One of my children has been displaying ADHD symptoms for a while and as they get older, I feel they become more obvious to us. So we have made the decision to pursue a children’s ADHD assessment. Our son is on the autism spectrum and there can be a lot of cross over with ADHD and autism traits which is why we haven’t looked into a diagnosis before now. I’ve been doing lots of research on the subject and so I thought I would share my findings here, with the hope that this might help someone else going through the same thing.
Read on to find out the main symptoms of ADHD in children, as well as how and when to get an assessment…
ADHD symptoms in children
Of course ADHD can present differently in each individual, and a trait that is present in one person may not be a problem in another. However, there are five main indicators that will usually be present in most children with ADHD, as listed below.
1. Short attention span
All children can have a short attention span at times, but are you finding this to be a constant struggle for your child? Are they struggling to finish telling a story, or are they unable to complete their school work? This could well be an indicator of ADHD.
2. Easily distracted
Following on from my last point, children with ADHD are often very easily distracted by things going on around them. Again, this could be with their school work. Do they struggle in the classroom because they find the other children and general environment very distracting?
3. Fidgeting and excessive movement
This is probably the one we all think of when we think about a child with ADHD; hyperactivity. This can display as lots of movement, running, jumping, appearing unable to sit still, or just constant fidgeting when they are sat down.
4. Impulsivity
Many children with ADHD will be very impulsive. They tend to act on their thoughts very quickly without thinking them through first. This can lead to poor decisions and getting into trouble. Lots of children with ADHD are unfortunately seen as difficult or as having behavioural problems.
5. Excessive talking
Excessive talking is due to the hyperactivity that comes with ADHD. But it’s also worth noting that this isn’t always the case, people with ADHD can be shy and quiet too. They may choose to stay quiet because they are embarrassed that they will say or do the wrong thing.
Getting an assessment
If you’ve noticed the above mentioned symptoms of ADHD in your child and it is starting to have an impact on their life and education, this is the time to seek a diagnosis.
Getting a child’s or adult ADHD assessment is actually much easier than you may think and can all be done online. Of course you could choose to go through the NHS but wait times are likely to be very long. Which is why many people are now looking at private assessments. It’s quick, easy and means you can start getting the help your child needs as soon as possible.
The assessment will involve an online or face-to-face appointment, where you will speak to an ADHD Consultant Psychiatrist with years of experience in the field. The initial assessment will take 60-90 minutes and will include a structured clinical assessment. Following this you can expect to receive a full report outlining diagnosis and treatment plan details.
Is your child displaying symptoms of ADHD? Or maybe they have already been diagnosed? Leave me a comment and let me know what symptoms you noticed.
Thank you for reading.
