Background <p>Emerging research suggests a link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and central sensitization (CS), a condition characterized by heightened sensitivity to pain and sensory stimuli. This study aimed to measure the severity of CS symptoms in children with ADHD and in their parents; compare results with those of a neurotypical group; and explore associations between CS symptoms and pain intensity as well as potential familial patterns.</p> Methods <p>Participants included 37 children with ADHD (mean age = 11.54 years; 62.2% male) and 29 neurotypical children (mean age = 13.07 years; 58.6% male). Children completed the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) – Child and Adolescent Version and rated their pain intensity at the time of assessment and over the past week. One parent per child completed the adult version of the CSI.</p> Results <p>Children with ADHD reported significantly higher CSI-indexed CS symptom scores than those in the comparison group (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). In categorical analyses, neurotypical children were significantly more likely to fall into the subclinical (lowest symptom) CS range (adjusted <i>p</i> &lt; 0.005). Children with ADHD also reported significantly greater pain intensity both currently (<i>p</i> = 0.016) and over the past week (<i>p</i> = 0.003). Stronger correlations between CSI-indexed CS and self-reported pain were observed in the ADHD group, particularly for current pain (ρ = 0.66, <i>p</i> = 0.002). Parents of children with ADHD also had elevated CS scores (<i>p</i> = 0.003), with the majority falling in the severe range. A moderate correlation between parent and child CSI-indexed CS scores was observed across the entire sample (ρ = 0.47, <i>p</i> = 0.002), while a strong correlation between parents’ CS scores and their own medical conditions was found only in the ADHD group (ρ = 0.66, <i>p</i> = 0.002).</p> Conclusions <p>Children with ADHD, and their parents, reported elevated CSI-indexed CS symptoms and pain intensity, suggesting that CS symptoms may represent a clinically relevant feature in some ADHD presentations. These findings support the value of considering sensory and pain-related assessments in ADHD evaluations and highlight the need for further research into potential mechanisms and integrative interventions that may improve outcomes and reduce functional impairment in pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>