Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/p_KJvKVsH14

You may have heard about ADHD lately — it’s one of childhood’s most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental issues. Usually, it’s first noticed and diagnosed in childhood, but it can last well into adulthood.

Individuals with ADHD (especially children) have trouble managing impulsive behaviors, are often overly active, and suffer from a lack of focus that stops them from paying attention in class.

What Are The Symptoms

It’s important to note that a lack of focus in children doesn’t necessarily point toward ADHD; many children are hyperactive and simply have trouble focusing or aren’t on their best behavior.

However, in most non-ADHD cases, that impulsive and unfocused behavior is just a phase for children — one they gradually grow out of. If the symptoms don’t subside and even become more severe, they may start causing trouble for the kids at home, in school, and within their social circles. At that point, it’s worth considering whether the child might be suffering from ADHD.

Some of the most common symptoms are:

• A lack of patience for taking turns
• Constant daydreaming
• Forgetfulness
• Constant fidgeting
• Constant talking
• Inability to resist temptations
• Failure to get along with other children and adults

Different Types of ADHD

As you can see, ADHD can manifest itself through a complex cocktail of behavioral symptoms — depending on the specific case, some might be more prominent than others. From that perspective, we divide ADHD into the following types:

• Inattentive Presentation — present in individuals who aren’t capable of finishing or organizing tasks, paying sufficient attention to detail, or generally keeping up with conversations or following instructions. These individuals quickly forget details of their daily routines, and they’re quickly distracted by external factors.
• Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation — in these individuals, constant talking and fidgeting are much more prominent than other ADHD symptoms. They find it hard to stay in one place for long; sometimes, they’re literally unable to finish a meal or their homework sitting down. In smaller children, this symptom exhibits itself through constant climbing, jumping, and running. In older individuals, it’s associated with restlessness and a predisposition to impulsive behavior. These people are more prone to interrupting others, suddenly grabbing things from them, or speaking out at socially inappropriate moments; they find it hard to follow directions and wait to do what they want.
• Combined Presentation — diagnose in people who display a mixture of the two ADHD types described above.

How Is ADHD Diagnosed?

Unfortunately, determining whether a child is suffering from ADHD isn’t simple — no straightforward test returns positive or negative results. Plenty of other psychological and medical issues result in a similar set of symptoms, such as:

• Some learning disabilities
• Sleep disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety

Some of them might also be concurrently present with ADHD. However, an ADHD diagnosis generally involves a medical exam with vision and hearing tests. That way, doctors can at least rule out several problems with symptoms similar to ADHD.

There’s usually an ADHD symptom checklist with a rating system, and accurate results depend on detailed child histories gathered from parents, caretakers, teachers, and often, the child in question.

ADHD Treatments

One of the most common treatments for ADHD includes a combo of prescribed medication and behavior therapy. Medical professionals often prescribe Adderall or natural Adderall alternatives — though medication isn’t prescribed lightly, especially for younger children.

For example, in ADHD cases diagnosed in a preschool-age child, the course of treatment would probably be behavior therapy—with a focus on parent training. That’s the first type of treatment most doctors would prescribe before reaching for medication.

Ultimately, various treatment plans are more suitable for different cases — every child is different, and it’s important to note that their family situation has a huge impact on their progress.

Dealing With ADHD Symptoms

Staying healthy is vital for any child. However, general health can be particularly important for people with ADHD. Medication and behavioral therapy will only get you so far, but a healthy lifestyle can improve your chances of living with ADHD more easily.

Many healthy lifestyle choices can improve the life of someone living with ADHD, such as adopting a more nutritious diet; eating plenty of lean protein, whole grains, and vegetables is always a good idea. Also, depending on the child’s age, there are many fun ways to get their necessary daily dose of physical activity, like sports or other forms of outdoor play

Observe whether your child is getting enough sleep. A good night’s rest is essential to a bunch of vital processes in your child’s mind and body — and a lack of sleep can exacerbate many behavioral issues, including those that stem from ADHD.

Finally, consider limiting your child’s screen time, at least to a degree. Phones, computers, televisions, and similar electronic devices produce a never-ending stream of content that’s hard to process, even for children without ADHD symptoms.