ADHD Symptoms in Children -
Checklist for Girls, Boys and Treatment
 Most
parents are not aware that their child might have
ADHD until the child
enters school. School is a controlled, structured setting where the
teacher will soon realize that one of her students is displaying
ADHD symptoms.
What is Childhood ADHD? The medical term is Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Children are diagnosed with ADHD
after they have shown 6 or more symptoms of hyperactivity or
inactivity on a regular basis. There is not single test that is
available that children can take that will give the diagnoses that
the child has ADHD.
ADHD symptoms in children are monitored for a six month period in
two or more settings and the information is gathered from parents,
school teachers, and caregivers will help the doctor to compare a
child's behavior with other children the same age that don’t show
any symptoms of ADHD.
A child shows the symptoms of ADHD by being impulsive,
hyperactivity, and the lack of focus. Doctors also look for other
signs such as: talking excessively, mood swings, interrupt others,
or not being able to sit still for a long period of time. The child
may have a hard time following directions or finishing a task or
assignment that has been given to them because they are easily
distracted. They also have a very difficult time playing quietly.
It is very difficult to diagnose children with ADHD because some
behaviors can appear to be ADHD symptoms but in fact are normal
childhood behavior. For example, a child’s parents may go through a
divorce, or the death of a loved one, or even as simple as moving to
a different home or city, can alter the child’s behavior. Other
causes of ADHD like symptoms are undetected such as seizures,
medical disorders that affect the brain, depression, and anxiety.
Most doctors use the standard guidelines developed by the American
Academy of Pediatrics to help diagnose ADHD symptoms in children.
These guidelines are used for children 6 to 12 years old. Children 5
years old and younger are very hard to diagnose because they can
show some signs of ADHD. However it has been found that in preschool
children behavior changes very rapidly, making it hard to diagnose
preschool children.
Diagnoses are made after the doctor collects a medical history of
the child’s behavior from the information given to them by their
parents, teachers, and caregivers.
There are 3 types of ADHD:
- Combined Typed (inattentive/hyperactive/impulsive) is the
most common form of ADHD. Children with this type show all 3
symptoms.
- Hyperactive/ Impulsive children who show the symptom of both
hyperactivity and impulsive these children have a hard time
focusing pay attention and following directions.
- Inattentive Type disorder is formerly known as ADD
(Attention Deficit Disorder) children who have been diagnosed
with ADD are not overly active, they don’t disrupt in a class
room setting or other activities. These children might go
undiagnosed and unnoticed.
Parents must be well educated about ADHD children and
symptoms before they start treatment. Treatments can consist of
prescription drug
medication,
special educational programs, and psychological intervention.
Studies have shown that prescription drugs do have side effects
and that needs to be of concern to parents. Another treatment
that is widely used the nutritional approach. ADHD symptoms in
children are better
treated with a combination of behavioral therapy and
prescription drugs and nutritional therapy. |
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