How Do You Spot ADHD In Kids? Expert Shares The Subtle Signs To Look For At Home And School

A leading expert in ADHD has opened up about the signs of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children which might warrant further exploration.Professor Stephen Scott, a consultant child psychiatrist, spoke to Dr Karan Rajan for the Channel 4 show, Do You Have ADHD?, about the subtle signs adults might notice in kids at home and school. “First of all, if you’re just watching them in the school playground, are they running around more than other kids?” said Prof Scott. “At the table, compared with their brother, do they have to keep getting up and down?“Are they always forgetting things much more? Are they leaving gym kit at school, and that sort of thing – this disorganisation.”If any of this rings true, the second step is to get an idea of what your child is like at school when you’re not there, said the expert. The best way to do this is by speaking to their teacher.“If they’re fine in class, it’s something else – it’s not ADHD,” Prof Scott continued.“But if the teacher says ‘yes they’re very disruptive, they’re always chatting and talking to the other people ... they seem to be daydreaming,’ then you’re more likely to be onto something.”How does ADHD feel for childrenIn the show, which explored the complexities of life with ADHD, and the challenges faced by children and adults awaiting a formal diagnosis, children described how ADHD impacted them. One boy, James, said: “I think I just feel maybe a little more hyper – and also I fidget a lot. I mean, a lot a lot.”Meanwhile Isla said: “Sometimes I have too many things in my head that I just lose everything, so I can’t think of what I’m saying.”Prof Scott pointed out that because boys with ADHD are “often hyperactive and impulsive”, it means they tend to get referred to services, “whereas the girls can just be inattentive and it can be missed until adolescence”.With inattentive ADHD, children might struggle to pay attention, forget things easily, or lose important items, according to the Child Mind Institute.This can become more obvious when kids reach secondary school, as the workload increases and they’re expected to work independently, which they might really struggle to do.When symptoms lead to significant suffering and cause problems at home, at school or work, diagnosis is important – especially as ADHD can lead to poor self-esteem and social function in kids when not appropriately treated.What to do if your child shows signs of ADHDIf you suspect your child has ADHD and it’s impacting their day-to-day life, speak to your GP, who can help rule out other conditions, such as autism and anxiety.There isn’t a specific test to diagnose ADHD – it is typically made by a paediatrician, psychiatrist or clinical psychologist via an assessment, for which waiting times can vary.Great Ormond Street Hospital’s states that an ADHD diagnosis “can be considered but will not usually be confirmed until a child is around six years old and starts school”.The NHS recommends the following lifestyle changes to help a child manage their ADHD symptoms:Make time for physical activities they enjoy.Encourage them to get regular sleep.Help them to have a healthy, balanced diet and regular mealtimes. (Schedule regular meals or snacks no more than three hours apart.)If some foods and drinks seem to affect their symptoms, keep a food and drink diary to see what these are.Related...People Are Just Realising ADHD Has Links To This Joint ConditionWaiting Endlessly For ADHD Or Autism Assessment? 'Right To Choose' May Get You Seen Sooner10 Early Signs Of ADHD In Toddlers Experts Want Parents To Know

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