ADHD Signs and Symptoms

ADHD

ADHD is one of the most common neuro-developmental disorders of childhood. While it is usually first diagnosed before the age of 12, many adults have the disorder. Both children and adults, may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.

Signs and symptoms of ADHD. While all children have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another, individuals with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors and moreover, the symptoms cause functional impairment. ADHD symptoms that continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.

A child with ADHD might:

daydream a lot
forget or lose things a lot
squirm or fidget
talk too much
make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
have a hard time resisting temptation
experience difficulty taking turns
be having difficulty getting along with others

It is not uncommon for symptoms can change over time and moreover, the presentation may change over time as well.

Diagnosis

The way to deciding if a child has ADHD is a process with several steps. Additionally, there is no single test to diagnose, and many other problems, like anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and certain types of learning disabilities, can have similar symptoms. One step of the process involves having a medical exam, for instance hearing and vision tests, to rule out other problems with symptoms like ADHD. Diagnosing usually includes a checklist for rating symptoms such as taking a history of the child from parents, teachers, and sometimes, the child.

Treatment

Cases are best treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medication. Children who are preschool-aged (4-5 years of age) behavior therapy, particularly training for parents, is recommended as the first line of treatment before medication is tried. What works best can depend on the child and family, for example good treatment plans will include close monitoring, follow-ups, and making changes, if needed, along the way.