Does My Child Have ADHD?
Today, it may feel like talk about ADHD is everywhere - on the news, in your social media, and perhaps diagnosed or discussed in friends or family members. In truth, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not uncommon - affecting about 7-9% of children worldwide (Thomas, et al, 2015; Danielson et al, 2018). In studies that examined persistence of symptoms into teen years or young adulthood, about one in three young people continued to have ADHD symptoms 8 years after diagnosis, though symptoms can fluctuate (Sibley, et al, 2024).
So what about your child? Common childhood behaviors such as eagerness for active play, a rich imaginative world, and need for parental reminders and support - when seen to excess - can be symptoms of ADHD. It is when we see what is termed “functional impairment” - problems socially, academically, familially - that we must ask more questions. In families who prioritize structure, routine, child responsibility, and chores - all healthy things - a child who is frequently shirking their duties, needing more reminders than siblings or peers, and repeatedly failing to meet expectations at home and school is a child who needs more assessment. Could this child have a vision or hearing problem? Could they have a processing difficulty? Do we as parents need to adjust our expectations, or tweak our style? Is this the right school or teacher for this child? Might attention issues be a factor?
There is a complex interplay in families between a parent and child. Each parent brings to the role their own familial history, experiences as a child, and life experience. Each child is born into the world with a unique temperament, and their own gifts and challenges. How parents see and care for that child, thus, is a critical part of this inquiry. If we view our child as the complete master of their own choices, this can be a helpful framework for many children. How empowering for a young person to feel that, with support and over time, they will be able to control their own life! This highly positive framework, though, can lead some parents to feel their child is at fault for challenges - leading to a cycle of blame and shame. In fact, often small changes in parenting and teaching can allow this child to regain their trajectory towards responsibility and autonomy.
If your child is struggling with remembering, cannot sustain attention in tasks or play, is frequently careless, and avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained effort - she might be struggling with ADHD. If your child talks excessively, runs or climbs inappropriately, or interrupts and talks over others often, he may have ADHD. Though mood dysregulation and irritability symptoms are not formally a part of diagnosis, they are commonly found in these children. The best starting place is reaching out to a trusted pediatrician, or psychiatric diagnostician. This can be a great place to sit down and have a thoughtful conversation about what is going on at home and school.
If it the diagnosis is made, many treatments are available to help these children. Our best research suggests that in children and adolescents with this diagnosis, the gold standard is stimulant medication treatment. These medications confer the greatest benefit and can reduce serious negative outcomes. In studies that looked at the brain structures of children with ADHD, when they received stimulant medication treatment over a 2 year period, in many cases their brains looked like same-aged peers without ADHD. These medications directly target brain areas relating to completing tasks, enjoying delayed rewards, and filtering appropriately through emotional inputs. Stimulants also seem to help prevent common adolescent ADHD behaviors like drug use, injury, car accidents, and others. Despite these benefits, many families and children opt against stimulant medication for various reasons. There are also non-stimulant options which can help core symptoms. Some children and families benefit from executive functioning training through a specialized therapist or coach. There are even video-game-like executive functioning training programs that have been proven to help as well! If you feel a child you know could benefit from a thorough and thoughtful evaluation, feel free to reach out today.
