ADHD (under 12 yrs)

 

Could my child have ADHD?

 

Symptoms of ADHD often become obvious in early childhood around 4-8 years old. However, diagnosis is difficult and should be assessed carefully, as there is a huge overlap with behaviour that might be considered ‘normal’ at these ages and also with symptoms which occur due to anxiety or other reasons.

For example, many children do not get enough movement and exercise which can contribute to being fidgety and restless. Children who are going through a disruptive time such as moving house, divorce or have had a recent stressful event may also display similar symptoms but these should improve over time. If signs are continuing for more than six months and especially if they occur both at home and at school, that is more significant. For most children, preschool or school are places where they try to behave and when they come home, they can finally let all their feelings and fidgets out!

ADHD can present slightly differently in girls, who may sometimes (but not always) have more inattention and less hyperactivity.

Here are some of the common signs. They become more useful for diagnosis the older the child and especially if they continue for more than six months.

1. Always on the move

Lots of children with ADHD need to move constantly. Your child may struggle to sit for more than a minute – more than other children their age, and this might become more noticeable when they start school. As mentioned, all children, both those with and without ADHD, benefit from more playing and movement, especially outdoors – ideally at least an hour a day and for children who have a diagnosis of ADHD, increasing the amount of movement every day has been shown to help. That could just be dancing in the kitchen or jumping up and down twenty times!

2. Easily upset

Children with ADHD often find it hard to manage how they are feeling . They may throw tantrums quickly. This is often made worse because their behaviour can be seen as “naughty” or “silly” and they may be told off more than other children.

3. Easily distracted

Children with ADHD frquently struggle with staying focused even for a few minutes – they will become easily distracted by noises or interesting things going on around them. Following instructions can be hard too – breaking things down into one step at a time or having visual prompts can help. Some children with ADHD are not hyperactive but may be off “in a world of their own”.

4. Not listening

Having ADHD can make either hard to focus on what others are saying, which can be frustrating for parents and teachers. They may run off in the middle of you speaking or change the subject.

 

 

 

What about ADHD rating scales?

There are various rating scales available online, such as the Conner’s scale or the SNAP-IV scale, but these need to be used with a proper clinical assessment to be really useful as they can be misleading on their own. Parent questionnaires exist in short forms and long forms.

The short Conners form is available here and the short SNAP-IV form here, but the longer forms are usually sent to you together with a teacher’s questionnaire if your child has been referred for assessment. In some children (often girls) there may not be obvious symptoms of being hyperactive, but they do struggle to focus, get organised or complete tasks. The short forms might be useful to do when you go to see your GP and could be sent with a referral if appropriate.

My child has a new diagnosis of ADHD

ADHD can be very difficult for children and their parents as children may be seen as naughty or out of control. However, there are many ways to help your child once the diagnosis has been made. These include behavioural treatment, medication, counselling and special education support in school. Not all children need medication and those that do may only need to use it for school. Many adults with ADHD can learn coping strategies as they get older and may be able to stop the medication if they were using it when they were younger
What’s it like parenting a child with ADHD?

 

Books about ADHD for parents

Books about having ADHD for children

 

  • All Dogs Have ADHD by Kathy Hoopman. A great book with photographs of dogs which are used to explain common symptoms of ADHD with humour and sensitivity. It also focuses on some of the positives of this diagnosis and describes some coping mechanisms.
  • Can I tell you about ADHD?  A Guide for friends, family and professionals by Susan Yarney. A short book written for children with ADHD with a well-written section at the back for parents.
  • Zak has ADHD aimed at children 3-7 years explains common symptoms of ADHD in storybook form.
  • Focus Ninja aimed at around 4 -8+ years, helping them to learn strategies to stay focused.
  • Check Mates by Stewart Foster, A story about ADHD, family and friendship, highly rated by parents and young people. Suitable for 9-10+ years and older. Also available in your local library as part of the Reading Well scheme.
  • Cory Stories: A Kid’s Book About Living with ADHD by Jeanne Kraus, Written for younger children, has good reviews. Gives a more positive view of ADHD than some books with several short stories.
  • The Survival Guide for Kids with ADHD by John Taylor. American but mostly relevant to the UK with good reviews. Age 8-10yrs. Funny as well as informative with quiz sections

Websites and support groups

 

  • YoungMinds Supporting your child with ADHD
  • Understood.org. This is a US website which is one of the best for learning issues of any kind.
  • ADDIS (The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service)
    Provides information and resources about ADHD and the variety of approaches that can help including behavioural therapy, medication, individual counselling, and special education provision. Also can link you to local support.