Exploring ADHD In Children
Whether you’ve started to notice symptoms in your child or have already received a diagnosis, it can be challenging to adapt your life and parenting to account for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in a loved one. While it typically presents in children, ADHD often persists into adulthood.
Read on to learn more about the definition of ADHD, its common symptoms, and how you can expect the disorder to affect your child.
ADHD types and definition
The American Psychiatric Association defines ADHD as a neurodevelopmental disorder generally characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Healthcare professionals used to have an additional diagnosable condition called attention deficit disorder (ADD), but now all versions of the condition are known as ADHD, with or without hyperactivity as a main symptom.
ADHD is often diagnosed during childhood, though symptoms can persist well into adulthood for many. People with ADHD tend to experience challenges with focusing, organization, making realistic plans, thinking before acting, being fidgety or noisy, adapting to changing situations, aggression, social ineptitude, and defiance.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, ADHD has three main subtypes.
ADHD-I (Predominantly Inattentive)— Symptoms center on inattention.
ADHD-HI (Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive)— Symptoms center on hyperactivity and impulsivity.
ADHD-C (Combined)— Symptoms involve inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
Ways your child’s life may be affected by ADHD
The symptoms of ADHD can create a lot of problematic situations for your child, which you, as the caregiver, then must manage.
From misbehavior at school, troubles with friends, and defiance at home, ADHD presents many opportunities for your child to be labeled “troublesome.” However, the constant stream of conflict and discipline can lead to your child internalizing feelings and believing themselves a “bad kid” because it feels like they are always in trouble.
ADHD research indicates that most children with ADHD can display adverse reactions when asked to do something they consider hard or unpleasant. Because their behaviors frequently lead to scolding or discipline, your child may learn to respond with defiance. It can be easy to lose your temper as a reaction, but according to the Child Mind Institute, research shows this can be counterproductive. Consider speaking with a therapist to develop a repertoire of practical, research-based parenting strategies to help you guide and support your child as they learns acceptable, healthy behaviors.
How symptoms may vary
While symptoms can vary by individual and disorder subtype, specific characteristics are common to many people with ADHD. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, hyperactivity symptoms are nearly always evident by age seven if they are present and, in many cases, begin to appear at much younger ages. However, other ADHD symptoms may not be apparent until elementary school and may be pointed out by your child's teacher.
- ADHD may or may not include hyperactivity symptoms.
- Difficulty focusing, particularly in school, and trouble paying attention
- Trouble controlling impulsivity and resisting temptations
- Tendency to forget or lose items
- Challenges following through with commitments
- Disorganization
- Difficulty waiting his or her turn
- Diffiulty engaging in leisure activities quietly
- Carelessness leads to frequent mistakes
- Easy to distract
- Difficulty completing forms
- Trouble taking turns
- Frequent unnecessary risks
- Fidgeting, squirming, and generally being unable to sit still
What causes ADHD in adolescence?
While ADHD is one of the most intensely researched fields of adolescent and childhood mental health, ADHD scientists don’t know the disorder’s precise cause. It may be due to a combination of genetic, social and environmental factors. However, some potential risk factors believed to increase the chances of developing ADHD are known.
ADHD risk factors include
- Genetics, particularly with a close blood relative like a sibling or parent
- Chemical and environmental influences such as lead or other toxins
- Food and nutritional factors during infancy and early childhood
- Traumatic brain injury
- Low birth weight
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How to diagnose ADHD
If you are concerned that your child may show ADHD symptoms, speak to their pediatrician. They can perform a medical evaluation and get a medical history to rule out other possible causes for the behaviors. You’ll likely be referred to a behavioral therapist or a child psychologist to complete testing for an ADHD diagnosis and to develop a treatment plan.
ADHD treatments
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Typical ADHD treatment plans usually involve behavior modification, psychotherapy, and medication. However, younger children under age six are not viable candidates for ADHD medicine, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation.
Behavior modification
Active, ongoing, and evolving behavior management can be crucial to successful ADHD treatment. Behavior modification strategies are the most commonly used approach for treating ADHD without medication. Training focuses on teaching parents practical ways to connect with and guide their children while instructing them about appropriate and acceptable behaviors. It also supports children as they learn to self-correct behaviors to align with expectations in various situations.
Medication
Medication can often be a life-changing addition to a treatment regimen for children over age six, especially in the school environment. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider to discuss whether medication is an appropriate treatment option. According to recent research, despite substantial evidence pointing to the benefits, many parents avoid ADHD medication for various reasons, including guilt, misunderstanding of the condition and how the medication works, family pressure, and concerns about treatment risks.
Psychotherapy
Various talk therapy treatments can help treat ADHD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be particularly effective as it focuses on identifying and replacing harmful or negative thought patterns and behaviors. Therapy can also teach your child to better identify and understand their emotions, how to find coping skills to manage symptoms, and communication methods to express themselves effectively.
How ADHD may affect your child’s behavior
Your child may be impulsive, excessively talkative, and unable to sit still if they have hyperactive tendencies or are aloof, inattentive, or spacey if they don’t. They may be easily distractable, display difficult-to-control behaviors, react with defiance, and actively seek or create conflict. You should expect emotional outbursts and frequent ups and downs as your child learns acceptable behavior and coping skills to help them manage symptoms.
Common ADHD behavior triggers include
- Resistance to changing activities, like putting down the phone to do chores
- Environmental overstimulation
- Boredom
- Unhealthy sleep patterns
- Stress
- Adverse reaction to food, additives, or allergens
- Too much sugar
- Avoidance of undesired tasks
ADHD adulthood symptoms
For many children with ADHD, similar symptoms can continue into adulthood. Adult ADHD symptoms can lead to unstable relationships, poor performance at work or school, and poor self esteem. ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so if you are having trouble at work due to your condition, stay informed about your legal rights.
As much as 8% of American adults between 18 and 44 have ADHD. Adults with ADHD are also more likely than their peers to develop a a substance use disorder, like alcohol or drug abuse, in their lifetime.
Parenting a child with ADHD
While your childhood experiences likely have a substantial influence on how you parent and you may have parented other children, these experiences may not help you raise a child with ADHD. Educate yourself about the disorder and how it may affect your child’s life. Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) has a National Resource Center with a lot of helpful information as well. Remember that your child may frequently want to comply with your expectations, but because their brains are wired differently, sometimes wires can get crossed. If they are lashing out, look for an underlying cause and encourage emotional intelligence and literacy so your child can understand and express their emotions in a healthy way.
Helpful ADHD parenting strategies include
- Educating yourself about the disorder.
- Adapting your parenting style and expectations to your child’s needs and abilities.
- Establishing a structured routine with clear rules and consequences.
- Modeling the behaviors you want to see in your child.
- Anticipating explosive reactions and defiance; then find ways to parent around them.
- Disciplining and correcting behaviors and using behavioral interventions, but don’t constantly punish. It can lose its meaning.
- Picking your battles and ignoring minor misbehaviors when they aren’t dangerous.
- Praising positive behaviors.
“By withdrawing your attention, you are sending the message that acting out is not the way for them to get what they want. You reinforce this message when, as soon as you see them calming themselves down or obeying an instruction, you do give them your attention.”
—The Power Of Positive Attention by Katherine Martinelli
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How therapy can help you parent children with ADHD
A licensed therapist can offer professional support and guidance as you adapt your parenting style to account for your child’s ADHD. While your child’s treatment plan will likely involve some type of therapy, several psychotherapy variations have been used to help parents. Online therapy platforms like BetterHelp offer flexible appointment formats, including phone, video calls, and asynchronous online messaging, so you can find ways to fit therapy into your busy schedule.
Recent studies show that internet-based parenting interventions, such as parent training or parent-child interaction therapy, can be an effective, available alternative to treatment in the traditional in-office setting. Many parents said the convenience of attending therapy from home, combined with the reduced cost and shortened wait times, made online treatment an attractive option. These factors also contributed to increased attendance, according to the study.
Takeaway
Read more below for answers to questions commonly asked about this topic.
Can people with ADHD lead a normal life?
Yes! People living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can lead a normal life by using coping mechanisms, such as exercise, and tools, like organizational apps, to help manage their symptoms.
What are some ways people cope?
People living with ADHD sometimes need to find creative ways to manage their time, increase concentration and focus, and meet deadlines. Some ways people cope with ADHD include:
- Removing temptations (such as phones and TV) while working
- Using a calendar to organize tasks
- Breaking bigger tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks
- Decluttering their work environment to remove distractions
- Using breathing techniques to help curb impulsive thoughts and actions
Can my child have a normal life after diagnosis?
Yes! Although children with ADHD may have difficulty managing their emotions and may have trouble focusing, with a treatment plan and the right help, children with ADHD can have a normal life.
How do you teach coping skills?
If you have a child with ADHD, you can help teach them effective coping skills by helping them establish a routine and by giving them positive reinforcement. By helping your child establish healthy habits (i.e. taking their medication as prescribed, getting enough good quality sleep, eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, and daily exercise/movement), you’re giving them the tools they need to help control their behavior and manage their symptoms.
Does ADHD affect every aspect of life?
ADHD may affect every aspect of a person’s life, especially if it’s left untreated. ADHD can cause problems for people at school and at work, and can even affect their relationships with family members and friends. People with ADHD may be more likely to:
- Avoid activities that require sustained mental effort, such as homework
- Make careless mistakes
- Engage in impulsive behaviors, like anger outbursts
- Be easily distracted
- Have a learning disability, such as dyslexia
- Have difficulty doing tasks that require sustained mental effort (especially people diagnosed with the predominantly inattentive presentation of ADHD)
Does ADHD need to be treated?
Yes. If left untreated, ADHD may lead to a worsening of symptoms that can affect someone’s mental and physical health.
Many children with ADHD have another condition, such as a mood disorder or a conduct disorder, in addition to ADHD, so all children with ADHD might benefit from being screened for other conditions in order to receive an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment early on.
Why is it important to learn about learning disorders?
Learning about ADHD is important because in order for people with ADHD to receive proper treatment, they and their caretakers need to know the signs and symptoms of ADHD. Early detection and treatment intervention for ADHD may help prevent or slow down the progression of ADHD symptoms and reduce its overall long-term impact on the individual’s life.
While only a specialist can diagnose ADHD after a thorough evaluation (there are many tests and guidelines used to diagnose ADHD), knowing the risk factors as well as the signs and symptoms of ADHD may help someone understand when and if they should seek help from a healthcare provider.
ADHD education can also help individuals with ADHD and their family members find resources for helping their child succeed. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ensures that children with ADHD who have difficulties learning receive free special education services.
What happens if you don't get treatment?
If left untreated, ADHD may lead to mental health conditions, like anxiety disorders, and even behavioral problems. Adults diagnosed with ADHD may be more likely to:
- Be involved in traffic accidents and experience motor vehicle injuries
- Unemployment
- Commit minor offenses and be incarcerated
Effective treatment, such as medication and behavior therapy, is important for managing symptoms in both children and adults with ADHD. Behavior therapy helps people with ADHD learn skills to help them manage their symptoms by replacing negative thought patterns with positive thoughts.
How does ADHD affect mental health?
Nearly six in 10 children with ADHD and as many as 80% of adults with ADHD also experience a psychiatric disorder at some point in their lives, including mood disorders, conduct disorders, and mental disorders.
Certain treatments, like behavior therapy, may help people with ADHD manage symptoms of mood disorders, like anxiety and depression, and may help them manage symptoms of conduct disorders, like oppositional defiant disorder.
What are the disadvantages of being diagnosed?
A diagnosis of ADHD has both advantages and disadvantages. Some of the disadvantages associated with being diagnosed with ADHD include:
Learning disabilities, such as dyslexia
People diagnosed with ADHD of predominantly inattentive presentation might:
- Have difficulty with sustained mental effort on tasks or activities
- Be easily distracted
- Be more likely to make careless mistakes
People diagnosed with ADHD of predominantly hyperactive presentation might:
- Have difficulty sitting still
- Talk excessively
- Frequently interrupt others
These challenges may lead to difficulties with education, careers, and even mental health. However, with proper treatment and by using coping strategies, people with ADHD can manage their symptoms and lead successful lives.
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