Recognizing ADHD in Your Child

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can lead children to perform poorly at school and in relationships with other children

In this article, we will explore some of the telltale signs of a child with attention deficit disorder. Please check with a registered medical professional if you notice any of these ADHD symptoms.

Physical Symptoms, Temper Tantrums

If your child fidgets all the time, this is a common indicator of ADHD. Children with this mental disorder have trouble keeping their emotions in check, and they will often express them through their body language. Some common symptoms include squirming, jumping around, or inappropriate temper tantrums both at home and at school.

Trouble Focusing

Another common symptom of ADHD is trouble focusing. Generally children with this disorder are portrayed as being loud and rambunctious, however some children with attention deficit disorder day dream all the time and appear to be in another world. No matter what part of the spectrum of quiet or loud your child falls into, the common theme here is an extreme difficulty concentrating on what others tell them.

Excessive Amount of Simple Errors

Another way your child's inability to focus might be expressed could be seen in a high frequency of careless mistakes. Since these children have difficulty focusing, the amount of simple errors they make is usually high in their schoolwork and in home life. If the amount of common mistakes your child makes exceeds what you take to be normal for a child, you might want to check with a pediatrician just to be sure your child is not exhibiting signs of this disorder.

Ego-Centric

Children with ADHD often have the "me, me, me" syndrome. This just means that children with this disorder have a difficult time recognizing the needs of others. They will often interrupt others when it is inappropriate to do so. Also, they might take things that belong to others, and have extreme difficulty sharing. These children will also struggle interacting with other children due to this ego-centric state of mind.

It is important to check with a pediatrician if you spot any of these ADHD symptoms. It has been proven that children do not simply "grow out" of true attention deficit disorders. If left untreated early in life, these children have a higher frequency of growing up into adults who exhibit ADHD behaviors like maxing out their credit cards, overusing alcohol and drugs, having risky sex, and eating unhealthy foods. With proper counseling, care, nutrition, and exercise, however, this disorder can easily be managed and children can grow into healthy, strong, and respectful young adults with greater ease .