How to Recognize the Signs of Attention Deficit Disorder

All children are active and require time to develop the ability to attend for lengths of time. Here are a few ways to identify whether your child may have attention deficit disorder.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh Fruit
• Healthy Foods
• Notebooks
• Children's Board Games
• Children's Puzzles

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Instructions

• 1

  Consult your doctor. Every state and school district has differing interpretations of the federal laws concerning diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD). Your doctor will be able to give you clear guidelines for diagnosis or refer you to someone who can. Your doctor may even provide you with some drug-free solutions to try at home.

• 2

  Watch your child. In order to diagnose ADD, your child must exhibit some characteristic traits for six or more consecutive months and they must be present before 7 years old. Major life events like a death or divorce can trigger behavior change, as well as a sudden move or change in schools.

• 3

  Ask yourself these questions. Does your child not pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes? Not seem to listen when spoken to directly? Avoid, dislike or refuse to do tasks requiring sustained mental effort? Have trouble following directions? Have difficulty staying in one place when asked to? Change activities without completing the first? These are indications that your child may have a problem attending and needs further professional observation.

• 4

  Assess the areas in which your child is experiencing problems. If your child exhibits these and other behaviors, it is possible he or she might have ADD. However, if the inability to attend does not have a negative effect on at least two areas, such as school work and social interaction, you may just have a spirited child or may need to consider other forms of intervention. Before your child is diagnosed and labeled with ADD, make sure the behaviors your child exhibits are not a product of an overstressed or hectic lifestyle.