Do you suspect your child has ADHD? Learn how to recognize the warning signs and symptoms of ADHD in children and teens so you can get the help you need.
Hyperactivity, attention difficulties and impulsive behaviour are all symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is often first noticed in early childhood.
A child's thinking, academic performance, behaviour, emotions and interpersonal relationships can all be affected by ADHD. This disorder mostly continues into adulthood.
So, what makes an ADHD treatment programme effective for a child? This is a personal question that should be answered with the assistance of your child psychologist, who should explore all of the aforementioned possibilities. This article will teach you more about various techniques for treating ADHD in youngsters.
Thus, before we go into the specifics of ADHD in children, let us assist you in better grasping the illness.
What is ADHD?
It is typical for children to act rashly, forget their schoolwork, daydream in class, or fidget at the dinner table. However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), often known as attention deficit disorder or ADD, can be characterized by the same symptoms: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
According to the greatest child psychologists, the typical onset of ADHD, a common neurodevelopmental condition, occurs in early infancy, usually before the age of seven. Children with ADHD struggle to control their impulsive behaviours, which can range from movement to speech to concentration.
Every parent has experienced kids being occasionally referred to as troublemakers or chastised for their laziness and lack of discipline. They might have ADHD, though.
How to identify the signs of ADHD in children?
Differentiating ADHD from ordinary "kid behaviour" might be difficult. If you only notice a few symptoms or if they appear only under particular conditions, it is most likely not ADHD. On the other hand, if your child exhibits a number of ADHD signs and symptoms in all settings—at home, school, and during playtime, it's to take a deeper look.
What are the symptoms of ADHD in children?
There is a common perception that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a disorder characterized by a child who is always on the move, bouncing off the walls, and causing disturbances around them. However, the truth is far more nuanced.
While some ADHD youngsters are hyperactive, others sit calmly with their concentration elsewhere. Some people need help to change their focus from one task to another when they are too focused on it. Others are excessively impulsive but only marginally inattentive.
Depending on which traits are more prominent, a kid with attention deficit disorder will exhibit different signs and symptoms.
Among children with ADHD, we would list the following categories:
Unfocused but not careless or excessively animated.
Excited and impulsive but still able to focus.
Impulsive, careless, and frenzied (the most common form of ADHD).
Child psychologists emphasise that kids with mild symptoms of ADHD who are simply inattentive are usually ignored since they are not disruptive. Underachievement in school, disputes with other kids over breaching the law, and problems with parents and instructors for disobeying directions are all consequences of inattention.
Signs of ADHD in different age groups
ADHD in Children:
Kids or toddlers with ADHD may display the following symptoms at home, in daycare, or at school:
Difficulty staying focused and being easily distracted
Low attention span while playing or studying fidgeting, squirming or otherwise having
Difficulty sitting still, continuously desiring to move, regularly running around,
Indulging in noisy or disruptive activities, excessive talking, and interrupting others
ADHD in Teens:
Symptoms that can manifest in adolescents and teenagers with ADHD include:
Difficulty paying attention in class or at work, making mistakes a lot when doing jobs
Time management and project organisation issues
Missing or forgetting items that are personal
Difficulty completing tasks, particularly homework or chores
Difficulty avoiding mentally taxing tasks
Greater sensitivity to emotion and annoyance
ADHD symptoms influencing family life lead to increased conflict with parents and difficulty managing social and familial connections.
ADHD signs in Adults:
Due to the numerous obligations that adults may have, ADHD symptoms in adults may differ from those in teens or children.
Difficulty at work or in college
Problems finishing assignments or passing exams
Problems with self-worth and general mental health
Difficulties in relationships with partners, relatives, or coworkers
Frequent mishaps or wounds
Signs of ADHD in women and girls:
A report published recently in BMC Psychiatry reviewed the research on various symptoms, co-occurring diseases, and the degree of functioning in females with ADHD.
According to the research, females commonly have a combination of hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptoms, many of which are milder than those in males, especially in the hyperactive-impulsive group.
Other noteworthy variations in how women and girls present with ADHD include:
A greater possibility of serious social issues, notable being bullying,
A greater risk of STIs and pregnancy due to an increase in sexual partners
More severe challenges with mood fluctuations and emotional management.
Tough scholastic and self-esteem obstacles;
More actions are used to make up for problems at home, at school, or at work;
Other factors that do have an impact on ADHD
Age appears to be the primary determinant for variations in symptoms between people when we consider how ADHD symptoms present. However, child psychologists would like to emphasise that the diagnosis and ADHD treatment can also be significantly influenced by ethnic and cultural variances.
According to the study, how certain behaviours are perceived might vary depending on one's views, values, and also how a child psychologist approaches them. Many of these behaviours are a direct outcome of ADHD.
In reality, a number of studies have revealed that children from marginalised ethnic groups are less likely to get the proper diagnosis and ADHD treatment they require.
Other cultural characteristics that may affect how ADHD is perceived, identified, and treated include:
Lack of understanding of the condition
Fear of the condition's negative reputation
A lack of faith in clinical psychology makes it harder to identify symptoms as being problematic.
Variations between genders in how certain activities are seen
No access to insurance or limited access to healthcare services
shortage of any mental health clinic or counselling psychologist.
All of these elements may influence ADHD treatment in children and teens.
Counselling Psychologist for Children and Teens with ADHD
ADHD can make it challenging for your child, or any other member of the family to perform at your best at home, at work or school, or even within your relationships if ADHD treatment is not received.
Contact a counselling psychologist to learn more about a possible diagnosis of ADHD and to begin the process of receiving treatment if you think that you, your child, or someone close to you is exhibiting symptoms of the condition.
Through behavioural therapy, people with ADHD can develop coping mechanisms to manage their symptoms. Positive behaviours are intended to take the place of harmful ones through behavioural therapy. By educating patients on techniques to strengthen problematic skills like organisation, focus, and impulse control, behavioural therapy achieves all of this.
Some patients discover that behavioural therapy treatment effectively manages their symptoms of ADHD without the use of medication. Others combine medication with behavioural treatment.
Note: Behavioural therapy has no effect on ADHD's actual symptoms. It won't alter how the brain functions in an ADHD youngster or adult. However, it can help those with ADHD learn abilities that make it much simpler for them to excel at work, school, at home, and in interpersonal interactions.
The goal of behavioural therapy for ADHD children is to improve behaviours by including the entire family. A person's activities are the main focus of all behavioural therapies. Children receiving behavioural therapy for ADHD also examine how misbehaviour is handled at home. Parents of children with ADHD frequently unknowingly reinforce harmful behaviours.
To assist in developing a strategy, a counselling psychologist will sit down with a family. The strategy will assist the entire family in establishing goals and modifying behaviour. Children and their parents will have the tools they need to successfully make adjustments from therapy sessions.
With ADHD treatment, Children will get new knowledge and methods for handling things that may be difficult for them, like:
Complete assignments
Keeping their rooms tidy and paying attention in class
Finishing any daily tasks
Parents will gain fresh insights on how to support their child with ADHD and why particular approaches don't work. New techniques for rewarding positive behaviours and controlling bad ones will be discussed by the therapist.
ADHD treatment at TheraOn
The appropriate interventions can be offered to you and your child by our group of qualified child psychologists at TheraOn. Children with ADHD may receive treatment at TheraOn which is majorly behaviour therapy, including training for parents.
Behaviour therapy is a necessary initial step for children under the age of six before beginning medication since younger children are more susceptible to the adverse effects of ADHD medications than older children. Training in behaviour management for parents has been shown to be just as successful in treating young children's ADHD.
It is recommended that school-aged children and adolescents receive both medical treatment and behavioural therapy. Several behavioural interventions are effective, including:
Educating parents about behaviour management;
Classroom behavioural interventions;
Behaviour-focused peer interventions; and
Training on organisational skills.
At TheraOn, we offer the best counselling for children and teens and aim at helping people you love to feel at their best. Helping a child with mental well-being is not an easy process; now is a good time to start.
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