Recognizing the symptoms of ADHD in children

Many children have trouble paying attention and controlling impulsive behaviours. They act without thinking what the results of their actions might be, or tend to seem a little lost in their world, forgetting things frequently. This sort of behaviour becomes quite a source of worry and anger in parents and teachers alike, and they label the child as a troublemaker. But this sort of a behaviour can be indicative of neurodevelopmental disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD) in children. 

What is ADHD? 
It is a developmental disorder that negatively affects attention span and the ability to sit quietly. Spotted during the initial years of school, this neuropsychological disorder mostly hits children and teens and can continue into adulthood. Boys are more likely to be vulnerable to ADHD than girls. There is no cure or prevention for this condition. However, identifying the warning signs at the initial stage and accessing treatment early on will help your child manage ADHD better. 

Symptoms to watch out for  
The symptoms of ADHD can change with age and are dependent on the situation or the environment a person is in. The gender of a child can also affect how these symptoms present themselves and can range in severity from mild to severe, growing more intense under stressful situations. Boys generally have the hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD which is much easier to detect. Girls, on the other hand, are more likely to have inattentive ADHD, also known as ADD, which often goes unnoticed or undiagnosed. Do not miss out on the red flags for this condition. A child with ADHD will:   

• Take longer to complete tasks like homework, chores, projects, etc. 
• Be indifference to the people around them 
• Underachieve even in fields they display a talent in 
• Often forget things like birthdays, belongings, or small tasks assigned to them  
• Hyper-focus on tasks that do interest them to the extent that their sleep cycles are jeoperdised 
• Zone out and stare into space in the middle of a conversation 
• Cannot handle boredom for even a short duration 
• Often worry about things they may have forgotten to do. 
• Have trouble maintaining sleep cycles. 

Types of ADHD 
There are three different types of ADHD, classified on the basis of their manifestation:  

Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: If a child is affected by this type of ADHD, he is easily distracted, forgets details of daily routines, and finds it difficult to complete tasks or follow conversations. 

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: This type of ADHD makes kids physically restless. They fidget a lot, talk for hours jumping to different tangents, interrupt others, find it hard to sit still for very long, and have trouble resisting temptation. 

Combined Presentation: In this type, the aforementioned manifestations are equally presented.