How can you tell if a child has ADHD?

Dear Angela

You’ve asked a very good question, one that many people are asking themselves these days as soon as ‘a problem’ arises with a child.

Hyperactivity, impulsivity, distractibility

The short answer is: if a child displays the triad of symptoms comprising 1) hyperactivity, 2) impulsivity and 3) poor concentration/distractibility, they may have ADHD. The disorder is defined, at the very least, in terms of behaviour.

Persistent and independent of the situation

The longer answer is: it’s not quite that simple, because all children can display these symptoms on certain days, in certain situations or depending on how they’re feeling that day. And that makes diagnosis more complex. The symptoms must have been present for more than 6 months, regardless of the specific situation or environment (e.g. school), and must be causing impairment in the child’s everyday life.

Assessment

An assessment is then carried out to determine whether the child really does have significantly more difficulty (statistically -2 standard deviations) with the three core symptoms than their peers AND whether this is truly independent of the environment and the demands placed on them.

Exclusion

Children who are either over- or under-challenged may also display these symptoms. If I had to study at university in China, I’d also be unfocused and distracted, as I wouldn’t understand anything… This is the case, for example, with children with dyscalculia (a maths disorder).

It is also important to identify whether there are stress factors in the child’s environment: if a child is preoccupied, for example due to frequent arguments at home, and is worried, this can have a much greater impact than the will to concentrate on a maths worksheet.

Finally, physical symptoms – such as gluten intolerance (coeliac disease) or hay fever, accompanied by poor sleep quality and itching – can severely impair concentration and trigger a lack of focus.

Creativity, sensitivity, a desire for movement

Children with ADHD often behave as if they were younger; they are even more active, driven by their whims and moods, highly creative, imaginative and sensitive, and place great value on good relationships and interaction. They are often overwhelmed – or even overburdened – by the demands placed on them by our education system and everyday life; as a result, they become exhausted and frustrated, and receive a lot of negative feedback because they are unable to conform.

I hope this answers your question! Otherwise, please feel free to ask further questions.

Warm regards, Jessica