ADHD, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, affects millions of children in the US, and it seems to be approaching epidemic proportions. Luckily, there are important distinctions between normal behavior in children and those with ADHD symptoms, even though the symptoms can vary. Parents who witness a short attention span in their child often worry unnecessarily. For preschoolers though, this is common behavior. As we all know, older children including teens and adults can have a short attention span, but it all depends on what is holding their attention and the level of interest. In this article we will discuss the three most common ADHD symptoms in children.
Inability to focus on something or even on details of something on a frequent basis, is a common sign that a child may have ADHD Plus, the child has a marked tendency to commit careless mistakes in activities and of course in their school work. Be aware though, that this is common for many children as well as adults. A quick diagnosis on a few activities is not a good idea. Your doctor is the best place for you to receive guidance on this subject.
It isn’t an uncommon thing for children to be forgetful. this type of symptom is quite amazing, for obvious reasons. On occasion, we are all forgetful. It isn’t uncommon for those in work settings to forget things as well.
Forgetfulness in a child with ADHD, however, occurs much more frequently than it does in the average child. Normal for your child will need to be gauged by you the parent. You will observe a pattern of forgetting things and it will occur over time. When compared to a child without ADHD you will see that a child with ADHD forgets more often. The length of time that this forgetfulness goes on is also an important factor.
Some children with ADHD will engage in physically dangerous activities. The child that reaches this point does so without consideration of any possible consequences. there are other behaviors such as impatience when waiting there turn for something have been seen. Answering a question before it is even asked completely is another common behavior. The common factor in these behaviors is patience.
Behavior that is observed over and over, for a period of time, is more likely to lead to a diagnosis of ADHD. Behavior that is observed over a 6 months period is often the typical time frame before ADHD can be suspected. The next course of action, for a child with sustained behavior, is to get a professional evaluation and then on to the assessment stage. Once your doctor diagnoses the problem, you may find that you will need to take your child to a specialist.
