Children with ADHD can become frustrated and overwhelmed very easily. They have trouble regulating their emotions and struggle with executive function issues. They may, for example, have great difficulty: Planning.
How ADHD Affects Kids. ADHD causes kids to be more inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive than is normal for their age. ADHD makes it harder for kids to develop the skills that control attention, behavior, emotions, and activity. As a result, they often act in ways that are hard for parents manage.
Kids with ADHD can show signs in any or all these areas: Inattentive. Kids who are inattentive (easily distracted) have trouble focusing their attention, concentrating, and staying on task. They may not listen well to directions, may miss important details, and may not finish what they start.
People with ADHD often describe their lives as feeling chaotic and out of control. They might seem careless because they're scrambling to find their phone or to pay that bill, but they're overwhelmed.
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have behavior problems that are so frequent and severe that they interfere with their ability to live normal lives.
Similar to the hyperactive symptoms, impulsive symptoms are typically seen by the time a child is four years old and increase during the next three to four years to peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age.
Adults diagnosed with ADHD often blame themselves for their problems or view themselves in a negative light. This can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, or depression.
“Nobody has perfect memory… but for [people with ADHD], it's extreme. They feel like they're lost all the time,” Almagor said. He believes this is why people don't take ADHD seriously. “I think that's why some people don't respect the severity of what [a person with ADHD] can experience,” he said.
ADHD misdiagnosis stories are all too common. Particularly among adults, symptoms like rejection sensitivity, poor focus, and stress are diagnosed as depression, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder.
Fact: Children with ADHD may do their best to be good, but still be unable to sit still, stay quiet, or pay attention. They may appear disobedient, but that doesn't mean they're acting out on purpose.
High Functioning ADHD Symptoms
Anyone with high functioning ADHD can experience good days and more difficult ones, but symptoms may show up as frequent stress, difficulty multitasking, and frequent mood swings.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child must have symptoms in at least two settings, like home and school. It's normal for kids to be inattentive or hyperactive sometimes, so ADHD symptoms must last for at least six months. It's also important to consider age.
Atypical Presentation of ADHD Symptoms
Sleep disturbances (has trouble with sleep initiation, sleep deprived, can't wake up easily, etc.) Weak executive function (poor recall of information, internalizing language, controlling emotions, problem-solving, etc.)
Other less common issues can also present as inattention, including trauma, absence seizures, hearing impairment, hallucinations, Tourette's syndrome, among others. Because the root cause of inattention can sometimes be something very specific and complex, it is important to get a thorough evaluation.
Children with ADHD are less well-liked than their neurotypical peers [18] and are more likely to be bullied during their school years [19].
If left untreated, ADHD can lead to problems with productivity, interpersonal relationships, and further mental health problems.
Typically, children with ADHD have difficulties with: paying attention – for example, they find it hard to concentrate on tasks. being hyperactive – for example, they find it hard to sit still for long. controlling impulses – for example, they might say or do things before thinking them through.
People with ADHD are exquisitely sensitive to rejection and criticism. They can experience hopelessness and demoralization because they try to succeed by imitating the paths to success of people without ADHD, and then fail over and over again because the same paths don't work for them.
A lack of self-acceptance. Prohibitively expensive medications. Here, commiserate with fellow ADDitude readers as they share some of their biggest challenges of managing life with ADHD or ADD. > Creating rituals to keep track of things.
In general, avoid food with simple carbs, especially sugar, corn sugar, and high fructose corn sugar, which is often used as an additive in processed food. Avoid sugary sodas! Avoid foods with artificial ingredients and artificial dyes. Some have been found to worsen ADHD symptoms.