A doctor has to identify ADHD through observing your child's behavior. There are no blood tests or brain scans to give a definite diagnosis. And many other disorders have the same, or similar, symptoms as ADHD, so it's important for your doctor to look for all possibilities before coming to a conclusion.
It's normal for children to occasionally forget their homework, daydream during class, act without thinking, or get fidgety at the dinner table. But inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity are also signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sometimes known as attention deficit disorder or ADD.
During Childhood
Children with ADHD may struggle to control their emotions. This can cause social problems. They may not know how to share toys, take turns, play well with others, or react the right way in certain situations. Without treatment and guidance, they may have trouble making or keeping friends.
Kids with ADHD often have behavior problems. They get angry quickly, throw tantrums, and refuse to do things they don't want to do. These kids aren't trying to be bad. The problem is that ADHD can make it hard for them to do things they find difficult or boring.
What can be mistaken for ADHD? ADHD symptoms may overlap with the signs of other conditions, leading to misdiagnosis. For example: Feeling distracted or having difficulty focusing can be a symptom of ADHD and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Doctors can misdiagnose ADHD in children due to their age. In fact, children who start school at a younger age more frequently receive a diagnosis of ADHD. If a child starts school having just turned 5 years old while some of their peers are closer to 6 years old, there is an approximate 20% difference in age.
A medical, physical or neurodevelopmental exam identifies if you or your child meets the criteria for ADHD symptoms, including hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity. Recording symptoms using rating scales and other sources of information ensures you or your child meets standardized criteria.
If you hide your adult ADHD symptoms from other people, that's called masking. Basically, you're trying to seem more “normal” or “regular.” ADHD causes some people to act hyperactive or impulsive. It makes other folks have trouble paying attention. And still other adults have a combination of those symptoms.
ADHD is not on the autism spectrum, but they have some of the same symptoms. And having one of these conditions increases the chances of having the other.
The key difference is that with ADHD, your child usually has trouble paying attention and they're hyperactive. With ODD, your child is defiant, cranky, and angry. ADHD symptoms tend to show up when your child is 12 or younger. For some, it can start as early as 3 years old.
Most cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it's diagnosed later in childhood. Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
Causes of ADHD
Recent studies link genetic factors with ADHD. In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk factors including: Brain injury. Exposure to environmental risks (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age.
There is no specific physical test or written test that can make the diagnosis of ADHD. It is a diagnosis based on the child's history of behavioral symptoms at home and at school.
Age itself doesn't necessarily make ADHD worse. The way your symptoms show up depends on several factors. The good news is that most adults are able to manage their lives well with therapy and medications.
Though screen time doesn't cause ADHD, some studies have suggested that children with ADHD may be at increased risk of developing a screen addiction. While parents of children with ADHD can try to be aware of their kid's screen time, most children's screen time falls short of addiction, according to Lightfoot.
Up to 70% of children with ADHD suffer from problems with their sleep. Almost half the parents of a child with ADHD say that their child has moderate to serious sleep problems. Children with ADHD may have behavioural sleep problems or medically-based sleep problems.