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Signs & Symptoms of ADHD in a Child

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), doctors have diagnosed 4.7 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Signs and symptoms of ADHD generally fall in one of three categories, inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) notes that your child may have ADHD when these symptoms exist for 6 months or more.

  1. Inattention

    • According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, all three signs of ADHD can appear when your child is an infant. Most of the time, symptoms present themselves prior to age 7.

      Signs of inattention include carelessness in school work and other activities, difficulty sustaining attention during play and other tasks, trouble with follow-through on directions, problems organizing tasks or activities and forgetfulness. Children with ADHD also have trouble listening, even when you speak directly to them. They might avoid or dislike tasks that require sustained mental concentration.

    Hyperactivity

    • Signs of hyperactivity in children with ADHD include trouble sitting still during dinner, school and story time, non-stop talking, erratic movements and touching or playing with everything in sight, according to NIMH. Mayo Clinic experts contend that boys are more likely to exhibit hyperactive behavior, while girls tend to be more inattentive. When a boy exhibits fidgety behavior, it is often in response to his inability to concentrate. When girls cannot focus, they often daydream.

    Impulsivity

    • The overly impulsive child makes inappropriate comments, cannot control his emotions and acts without considering consequences. Impulsivity symptoms also include impatience. For instance, a child with ADHD might have trouble waiting for his turn while playing a game. Additionally, children exhibiting impulsivity might frequently interrupt the conversations and activities of others. These behaviors tend to be more conspicuous in boys than in girls. Compliance to teachers and other adults is often lower among boys with ADHD.

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