
Travelling with ADHD
Medicines & time zones
Agree a plan with your child's doctor before you go for shifting doses across time zones. Keep medicines in hand luggage, in original packaging, with the doctor's letter.
Routine
Keep the anchors your child relies on: wake-up, meals, medicine and bedtime at about the same times, even on holiday.
Movement & breaks
Build in running-around time every day, and take breaks before your child needs them, not after.
Food & sleep
New food and jet lag can unsettle anyone. Pack familiar snacks, and keep the first two days light while sleep settles.
General tips only. Your child's own doctor decides anything to do with medicine.
Practical tips
Before you go
- Assessments at private clinics can take more than one session; we'll confirm the number and length before you book.
- Shanghai summers are hot and humid; plan Disneyland for spring or autumn if you can.
- Talk to your child's doctor 6–8 weeks before travel about every ADHD medicine they take, and whether it can be carried into China.
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta and others) is a controlled Category 1 medicine in China. Under Chinese regulations you may carry it for treatment with a medical diagnosis certificate and ID, up to the maximum of a single prescription; customs releases it on a personal-use, reasonable-quantity basis.
- Amphetamine-based medicines (such as Adderall or dexamfetamine) are also Category 1 controlled drugs in China, and no amphetamine product is approved there. Discuss alternatives with your child's doctor and check with the Chinese embassy well before you travel.
- Atomoxetine, guanfacine and clonidine are not on China's controlled-drug list; still carry the prescription and a doctor's letter.
- Bring your child's passport to every appointment; hospitals use it to register patients.
FAQ
Shanghai ADHD family tour — answered.
- Can my child get a full ADHD assessment in English here?
- Shanghai United Family's mental health team includes a child and adolescent psychiatrist and offers psycho-educational and neuropsychological assessment in English. Whether a full diagnostic assessment fits in one week depends on the clinic's schedule; we confirm sessions with them before you book.
- Is Disneyland a good idea for a child with ADHD?
- Often yes, with a plan: pick a few rides in advance, use quieter areas for breaks and leave before the end if needed. We keep the next day light.
- Can we bring ADHD medicine into China?
- It depends on the medicine. Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) is a controlled Category 1 medicine in China; Chinese regulations allow it to be carried for treatment with a medical diagnosis certificate and ID, up to the maximum of a single prescription, and customs releases it on a personal-use, reasonable-quantity basis. Amphetamine-based medicines such as Adderall are also Category 1 controlled drugs and aren't approved in China, so speak to your child's doctor and the Chinese embassy well before travel. Atomoxetine and guanfacine aren't on the controlled list.
- How much methylphenidate can we carry?
- The regulation says up to the maximum of a single prescription. In China, a single prescription of methylphenidate for childhood ADHD is limited to 15 days' supply. Customs hasn't published how it applies this to foreign prescriptions, so we plan trips of up to about two weeks and suggest you carry only what the trip needs, with a doctor's letter.
- Can we buy ADHD medicine in China if we run out?
- Some ADHD medicines are approved in China, including long-acting methylphenidate (Concerta) and atomoxetine, but they're prescription-only and methylphenidate is tightly controlled. A Chinese doctor would need to see your child. Bring enough for the trip rather than relying on this.
- Do we have to see a doctor on this trip?
- No. Four of the seven routes (Xi'an, Guilin, Sanya and Hangzhou) are travel-only, and on the other three the consultation is an optional add-on.
- Can we combine two routes?
- Yes, and many families do: Beijing with Xi'an, Shanghai with Hangzhou, or Chengdu with Guilin. We keep it to one hotel per city and a calm travel day in between.
- Will the doctors speak English?
- At public hospitals, consultations are in Chinese with your coordinator interpreting. That works well for second opinions and medicine reviews. For an assessment that relies on talking directly with your child, the Shanghai route includes an English-language private clinic.
- How common is ADHD in China?
- A 2017 meta-analysis of 67 studies with more than 275,000 children and adolescents in China estimated a pooled prevalence of 6.26%, so Chinese child psychiatry and developmental-behavioural teams see it often.
Related guides
Other routes
Beijing · Great Wall, Science & Pandas
7 days / 6 nights · Active children aged about 6–14; first-time visitors
View routeChengdu · Pandas & a Slower Pace
6 days / 5 nights · Younger children; families who want a gentler pace
View routeXi'an · Bikes on the Wall & the Terracotta Army
6 days / 5 nights · Active children aged about 7 and up; history-loving families
View routeGuilin · Rafts, Bikes & Caves
6 days / 5 nights · Outdoor-loving children; families who want nature over cities
View routeSanya · Beach, Water Park & Rainforest
6 days / 5 nights · Families who want a calm, simple beach holiday; younger children
View routeHangzhou · Lake Bikes & Wetland Boats
4 days / 3 nights · Families adding a second city to Shanghai; children who like bikes and boats
View routeShanghai, care included.
Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, your child's age and medicines, and what your family enjoys. We'll confirm the route, hotel and any consultation, and pace the days around your child.