ADHD is a common and treatable disorder, and there are resources available to support your family.
If you’re a parent, you know it’s normal for children to have bouts of endless energy, struggles with inattention, and impulsivity. This is all part of their development. But when these behaviors start to cause difficulty at school or home, or when the symptoms seem severe, you may wonder if it’s something more, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder has been diagnosed in roughly 11 percent of children and adolescents ages 4-17 in the U.S., and it’s important for parents to understand the disorder, its symptoms, and the treatments and resources available to support children and families.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. ADHD symptoms usually appear before age 12, and the median age of diagnosis is around 7. Symptoms can last into adulthood.
ADHD in children presents as persistent, intense patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity that interfere with daily life, school, or relationships. Key signs may include constant fidgeting, trouble sitting still, daydreaming, forgetting instructions, and acting without thinking.
There are three different ways ADHD presents:
- Predominantly inattentive
– In this presentation, most symptoms fall under inattention. This means having trouble focusing and staying on a task. - Predominantly hyperactive and impulsive – In this presentation, most symptoms involve being hyperactive and impulsive. It may include disruptive behavior or acting without thinking about the consequences.
- Combined – This is a mix of inattentive symptoms and hyperactive and impulsive symptoms.
What Are Common Signs of ADHD?
It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. Most healthy children are inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive at times. For children with ADHD, the symptoms will persist over time, be severe, and show up across multiple settings, not just at school or at home.
A child with symptoms of inattention may:
- Make careless mistakes in schoolwork or not pay attention to details
- Have trouble staying focused on tasks or play
- Seem not to listen, even when spoken to directly
- Have trouble getting or staying organized
- Lose items often, like school assignments, supplies, etc.
- Forget to do daily activities, like chores
- Become easily distracted
A child with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms may:
- Fidget with items or tap hands or feet
- Squirm in seat or have a hard time staying seated
- Be in constant motion
- Run around in situations where it isn’t appropriate
- Have trouble doing quiet activities or playtime
- Blurt things out or interrupt
- Have trouble waiting for a turn
How Is ADHD Diagnosed and Treated?
Early diagnosis and treatment
can make a big difference for children and their families. To be diagnosed with ADHD, a person must demonstrate six or more symptoms (or five for adolescents age 17 and older) in either the inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive domain. In addition, the symptoms must occur for at least six months, be present in two or more settings (for example, at home, in school, or with friends), and interfere with social or school functioning.
If you’re concerned that your child shows signs of ADHD, schedule an appointment to see your child’s health care provider. To begin, your child’s provider can do a medical evaluation to check for other causes of your child’s symptoms. Many other problems, such as anxiety, depression, and certain types of learning disabilities can have similar symptoms to ADHD. Many of these conditions also commonly co-occur with ADHD, as 77.9 percent of children with ADHD have at least one co-occurring disorder. Your provider can also get feedback from people close to your child, such as family members, teachers, and coaches. Your pediatrician can then use the standard guidelines developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to determine if your child meets the criteria for ADHD.
Once you have a diagnosis, there are several treatment options, and what works best will depend on your child and their specific needs. In most cases, ADHD is best treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medication to make day-to-day life easier and symptoms more manageable.
For children ages four to five with ADHD, the AAP recommends behavior therapy and parent training in behavior management (PTBM) before medication is tried. For elementary and middle school-aged children (age 6 to the 12th birthday), their recommendation includes FDA-approved medications for ADHD, along with PTBM and/or behavioral classroom interventions and educational interventions such as individualized education plans (IEP) or 504 plans. Recommendations for ages 12-18 include FDA-approved medications for ADHD with the adolescent’s assent; training or behavioral interventions; and educational interventions such as an IEP or 504 plan.
In addition to treatment, there are steps parents can take to try to mitigate the symptoms and improve behaviors at home, such as:
- Provide a healthy lifestyle. In addition to behavioral therapy and medication, having a healthy lifestyle can make it easier to deal with ADHD symptoms. Establish healthy eating habits, daily physical activity, limited screen time, and enough sleep to help your child thrive.
- Create a routine. For tasks that happen every day, try to follow the same schedule from wake-up to bedtime. Routines provide stability and consistency.
- Get organized. If your child struggles with organization, make things easier. Set up organized spaces for everyday tasks like homework, create a designated place for belongings like backpacks and lunch boxes, and use a visual checklist to help with tasks your child may forget easily.
- Manage distractions. When it’s time to focus, provide a distraction-free zone (as best you can). Turn off the TV and social media notifications, limit noise, and provide a clean space. Sometimes calming music or headphones can help too.
- Use clear and specific communication. Use brief, clear directions and break complicated tasks into simple, small steps. Start difficult tasks early and take breaks to limit stress.
- Create chances for success. Whether it’s sports, art, or another activity, find things your child does well and make sure there are lots of opportunities to experience success.
- Be kind to yourself and your child. Learning to manage ADHD can be difficult for you and your child. Be patient and understanding as you work through different treatment plans and put supports in place to make things better.
- Reach out for support. You aren’t in this alone. There are many resources available to support families and children with ADHD, including parent education, counseling, support groups, and more.
Resources
- Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder offers a wide range of resources for parents, including articles, podcasts, support groups, online communities, trainings, and more.
- Military OneSource has free confidential counseling for a wide range of issues, including stress management, parenting, and more. Confidential counseling is available for children under 18 through the Military and Family Life Counseling Program.
- TRICARE and the Department of Veterans Affairs provide coverage related to ADHD, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatments like therapy and medication management. Check your specific plan to learn more about your coverage.
Reach out to your health care provider if you think your child may be experiencing symptoms related to ADHD. It is a common and treatable disorder, and there are resources available to support your family.