According to doctors, as a parent or a teacher you must keep in mind that not all children who appear out of control and disruptive necessarily have ADHD, and even more surprising is that not all children with ADHD will be out of control and disruptive.  While that type of behavior could certainly be one of the characteristics of a child with ADHD, it is not the only one.  Some children with ADHD are extremely withdrawn, and may sit quietly at their desks with their attention miles away.  Others may be only mildly inattentive, but may act very impulsively or inappropriately.  This brings us to the three primary characteristics of a child with ADHD.

3 Common Characteristic of a Child with ADHD

The 3 main characteristics of a child with ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, but this does not mean a child will consistently demonstrate all 3 of these characteristics simultaneously.  Doctors say it all depends on which one of these characteristics is predominant, and they offer the following descriptions of each characteristic to help parents and teachers spot the symptoms.

Characteristics of a Child with ADHD:  Inattention

While it’s true that one of the characteristics of a child with ADHD is inattention, this does mean they are incapable of paying attention.  In fact, in performing tasks they enjoy, many children with ADHD can be extremely attentive.  However when the task at hand is uninteresting to them, usually one that involves repetition, their attention span tends to be markedly brief.  Other signs of inattention can include:

• Difficulty staying on track, such as bouncing from one task to another
• Failure to heed details before attempting a task
• Making careless mistakes
• Becomes very easily distracted
• Tunes people out or pretends not to hear
• Organizational difficulties
• Difficulty concentrating
• Frequently misplaces items, including homework, shoes, toys, etc.

Characteristics of a Child with ADHD:  Hyperactivity

Of all the characteristics of a child with ADHD, hyperactivity is the most outward sign, which is why many people erroneously assume it is the only effect of this condition.  Some of the primary symptoms of hyperactivity include:

• Difficulty sitting still—fidgets or squirms in his/her seat
• Constantly getting up when it is inappropriate to do so
• Seems to be constantly in motion
• Talks often and excessively
• Can be quick tempered or aggressive
• Difficulty relaxing

Characteristics of a Child with ADHD:  Impulsivity

Impulsivity is another one of the characteristics of a child with ADHD, a symptom that makes it difficult for children to maintain self-control or to censor their own behavior.  Signs of impulsivity may include:

• Impulsive actions—acts without thinking
• Disruptive at home and in the classroom
• Intrudes on others inappropriately
• Speaks without regard for timing—saying the wrong thing at the wrong time
• Guesses at problems instead of trying to solve them logically

The characteristics of a child with ADHD, inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, can occur simultaneously or independent from each other.  If your child has experienced any of these symptoms for any measurable period, it may be time to seek a doctor’s opinion and to find help to correct the problem.

Why Is Disciplining a Child with ADHD such a Challenge?

Disciplining a child with ADHD can be exceedingly difficult, primarily due to the nature of the disorder and the way it affects a child.  ADHD is typically characterized by three primary symptoms—inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity—that can either occur independently or simultaneously.  The symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity can often lead to behavioral problems at school and at home, but because of the inattention factor, many children will not even pay attention to the list of reasons why they are being punished.  Moreover, carrying out the consequences of that punishment can often prove difficult due to the fact that children with ADHD tend to become easily distracted.  This can often lead to parents lashing out angrily at a child, which only models the poor behavior parents are trying to correct.

Mistakes to Avoid When Disciplining a Child with ADHD

There is no question that disciplining a child with ADHD is complicated, requiring patience and consistency, but a child’s behavior can worsen unless certain mistakes are avoided.  Some of these mistakes include:

• Failing to inform the child what he/she did wrong.  When disciplining a child with ADHD, punishment only conveys what he or she should NOT do.  It does not, on the other hand, convey to them the actions or behavior they should display instead. Make sure you tell your child exactly why he is being punished, otherwise, he or she is bound to repeat the behavior.
• Losing your cool.  Once a child learns that he/she will only be disciplined when mom or dad finally loses their cool or “blows their top,” the child will continue to persist in the behavior until you do just that.
• Inconsistency.  A common mistake when disciplining a child with ADHD (or any child) is inconsistency.  Carefully think through any punishments you threaten, but once the “threat” is out there, you must follow through.
• Putting multiple people in charge of discipline.  As parents, disciplining your child with ADHD falls squarely on your shoulders.  Children with this condition will become confused if multiple people (siblings, grandparents, etc.) are constantly interfering with your disciplinary methods.
• Failing to get your child’s attention.  When you are scolding or threatening discipline, how do you even know if your child is paying attention?  Inattention is a prime symptom of ADHD; therefore, it is crucial that you have your child’s undivided attention when instituting any disciplinary measures.

Disciplining your child with ADHD requires consistency, calm and good communication skills.  A good precept to remember is that negative usually begets negative, and as a result, you should attempt to set up a structure that includes both discipline when acting out, and rewards for good behavior, all based on clear and reasonable expectations.

About ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is far and away the most common behavioral disorder in children.  Studies show that approximately 3-7 percent of all school-age children are affected by ADHD, and those statistics only reflect those who have actually been diagnosed.  In other words, the total percentage may be much higher.

ADHD usually occurs in children prior to their 7^th birthday, and in over 65% of cases the disorder will continue to plague the affected child well into adolescence, and sometimes into adulthood.

One of the primary difficulties in diagnosing ADHD in children is that, for the most part anyway, all children will at times demonstrate some of the classic symptoms of the disorder, which according to experts are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive actions.  Quite honestly, that’s just how children act sometimes.  But with those who are actually struggling with ADHD, the pattern of these symptoms is not only more regular, but almost always more severe.

5 Early Signs Your Child Has ADHD

So how do you determine if the symptoms you are noticing are the early signs your child has ADHD?  How can you be sure those symptoms are not simply the result of “kids being kids?”  According to doctors, it is a mainly a matter of frequency and severity—a matter of whether the behavior happens “at times” or happens “most of the time,” and how that behavior affects the child’s ability to function normally.

The following questions, which were developed by the National Institute of Mental Health, are designed to help parents detect the early warning signs of suspect behavior.  Several positive answers to these questions could possibly point to the early signs your child has ADHD:

• Do you frequently notice your child daydreaming?  And if you do, would you say he or she daydreams more than other children his/her age?
• If your child disorganized at home and at school, unable to keep schedules of any kind or has a difficult time finding homework and keeping his/her room clean?
• Does your child seem forgetful?  Does he/she regularly misplace or lose items such as homework and other school papers, shoes and toys?
• Does your child seem hyper-energetic?  Is he/she always running or climbing when not supposed to? Do you notice that he/she has a hard time sitting still, fidgeting and squirming in the seat or frequently getting up and down when it is inappropriate to do so?
• Does your child frequently intrude on other people and their conversations?  Does he speak out of turn, perhaps blurting out answers in school when he/she has not been called upon?
• Does your child talk excessively?
• Is it often difficult to get your child’s attention when you are speaking to him/her?

Each of these questions represents one or more of the classic ADHD symptoms:  inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.  And because they are very specific in nature, it helps parents get a clearer picture of the child’s symptoms in relation to ADHD.  Several affirmative responses to these questions may point to the early signs your child has ADHD, and the earlier treatment is sought, the greater odds you and your child have at managing these symptoms before the behavior causes major problems at school and at home.

What Is ADHD?

As mentioned briefly above, ADHD is a brain condition that can significantly affect a child’s focus and behavior.  While all children will at times demonstrate some of the symptoms of ADHD, symptoms that include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, children affected with ADHD have behavioral problems that are much more severe, with symptoms that tend to manifest more frequently, to the point where it drastically affects their ability to carry out a normal life.

Studies suggest that between 3 and 13 percent of all school-aged children struggle with ADHD, with boys affected about three times more often than girls.  Children with ADHD may have a difficult time sitting still, fidgeting and squirming in their seats.  They may talk excessively or inappropriately blurt out answers in school before they are called upon to answer.  Some children will simply daydream, unable to focus on the task at hand.

The causes and origins of ADHD are still not clear, despite the fact that ADHD is one of the most frequently and thoroughly researched childhood conditions.  However, that research has uncovered certain facts that may help parents understand why and how ADHD is affecting their child.

5 Things Parents Need to Know About Their ADHD Child

While many parents tend to blame themselves when their child is affected with ADHD, research has uncovered some interesting facts that may help parents become more familiar with some of the potential causes of the disorder.  Below are 5 things parents need to know about their ADHD child:

• ADHD is a brain disorder in which certain chemical messengers in the brain, called neurotransmitters, are impaired.  Thus, ADHD is not simply bad behavior or “acting out,” but a biological condition that is outside the child’s—and the parent’s—control.
• Brain scans of ADHD children show that the areas of the brain that control attention and activity level tend to show lower activity when compared to children who are not affected.
• In some cases, there is a family link with regard to ADHD.  Doctors believe that heredity may account for up to 1/3 of all ADHD cases.
• While exposure to environmental toxins, either on the mother’s end, during pregnancy, or a child’s exposure when he/she is very young, can play a role in the development of ADHD, that role is very insignificant and those cases are extremely rare.
• Despite what is published in many books and on many websites, there is no medical evidence showing that ADHD is caused by too much sugar in the diet, food allergies or immunizations.

What these facts clearly show is that ADHD in your child is more likely the result of heredity and biology than any particular parenting choices you may have made.  Once you understand this you’ll be able to look at your child’s symptoms objectively and get the medical help that he/she needs.

What Is ADHD?

ADHD is a chronic medical condition that affects millions of children worldwide—a condition that can also persist into adulthood in some cases.  There are many signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is suffering from ADHD, including a noticeable inability to sustain attention, impulsive and often inappropriate behavior and a difficulty sitting still.  Secondary effects of ADHD, as can be expected, include low self-esteem, a difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships and poor performance in school that cannot otherwise be explained.

5 Causes of ADHD

So what are the causes of ADHD?  As mentioned above, inherited traits are most likely responsible in the majority of cases, but recent research seems to indicate that there are other factors that may also contribute, at least partially, in certain cases.  Some of the causes of ADHD may include:

• Heredity.  Doctors are still unsure just how heredity plays a role in developing ADHD, but in a significant number of instances, at least one of the parents of children with ADHD admits to having struggled with the condition themselves.  Studies have shown that parents who were diagnosed with ADHD or ADD in their lifetime are approximately 5-times more likely to have a child who develops ADHD.  Researchers of ADHD are currently studying several genes they believe may be responsible.
• Altered brain activity, function and anatomy.  The exact cause of ADHD remains a mystery, but case studies on ADHD sufferers—studies involving complex brain scans—have turned up some interesting results.  ADHD patients seem to have different brain structures and brain activity than other people.  In fact, several studies have shown that ADHD patients seem to have reduced activity in the areas of the brain responsible for attention and activity levels.
• Lifestyle choices and toxins during pregnancy.  Women who choose to smoke or consume alcohol during pregnancy may be contributing to the likelihood that their children will develop ADHD, because both nicotine and alcohol can affect nerve activity.  This affect on nerve activity could inhibit the production of neurotransmitters in children, which in turn can cause ADHD and other behavioral disorders.  Additionally, a woman’s exposure to certain environmental toxins during pregnancy has also been linked to ADHD in children.
• Early Exposure to Toxins.  Children who are regularly exposed to certain toxins when they are very young have an increased chance of developing ADHD during childhood.  One of these toxins is lead, a chemical found primarily in certain paints and in older pipes and has been linked to hyperactivity, violence and irrational behavior, according to scientists.
• Food Additives.  Several research studies have found that certain food additives, including artificial coloring and artificial preservatives, can lead to hyperactivity in children.  Parents of children with ADHD should watch their child’s diet carefully and avoid packaged and processed foods as well as sugary items.

ADHD still remains somewhat of a puzzle for doctors and medical researchers, but fortunately increased research funding into the causes of ADHD is expected soon.  This is a promising sign for ADHD sufferers and parents—a sign that doctors may soon have the tools at their disposal to help children overcome the condition.

ADHD and Medication:  The Facts

There are currently a number of stimulant and non-stimulant medications that have proven very effective in managing the more common ADHD symptoms, including hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention.  However, many of these ADHD medications can cause troublesome side effects of which you, as a parent, need to be aware, including:

• Restlessness and or/jittery feelings—much like the symptoms coffee and other caffeine products can create
• Irritability and mood swings, including, in certain cases, aggressive behavior
• Sleep difficulties, including insomnia
• Appetite suppression
• Dizziness and headaches
• Upset stomach
• Racing heart or palpitations
• Depression/anxiety

In most cases these side effects are very mild and manageable, but when one or more of these symptoms begin to affect your child’s ability to function normally, it is imperative that they are immediately reported to the prescribing physician.

Medication can be a great option for children coping with ADHD, but most doctors are hesitant to use medication as the sole treatment strategy, recommending instead a multi-tiered approach that includes behavioral therapy, dietary changes, exercise and plenty of sleep in addition to medication therapy.

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Medicating Your ADHD Child

Making the decision to medicate your ADHD child can be very difficult, and the decision is not to be taken lightly.  You need to do your homework on each of the available medications, investigating not only the efficacy of these drugs, but the risks and side effects associated with each of them.  This will help you make an informed decision.  Additionally, here are 3 things to keep in mind when medicating your ADHD child:

• What Medication Can and Cannot Due.  While medication can help your child’s ability to focus, concentrate, control impulsivity and help with forgetfulness, it is not a magic formula that will immediately turn your child into an angel.  He or she may still struggle with some emotional and behavioral problems, and may still feel socially awkward.  This is why it is so very important to explore multiple treatment options, including therapy and lifestyle changes, in addition to medication treatment.
• Medication is Not a Cure for ADHD.  Stimulant and non-stimulant medications can help relieve the symptoms of ADHD, but they are by no means a cure.  Once the medication stops, so too will the improvements you noticed while your child was taking the medication.
• ADHD Medications Work Better/Worse for Some.  Each person will respond differently to ADHD medication.  A drug that works for one person may not have the same effect on your child.  This is why it is so important to stay connected with the doctor and have your child monitored closely when taking ADHD medication.

Medication can be a fantastic solution for ADHD symptom control, but it should never be the sole treatment strategy.  Alternate treatments such as behavioral therapy can help your child explore the reasons for his/her symptoms and discover ways to accommodate for his/her issues.

Your ADHD Child and School

School can create multiple challenges for a child coping with ADHD, as the various skills that are necessary for school success—sitting still, listening quietly and concentrating—-can seem almost impossible for an ADHD child.  Sadly, the inability to practice these skills are often seen by teachers as a child’s unwillingness to learn, which in most cases is simply not true. In fact, many ADHD children are very willing learners, and they tend to test on the “gifted” side of the intelligence scale.  However, the symptoms of their disorder can often create problems in acquiring new information in a traditional school format.

3 Ways to Help Your ADHD Child Excel in School

Parents can be very instrumental in helping their ADHD child excel in school.  Conversely, parents who unrealistically expect that their child’s teacher will be able to solve their child’s problems on their own, rarely see pleasing results.  Experts say a joint effort is needed between parents and teachers to ensure academic success for an ADHD child, and the 3 tips below can be very influential in this process:

• Communication.  Teachers, by the very nature of their position, are extremely busy professionals, with many students in their charge.  This is why regular communication between parents and teachers is so very important.  As a parent, you should make a point of meeting your child’s teacher and other school officials prior to the start of the school year, and schedule regular meetings from that point forward to discuss your child’s issues and progress.  Take the time to sit down with your child’s teacher(s) and help create goals for your child, along with reasonable expectations.  Be completely open about your child’s condition and explain academic and behavioral techniques that have proven effective in the past, along with those that were largely ineffective.  You may even want to create a weekly progress sheet that will help you determine how your child is performing from week to week.
• Behavior Plan.  Nobody understands your ADHD child’s behavior better than you do, and nobody understands which modification techniques are most effective in reigning in that behavior.  Try to work with your child’s teacher in creating a comprehensive behavior plan, with rewards and consequences that will be implemented at home, just as they are in school.
• Homework Help.  As the parent of an ADHD child, you already understand the potential challenges involved with homework, challenges that include difficulties in sitting still and problems with concentration and focus.  And because you understand these challenges, you will need to attack the homework problem differently than most other parents.  Try to implement a predictable and reliable homework system—homework performed at the same time each day.  Feel free to make modifications that may help your child complete his/her homework successfully, such as frequent breaks or allowing your child to stand up from time to time, and institute an award system in which the child is rewarded for meeting homework expectations.

Raising a child with ADHD can be an all-day challenge, but when you develop a consistent plan, one that involves you, your child’s teacher and your child, you can dramatically improve school success and limit the disruptive or impulsive behavior that can often be an obstacle.

ADHD Symptoms and Prevalence:  The Differences between ADHD in Boys and Girls

Difference #1

The first major difference between boys and girls with regard to ADHD is the prevalence in which the disorder occurs.  According to the American Psychiatric Association, ADHD is much more likely to occur in boys than girls.  In fact, boys are about three times more likely to develop the disorder than girls in a similar age group.

While these statistics are very significant, they may not tell the whole story.  We say this because one of the questions researchers often asks: “Is ADHD more prevalent in boys or is it just diagnosed more frequently because the symptoms in boys tend to be more overt?”  This remains to be seen, but it does bring us to the second difference between ADHD in boys and girls.

ADHD in Boys and Girls:  Difference Number Two

ADHD can cause a number of symptoms, some more overt than others.  Experts on the disorder say that ADHD can bring about symptoms that basically fall into three general categories:  inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Inattention in children can lead to daydreaming, disorganization and forgetfulness—three behaviors common in children in general, but much more prevalent in the ADHD affected child.

Hyperactivity can lead to excess talking, fidgeting and squirming in seats and getting up and down frequently when it is generally inappropriate to do so.  Children coping with hyperactivity symptoms seem to be forever on the go, running and climbing to excess.

Impulsivity in children with ADHD is characterized by impulsive and often inappropriate behavior.  Impulsive children tend to interrupt other people’s conversations, intrude on adults and children alike and may blurt out answers to questions in school before being called upon to do so by the teacher.

When children are diagnosed with ADHD by doctors and psychiatrists they are placed into one of three general categories—categories that indicate which symptom(s) are predominant in their specific case.  These categories are:

ADHD with Hyperactivity/Impulsivity

ADHD with Inattention

ADHD Combined—showing characteristics of both hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention

Most boys who are diagnosed with ADHD fall under category number one, hyperactive/impulsive, or category number three, combined.  Girls, on the other hand, tend to fall under category number two, inattentive.  This information is quite significant to researchers, because the symptoms and behaviors associated with hyperactivity/impulsivity tend to be more noticeable than the symptoms of inattention.  This is why many experts believe there are many girls who will go undiagnosed, which may account for at least some of the discrepancy in the number of ADHD cases in boys as compared to girls.

ADHD in Boys and Girls:  Difference Number Three

The third and final difference between ADHD in boys and girls is the severity and frequency of symptoms.  According to the American Society of Pediatrics, ADHD symptoms in boys tend to be more severe than they do in girls.  This can lead to difficulties in school and at home that present major obstacles to a child’s success.  Additionally, the frequency with which symptoms seem to manifest also tends to be higher in boys, which is another reason why parents of boys may be quick to seek a medical diagnosis from a qualified physician.

While ADHD does affect boys and girls alike, it does appear that boys suffer more and differently than do girls, leading to more diagnoses and a popular opinion that ADHD continues to be a more male-centered disorder.

ADHD Child Treatment

While classroom accommodations, along with community and family support can help to lessen the effects of ADHD on classroom performance and other activities, doctors believe that it is only through medication and therapy that ADHD in children can be effectively managed in most cases.  Below we will take a closer look at each of these treatments separately.

Medication as an ADHD Child Treatment

Medication for ADHD child treatment can be broken down into two main categories:  stimulant medication and non-stimulant medication, with the latter type typically used only after certain stimulant medications have proven ineffective or have produced undesirable and troublesome side effects.

Stimulant medications for ADHD child treatment work by balancing certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters.  Doctors believe these stimulant medications can help to dramatically improve many of the most prominent symptoms of ADHD, including inattentive and impulsive behavior, as well as hyperactivity in children.  Some of the medications in the stimulant category include:

• Dextroamphetamine-amphetamine.  Drugs in this class include the popular drug Adderall.
• Methylphenidate.  There are several brand names for this stimulant medication, including Concerta and the well-known drug Ritalin.

Because many stimulant medications can cause uncomfortable symptoms, including weight loss, sleep difficulties, including insomnia, and irritability, many doctors have turned to non-stimulant medications, including Atomoxetine, marketed under the brand name Straterra, in the treatment of childhood ADHD.  The attraction of Straterra is that it does not produce the undesirable side effects of the stimulant medications, but it is still immensely effective in the treatment of ADHD symptoms.  It can also help to control anxiety, which is often an unwelcome side effect of ADHD.

ADHD Child Treatment:  Counseling and Therapy

Medication can be very effective in the treatment of childhood ADHD, but most doctors will usually recommend therapy along with medication for best results.  This therapy can take many different forms including:

• Behavior Therapy.  Behavior therapy offers behavior changing strategies and helps to control impulsivity.  Therapists work with children to figure out alternate ways to act to situations—ways that are more appropriate and less intrusive.
• Psychotherapy.  Also called “talk therapy,” psychotherapy helps children explain what they are feeling as a result of ADHD.  This is a great tool for exploring the reasons behind these patterns of behavior and to look for solutions.
• Family Therapy.  ADHD affects more than just the child with symptoms.  Family therapy can help parents and siblings cope with the stress of living with and adapting to a child suffering from ADHD.

ADHD child treatment can be an enormous challenge.  Families will have to learn to become more structured, perhaps even making lifestyle and dietary changes to accommodate the child with ADHD.  However, this is not an unwinnable challenge.  With early recognition of the signs and symptoms and proper diagnosis by a qualified physician, medication, counseling and therapy are normally quite effective in controlling the negative behavior and other symptoms that accompany childhood ADHD, helping parents and teachers to better support the child and make the proper accommodations to ensure his or her success.

ADD Child Help:  About ADHD

If your child has been suffering from ADHD for some time now, the following information may already be very familiar you, but it couldn’t hurt to brush up.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a qualifying mental disorder under the DSM IV that affects children of all ages and can sometime continue into adulthood.  The symptoms and the resultant behaviors of ADHD can vary greatly, but they all fall under one of three very broad categories:  inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Inattention can cause children to seem dreamy or not present when you are speaking to them.  They have a difficult time focusing on a project of length, and are often forgetful and unorganized.

Hyperactivity can cause children to fidget or squirm in their seats, or leave their seats when they are not supposed to.  They tend to run and climb when it’s inappropriate and talk excessively, regardless if they have a captive audience or not.

Impulsivity can be very difficult to manage.  Children with these symptoms may blurt out answers before being called on by the teacher, intrude on others inappropriately and act without thinking.  Collectively, these symptoms and behaviors can create nightmares for parents, families and teachers, but fortunately, with ADD child help, many of these scenarios can be significantly mitigated.

3 Places to Get ADD Child Help

Doctors are usually the first line of defense for ADD child help, as there are currently many stimulant and non-stimulant medications available that can help rebalance the chemicals in the brain, making children feel calmer and more attentive.  Drugs such as Ritalin and Straterra are widely prescribed in this country and can make a world of difference in your child’s mood and behavior.  In addition to medication therapy, doctors can also work with parents on an optimal diet plan that can help lessen some of the problematic ADHD symptoms.

ADHD child help can also come in the form of counselors and therapy.  One-on-one cognitive behavioral therapy can help decrease impulsivity by teaching children how to problem solve and think things through before they act.  Instead of attempting to provide children with concepts and insights, counselors teach real world skills and often practice with children on how to react to a variety of situations.

Family therapy can also be quite helpful.  Living with an ADHD child can put a tremendous amount of stress on a family, and through therapy, counselors will instruct parents and siblings on how to adjust their thought patterns and the way they react, not necessarily to accommodate the ADHD child, but so their own lives will not be as significantly impacted by the adverse behavior demonstrated by the ADHD child.

Finally, in addition to services provided by doctors and therapists, ADD child help can be found online, including groups like CHADD, a non-profit organization that provides resources, organizes conferences and offers articles dealing with a wide range of ADHD topics, including discipline guidelines and supportive tips from other parents who are facing your very same dilemma.