Recognising Signs of ADHD
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder with a global prevalence rate of around 5% in children. There are three main types of ADHD, which include:
- Inattentive ADHD
- Hyperactivity and Impulsivity ADHD
- Combination type – Inattentive, Hyperactive, and Impulsive
ADHD in children is commonly presented in the following ways:
- Poor inhibition – they have difficulty in controlling inappropriate behaviour, thoughts, and speech.
- Inattention – characterised by wandering off task, lacking persistence, having difficulty sustaining focus, and being unorganised.
- Hyperactivity – characterised by excessive fidgeting or tapping, and talkativeness.
- Impulsivity – characterised by interrupting or intruding on others as an impulse.
It may be that your child has some or a combination of all these symptom types listed above. A child that is hyperactive or impulsive is unlikely to learn effectively without introducing intervention strategies; otherwise, they will disrupt others’ learning process as well.
It is important to understand that for a group of symptoms to be suggestive of ADHD they must commence within childhood prior to the age of 12 years old and for a period of six months or more. It is also necessary that the displays of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity have occurred in more than one setting; these displays would usually be at home and the school environment.
It is likely that if your child/student only demonstrates these symptoms in one setting, this may allude to other psychological concerns such as learning or relationship difficulties. ADHD in children is associated with reduced school performance and academic achievement. This can also negatively affect peer relationships.
The consequences of ADHD are often associated with poor job performance and achievement when heading into adult years. Therefore, if your child/student has some of these difficulties, an ADHD assessment can help clarify what is going on.
Additionally, ADHD, in some cases, can also affect a child’s ability to read and hence can co-occur with a Specific Learning Disorder (Dyslexia). However, a child’s reading difficulties may relate entirely to your child’s difficulties with maintaining focus or attention on what they are reading. In other words, they may have the ability to read but struggle to stay focused for any significant period of time, resulting in them falling behind, when compared with their peers, if not treated appropriately.
An ADHD assessment can assist you in understanding your child’s learning/behavioural needs. A reliable ADHD assessment can also provide recommendations and accommodations to assist them to learn in a more effective manner.
