5 Signs Your Child Might Have ADHD
While certain signs of ADHD are present in children from birth, the symptoms most commonly associated with ADHD don’t become noticeable until your child starts elementary school.
When your child starts school, there are many different developmental milestones they are still working through. In fact, your child will show a large amount of growth throughout elementary school. But this is also the time to watch for signs of other factors, like ADHD.
This post is here to help you understand the five most common signs your child could display if they have ADHD. While this post should not replace an actual diagnosis from a primary care provider, it might be a good idea to make an appointment with your pediatrician if your child is displaying these different signs of ADHD.
Let our team at Soma Care in Mesa help you discuss the possibility of an ADD and ADHD assessment. Make you and your child’s health a priority and schedule an appointment with our provider. Since Dr. Wade is both a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse and Family Nurse Practitioner, he can diagnosis and treat your child’s ADHD.
What is ADHD?
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a condition that affects brain development, influencing the areas of the brain that affect:
- Attention
- The ability to sit still
- Self-control
As a result, children with ADHD can display difficulty with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.
ADHD is diagnosed through an ADHD test which is a comprehensive assessment that is usually done by a child mental health provider. Without a clinical assessment, a diagnosis cannot be made based on symptoms alone. That’s what makes it so important to bring up any concerns about ADD or ADHD in your child with their pediatrician. It’s also important to understand that before diagnosing ADHD, the symptoms need to be present for at least six months in your child.
Even if you don’t plan on treating your child’s ADD or ADHD with medication, it’s still important to get an accurate diagnosis. Understanding what your child is going through can help them emotionally and help you understand what solutions to provide. If your child is struggling in school, an ADHD diagnosis can also give them the opportunity to receive accommodations to help them stay focused and on top of their homework.
Focusing on the self
Focusing on themselves doesn’t make your child self-centered. Instead, that could be a sign of ADHD. ADHD can make it hard for your child to recognize other people’s needs and desires, making them focus on their own needs and desires instead. This can lead to other problems, like causing interruptions, talking too much, or not waiting their turn.
Interrupting Or Talkativeness
Does your child talk a lot or always interrupt everyone else? While this might be perceived as a rude characteristic, it might be something they can’t control. These interruptions might also look like an inability to take turns during classroom activities or when playing with other children. You might also notice your child butting-in on games or conversations they’re not part of.
Your child might also talk a lot, even when they’ve been told to be quiet or if they’re in a place where they shouldn’t be talking. This talkativeness could also look like your child saying whatever comes to their mind without filtering those thoughts.
Forgetfulness
Do you feel like you have to tell your child something over and over again? Forgetfulness is a common symptom of ADHD. Since their thoughts are racing and they struggle focusing on one thing for long periods of time, they often forget the things they should be doing. This might be something like forgetting to finish chores, not doing their homework, or constantly losing things.
Before you blame your child for not listening or being lazy, see if their forgetfulness could be a symptom of a larger problem.
Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity is the “H” part of ADHD. Hyperactive behavior is when your child is extremely or abnormally active. Other symptoms can come with hyperactivity, including an inability to concentrate, being easily distracted, or acting impulsively.
In children, this hyperactivity could look like nonstop talking, not playing by the rules with other children, an inability to sit down or sit in one spot for any length of time, or shaking their leg or drumming their fingers on the table. All of these actions happen constantly and in excess.
Poor Grades In School
This sign happens as a result of the other symptoms associated with ADHD. If your child is struggling in school, ask the teacher what’s going on.
Is your child not paying attention? Not focusing on their schoolwork or lessons? Talking during class or quiet times? Distracting other kids in the classroom? All of these problems point to hyperactivity and the inability to focus that is associated with ADHD.
Feedback from your child’s teacher is a great way to tell where their problems are originating from to better find out what could be causing them.
Trust Soma Care
This list of ADHD symptoms is in no way exhaustive. Your child might display additional signs on top of these, or signs that aren’t on this list. There are also other reasons your child could be displaying some of these symptoms. If you’re worried about ADD and ADHD, make sure you consult with your child’s provider to figure out the next steps.
When you choose Soma Care in Mesa, you can trust that your child is in good hands. Dr. Wade is here to help with ADD and ADHD diagnosis and treatment for your child.