Differences Between Normal Children & ADHD

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It is more prevalent among boys than girls. There are certain ways to tell if a child is ADHD or not.

Hyperactivity

• Unlike typical children who are sometimes hyper, an ADHD child will constantly be in hyper mode. This means it will be extremely difficult for the ADHD child to settle down. This is unlike a typical child who can settle down with some effort.

Following Directions

• Children usually need some direction and may need reminding in order to follow directions. But children with ADHD find it difficult to follow even simple directions.

Focus

• Whereas a child without ADHD may need some direction in order to focus on a task at hand, it is nearly impossible for an ADHD child to focus on something unless they have one-on-one guidance.

Impulsivity

• Children with ADHD are impulsive and can be very impatient and rude.

Supervision

• While most children are OK by themselves for short periods of time, children with ADHD are likely to find themselves in great deals of trouble if left unsupervised even for short periods of time.