Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is commonly seen in many children these days. Parents are often worried about the way these children behave or react and at times leave the entire situation confused. You, as a parent need to be more aware of this condition and understand the ways in which it presents itself. This can help in early identification of these children and also aid with the early intervention.
ADHD can be of hyperactive-impulsive type, inattentive type or a combination of both. If it occurs in single, only those particular symptoms are seen, while in the combination the symptoms of both the types are mixed.
[box_dark]Signs of ADHD[/box_dark]
Some of the signs of ADHD that you can spot as per the types are:
[box_dark]Hyperactive – Impulsive type[/box_dark]
- Child fidgets and appears restless most of the times
- Child has difficulty in remaining seated even when it is expected
- Child exhibits excessive running, jumping or spinning
- Child almost always appears ‘on the go’ or as if ‘driven by a motor’
- Child has difficulty in playing quietly and exhibits excessive talking
- Child has difficulty in waiting for turns, while in queue or blurts outs answers before the question is completed
- Child tends to interrupt others or intrudes into other space while moving
[box_dark]Inattentive type[/box_dark]
- Child has difficulty staying focused on one task and is easily distractible
- Child tends to avoid activities involving problem solving, organization, especially those requiring mental efforts.
- Child often makes careless mistakes and fails to pay attention to details
- Child appears as if does not listen and has difficulty in following instructions
- Child is forgetful in daily activities and tends to lose objects of regular use like book, pencil, toys, etc.
In the mixed type of ADHD the child shows a combination of signs from both the types and hence is categorized as a mixed type.
[box_dark]You can help[/box_dark]
It is also essential to know that some of these behaviors may be experienced by many young children as a part of development. But most children outgrow them and such signs do not affect their daily life or performance.
These signs are only a part of the assessment that is done to diagnose ADHD in children. However, these signs should be present in comparison to the child’s age, be there for more than 6 months and must be affecting the daily routine or the performance of the child.
While these signs are commonly observed in many young children, it is important to know that children with ADHD need to understood and dealt with carefully.
