What Are the Signs of adhd?
All kids struggle at times to pay attention, listen and follow directions, sit still, or wait their turn. But for kids with adhd, the struggles are harder and happen more often.
Kids with adhd can show signs in any or all these areas:
Inattentive. Kids who are inattentive (easily distracted) have trouble focusing their attention, concentrating, and staying on task. They may not listen well to directions, may miss important details, and may not finish what they start. They may daydream or dawdle too much. They may seem absent-minded or forgetful, and lose track of their things.
Hyperactive. Kids who are hyperactive are fidgety, restless, and easily bored. They may have trouble sitting still, or staying quiet when needed. They may rush through things and make careless mistakes. They may climb, jump, or roughhouse when they shouldn't. Without meaning to, they may act in ways that disrupt others.
Impulsive. Kids who are impulsive act too quickly before thinking. They often interrupt, might push or grab, and find it hard to wait. They may do things without asking for permission, take things that aren't theirs, or act in ways that are risky. They may have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation.
Sometimes parents and teachers notice signs of adhd when a child is very young. But it's normal for little kids to be distracted, restless, impatient, or impulsive — these things don't always mean that a child has adhd.
Attention, activity, and self-control develop little by little, as children grow. Kids learn these skills with help from parents and teachers. But some kids don't get much better at paying attention, settling down, listening, or waiting. When these things continue and begin to cause problems at school, home, and with friends, it may be adhd.
What Causes adhd?
It's not clear what causes the brain differences of adhd. There’s strong evidence that adhd is mostly inherited. Many kids who have adhd have a parent or relative with it. Kids also can be more at risk for it if they were born early, are exposed to environmental toxins, or their mothers used drugs during pregnancy.
adhd is not caused by too much screen time, poor parenting, or eating too much sugar.
Types
There are three different ways adhd presents itself, depending on which types of symptoms are strongest in the individual:
Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.
Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.
Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over time as well.
How Is adhd Diagnosed?
If you think your child has adhd, make an appointment with your child's doctor. They will do a checkup, including a vision and hearing check, to be sure something else isn't causing the symptoms.
To diagnose adhd, doctors start by asking about a child's health, behavior, and activity. They talk with parents and kids about the things they have noticed. Your doctor might ask you to complete checklists about your child's behavior, and might ask you to give your child's teacher a checklist too.
After gettng this information, doctors diagnose adhd if it's clear that:
A child's trouble with paying attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity go beyond what's usual for their age.
The behaviors have been going on since the child was young.
The behaviors affect the child at school and at home.
A health check shows that another health or learning issue isn't causing the problems.
Many kids with adhd also have learning problems, oppositional and defiant behaviors, or mood and anxiety problems. Doctors usually treat these along with the adhd.
The doctor can refer you to a child psychologist or psychiatrist, if needed.
How Is adhd Treated?
Treatment for adhd usually includes:
Medicine. This activates the brain's ability to pay attention, slow down, and use more self-control.
Behavior therapy. Therapists can help kids develop the social, emotional, and planning skills that are lagging with adhd.
Parent coaching. Through coaching, parents learn the best ways to respond to behavior problems that are part of adhd.
School support. Teachers can help kids with adhd do well and enjoy school more.
The right treatment helps adhd improve. Parents and teachers can teach younger kids to get better at managing their attention, behavior, and emotions. As they grow older, kids should learn to improve their own attention and self-control.
When adhd is not treated, it can be hard for kids to succeed. This may lead to low self-esteem, depression, oppositional behavior, school failure, risk-taking behavior, or family conflict.
How Can Parents Help?
If your child is diagnosed with adhd:
Be involved. Learn all you can about adhd. Follow the treatment your child's health care provider recommends. Go to all recommended therapy visits.
Give medicines safely. If your child is taking adhd medicine, always give it at the recommended time and dose. Keep medicines in a safe place.
Work with your child's school. Ask teachers if your child should have an IEP or 504 plan. Meet often with teachers to find out how your child is doing. Work together to help your child do well
Parent with purpose and warmth. Learn what parenting approaches are best for a child with adhd and which can make adhd worse. Talk openly and supportively about adhd with your child. Focus on your child's strengths and positive qualities.
Connect with others for support and awareness. Join a support group like CHADD for adhd to get updates on treatment and other information.
adhd can improve when kids get treatment, eat healthy food, get enough sleep and exercise, and have supportive parents who know how to respond to adhd.
Parents of children with adhd
Looking after a child with adhd can be challenging, but it's important to remember that they cannot help their behaviour.
Some day-to-day activities might be more difficult for you and your child, including:
getting your child to sleep at night
getting ready for school on time
listening to and carrying out instructions
being organised
social occasions
shopping
Adults with adhd
Adults with adhd may find they have problems with:
organisation and time management
following instructions
focusing and completing tasks
coping with stress
feeling restless or impatient
impulsiveness and risk taking
some adults may also have issues with relationships or social interaction.
What's typical behavior and what's adhd?
Almost everyone has some symptoms similar to adhd at some point in their lives. If your difficulties are recent or occurred only occasionally in the past, you probably don't have adhd. adhd is diagnosed only when symptoms are severe enough to cause ongoing problems in more than one area of your life. These persistent and disruptive symptoms can be traced back to early childhood.
Diagnosis of adhd in adults can be difficult because certain adhd symptoms are similar to those caused by other conditions, such as anxiety or mood disorders. And many adults with adhd also have at least one other mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety.
When to see a doctor
If any of the symptoms listed above continually disrupt your life, talk to your doctor about whether you might have adhd.
Different types of health care professionals may diagnose and supervise treatment for adhd. Seek a provider who has training and experience in caring for adults with adhd
Causes
While the exact cause of adhd is not clear, research efforts continue. Factors that may be involved in the development of adhd include:
Genetics. adhd can run in families, and studies indicate that genes may play a role.
Environment. Certain environmental factors also may increase risk, such as lead exposure as a child.
Problems during development. Problems with the central nervous system at key moments in development may play a role.
Risk factors
Risk of adhd may increase if:
You have blood relatives, such as a parent or sibling, with adhd or another mental health disorder
Your mother smoked, drank alcohol or used drugs during pregnancy
As a child, you were exposed to environmental toxins — such as lead, found mainly in paint and pipes in older buildings
You were born prematurely
Complications
adhd can make life difficult for you. adhd has been linked to:
Poor school or work performance
Unemployment
Financial problems
Trouble with the law
Alcohol or other substance misuse
Frequent car accidents or other accidents
Unstable relationships
Poor physical and mental health
Poor self-image
Suicide attempts
Coexisting conditions
Although adhd doesn't cause other psychological or developmental problems, other disorders often occur along with adhd and make treatment more challenging. These include:
Mood disorders. Many adults with adhd also have depression, bipolar disorder or another mood disorder. While mood problems aren't necessarily due directly to adhd, a repeated pattern of failures and frustrations due to adhd can worsen depression.
Anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders occur fairly often in adults with adhd. Anxiety disorders may cause overwhelming worry, nervousness and other symptoms. Anxiety can be made worse by the challenges and setbacks caused by adhd.
Other psychiatric disorders. Adults with adhd are at increased risk of other psychiatric disorders, such as personality disorders, intermittent explosive disorder and substance use disorders.
Learning disabilities. Adults with adhd may score lower on academic testing than would be expected for their age, intelligence and education. Learning disabilities can include problems with understanding and communicating.
Managing Symptoms: Staying Healthy
In addition to behavioral therapy and medication, having a healthy lifestyle can make it easier for your child to deal with adhd symptoms. Here are some healthy behaviors that may help:
Developing healthy eating habits such as eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and choosing lean protein sources
Participating in daily physical activity based on age
Limiting the amount of daily screen time from TVs, computers, phones, and other electronics
Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night based on age
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html
https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/adhd.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350878
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/
Prepared by Viktorija Stučytė based on online sources
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