How can ADHD in your child be diagnosed?

Attention and Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder with or without hyperactivity affect about 3 to 5% of children. How do you know if your child suffers from this and what should you do if he or she does?

Causes of the disease

A number of causes may explain why some people suffer from ADHD. Research to date appears to point to the hereditary factor, which accounts for 30 to 40% of cases, as well as insufficient brain chemicals, which makes it difficult for a person to organize and manage behaviour and thoughts.

Symptoms

To find out if your child has ADHD, it is necessary to pay attention to several phenomena. If he or she has difficulty concentrating on a particular task, shows signs of excessive impulsivity in behaviour, and is hyperactive, then ADHD could be a possibility.

For example, if he or she constantly runs in circles without stopping, cannot stop moving, is unable to wait for his or her turn in a line, cannot stay in one place, speaks all the time and asks questions without being able to focus for any long period of time, the child could be suffering from ADHD.

For an ADHD diagnosis, these behaviours must be excessive and occur before the age of seven. As these symptoms are subtle, it is not always possible to determine if the child has ADHD without a consultation with a health professional at a local health clinic.

Consequences of ADHD

ADHD impacts the social, personal, and academic life of a child. Importantly, as children with ADHD are more hyperactive and impulsive than others, it may be difficult for them to make friends or join a group. Their attention deficit also makes it more difficult to attend classes, which leads to lower test scores. These consequences, in turn, affect their self-esteem, which is why it is vital to intervene and offer them help if they suffer.

Pharmaceutical and psychological treatments

Treatment for ADHD varies from child to child. In general, it involves a pharmaceutical or a psychological approach. Depending on how severe a child’s ADHD is, they could be prescribed certain medications or have to undergo psychoeducation or psychotherapy to work on social skills. Psychological assistance is necessary in all cases to assist the child in accomplishing day to day tasks.

Tools to help your children

Despite the challenges that students with ADHD endure, there is considerable hope and many paths to academic success. Innovations in educational strategies and ADHD tools for the classroom have opened new doors, offering effective ways to improve students’ concentration and learning. In a dedicated article, we reviewed the best ADHD classroom tools for students that are specifically designed to align with the unique needs of students with ADHD, transforming potential obstacles into opportunities for growth and engagement.