What is ADHD?
Does your child struggle to sit still? Do they start tasks but have trouble following through? While every child will occasionally struggle with focus and boredom, children with ADHD can have particular difficulties in starting and staying on task. Fortunately, with accessible supports in place, your child can learn powerful strategies to help them succeed. A psychological evaluation is a critical first step towards receiving support for your child.
Read on to learn how Therapy Smarts can help turn challenges into triumphs!
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What Is ADHD?
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (or ADHD) is a long term neurological condition that affects millions of people across the world. Children with this condition often have difficulties paying attention, can be hyperactive or impulsive. They may also face low self-esteem, or struggles in school as a result of their condition.
There are three main types of ADHD, outlined below:
- Predominately inattentive. In this type, most symptoms centralize around having trouble focusing and staying on a task. It also includes trouble getting and staying organized.
- Predominately hyperactive and impulsive. In this type, most symptoms involve being hyperactive and impulsive. Hyperactive means being too active and having too much energy & may include disruptive behavior. Being impulsive means acting without thinking ahead about the results of behavior.
- Combined.This type is a mix of inattentive symptoms and hyperactive and impulsive symptoms. The person meets the criteria for both predominately inattentive and predominately hyperactive and impulsive types of ADHD.
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Signs & Symptoms
Based on the type of ADHD determined by a psychologist, symptoms can manifest differently. Some of the warning signs for each type are outlined below:
Kids exhibiting inattentive behavior may:
- Have trouble staying focused on tasks or play.
- Seems not to listen, even when spoken to directly.
- Have a hard time following through on instructions and not finish schoolwork or chores.
- Fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork.
- Have trouble organizing tasks and activities.
Children exhibiting hyperactive or impulsive behaviors may:
- Fidget with or tap hands or feet, or squirm in the seat.
- Be on the go, in constant motion.
- Have trouble playing or doing an activity quietly.
- Have trouble waiting for a turn.
Children of all ages have different activity levels and should not be classified as hyperactive or inattentive merely for differences amongst siblings or peers.
However, if you are noticing consistent struggles in your child, and feel they may need educational support, a psychological evaluation can holistically examine your child’s behavioral patterns to clinically determine if an ADHD diagnosis may be appropriate, empowering your family with the tools and knowledge to help them succeed.
Wondering About Developmental Milestones?
Have questions about your child’s development, or wondering if a certain diagnosis may be a fit? Try out our developmental screening tool— it’s a fast, free way to get a snapshot of your child’s progress on his or her developmental milestones.