How to Know if Your Child Has Attention Deficit Disorder | Reports show that more than 6 million children in the U.S. are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder.
The statistic makes up about 9.4% of the total number of kids in the region, showing how common this disorder is, especially in children aged between 2years and 12 years old.
How do you tell if your child has attention deficit disorder? Check out this guide.
What Is Attention Deficit Disorder?
Abbreviated as ADD, attention deficit disorder is characterized by impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inability to pay attention.
It is normal for your child to forget about school work, daydream while on serious occasions or get fidgety from time to time. However, if the behavior becomes extreme, it would help if you talked to a health expert for diagnosis.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is common during early childhood. It hinders kids from inhibiting their spontaneous responses in various aspects, from speech to movement. Nonetheless, as a parent, you can easily confuse ADHD for a milestone.
Perhaps you realize that your child is hyperactive and cannot sit for more than two minutes. They don’t listen to anything you say and always get into fights without kids in the block. Moreover, they are always breaking things around the house.
You assume that the kid is just going through a growth stage, and the troublemaking phase will come to an end. But, things only get worse. These are a few signs that your child might have ADD.
What Causes ADHD
Attention deficit disorder is associated with genetic variations. The genes, which are yet to be identified, are said to affect brain development in kids. The protein produced by the responsible genes affects different aspects of brain development, including growth, production, and organization of neurons.
Rarely is ADD associated with genetic mutation and chromosome abnormalities.
ADD Signs to Look Out For
Children are active beings. It can be hard to differentiate normal kid behavior from ADHD symptoms.
If you spot a few of the mentioned signs in some situations, you should not immediately assume that your child has ADHD. However, if the behaviors happen across all situations, you may want to take the next step. Have a look at this in-depth overview of the signs and symptoms of attention deficit disorder.
Self-Centered Behavior
Most kids with ADD exhibit self-focused behaviors. They do things without considering the needs of others.
For instance, your child may always interrupt other kids when watching their favorite show. The other kids may try to negotiate, but your child shows trouble waiting for their turn to watch what they want.
Such behavior may have the child labeled by others as selfish. They may even refuse to associate with the child because they feel like they cannot play their games or study in peace.
Anger Outbursts
It’s normal for kids, especially toddlers, to get fussy for no apparent reason. A minor inconvenience may cause the kid to burst into anger or even cry for hours.
On the other hand, if you realize that your child has a hard time keeping their emotions in check, you should have them checked. Temper tantrums at inappropriate times may not be a sign of something beyond what you think.
Inability to Stay Still
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are always fidgeting. They cannot sit still for more than a few minutes. They are always running around or squirming in the chair when you force them to sit.
Furthermore, the child cannot play calmly. They are always shouting, even during leisure activities.
Problems Finishing Tasks
Kids with ADHD will always have unfinished tasks. They may show interest in a range of things but can’t focus on one till the end.
For instance, they may start homework, and a few minutes later, they see a bird flying through the window. It immediately catches their attention and moves to that before finishing homework. A few minutes later, a car passes by, and they now want to chase after it, forgetting about the bird.
Can’t Pay Attention
The kid will find it hard to concentrate on one task unless the subject is really interesting. After some time, they get bored and immediately shift their attention to something else.
The child may also have issues listening to one subject for long. This is why most children with ADD perform poorly at school because they cannot concentrate in class for long. They tend to get bored fast and may start daydreaming in the middle of a session.
Forgetfulness
The kid has difficulties remembering stuff and following instructions. They cannot pay attention to simple details. In return, they are always making careless mistakes.
Moreover, children with ADHD may frequently misplace books, toys and forget about homework. They easily get distracted and immediately forget about a task before it’s complete.
Impulsive Behavior
The impulsive actions of kids with ADHD always put them in trouble. They have self-control issues and will do things without thinking. They evade other kids’ space, ask endless personal or irrelevant questions and make excessive noise in class.
Words like ‘be patient’ do not apply to these kids. They get moody when things don’t go as per their wish and may overreact after minor inconveniences.
They say the wrong things at the wrong time. The kids will answer questions in class without thinking, thus always giving the wrong answers.
The Positive Side of ADHD
It is not all chaos for kids with ADHD. They have a positive side, too, with some amazing traits that include:
- Creativity
- Enthusiasm
- High energy and motivation
- They are super flexible
ADHD does not affect the kids’ talent or intelligence, so they can still do what they love.
What Can You Do to Help Kids With ADHD?
ADHD can result in numerous issues if left untreated. The kids may have issues making friends. They frequently get in trouble and struggle with their studies.
If your child exhibits any of the highlighted symptoms, seek immediate professional help. You may also treat your kid’s hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inability to pay attention at home.
Start with therapy or change of diet. You can also use a supplement to manage the symptoms. Change your home environment to reduce distractions and develop an exercise plan for your child.
Understand the Signs of ADD and How You Can Make Your Kid’s Life Better
Now that you understand the signs of attention deficit disorder, you are better positioned to identify when your kid has this condition. Consequently, you can take the right step sooner to improve the child’s life at an early stage.
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