ADHD in adults

Adults with ADHD may experience difficulties paying attention, impulsivity, and restlessness. The signs and symptoms might be modest to severe. Many folks with ADHD aren't even aware that they have it; all they know is that regular chores are difficult for them.

In theory, seeking for a brain issue to explain a child's attention difficulties should be the LAST option. The younger the child, the more likely he or she would engage in raucous behavior and have problems paying attention. Almost every child exhibits some of the signs of ADHD at some point in their lives. The goal of diagnosis is to rule out alternate causes and identify whether or not there is a functional impairment. According to a neuropsychologist I respect, he refuses to evaluate a child under the age of 5 for ADHD because all of the symptoms are the same as developmentally typical behavior at that age.

1. Lack of sleep is the leading cause of negative behavior and attention problems in children. A 3-6 year child should sleep for 10-12 hours per night, whereas a 7-12 year old should sleep for 10-11 hours. If your child isn't getting the recommended amount of sleep, you should address this before considering an ADHD diagnosis.

2. Before you assume your child has a neurological disease, you should investigate whether or not he or she is stressed. A worried child will exhibit obnoxious conduct and struggle at school. Parental disagreement, divorce, financial or health problems in the family, or other big changes are all common stressors. If a youngster is sad, angry, or terrified and doesn't get an opportunity to express and release those emotions, you might expect him to act out and have problems focusing.

3. While inadequate nutrition does not cause ADHD, it can give the same symptoms of out of control behavior and problems paying attention in school, which can lead to a misdiagnosis. Getting adequate protein, limiting sugar, and eating breakfast every morning are the foundations of a healthy diet. Consider vitamin supplements and omega-3 fatty acids in addition to a well-balanced diet.

4. If a youngster has a skill gap, he may not pay attention in class and become disruptive. You'll need a simple assessment of his talents before checking for a probable brain disease. This will resemble ADHD if he is behind in school or has a learning impairment. If your child is falling behind, you might consider hiring a tutor or, in the case of a 6-year-old or younger, just spending time with him at home to teach him the fundamentals of reading, writing, and math. Some children enter Kindergarten having completed several years of academic preschool, whereas a 6-year-old who has not completed academic preschool may appear to have skill deficits that resemble ADHD.

These are only a handful of the many additional possible reasons of ADHD-like behavior. Check back as I discuss other symptoms that resemble ADHD and what a full evaluation entails.