A quick google search will lead you to more information about ADHD than you could possibly read. Many parents think that they know enough about ADHD to be able to properly diagnose it in their own children. It’s best to get a formal assessment by a professional health care provider, though. There are many other disorders that share some symptoms of ADHD. Are you sure your child has ADHD?
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of ADHD include: difficulty with sustaining attention on a task, frequent failure to follow through with and complete tasks, and problems with organizing. Kids with ADHD often appear to not be listening to people who speak directly to them. The hyperactivity may be displayed by excessive talking, frequent squirming or fidgeting, a difficult with waiting one’s turn, and low impulse control. Transitions can be difficult to adjust to.
There are other disorders that also include some of these symptoms. Kids who have an autism spectrum disorder also struggle with interactions with others. They can become overly excited or upset in high-stimulus environments, in ways that look like hyperactivity. Both kids with ADHD and with ASD can have difficulty with transitions.
Have you had your child’s hearing checked? Kids who have hearing impairments can have a hard time paying attention to their teachers because they cannot hear what the teacher is saying. It is possible that the reason why your child appears to not pay any attention to you when you speak directly to her is because she cannot hear you.
Some kids who have developmental delays that include intellectual delays may also appear to display symptoms of ADHD. These kids could be forgetful, and have trouble connecting consequences with actions. They may have difficulty with social skills, and trouble with their school work. Kids with intellectual delays may seem to be emotionally immature for their chronological age, just like many kids who have ADHD.
Perhaps your child’s symptoms are due to food allergies. As a chronically allergic person, I can tell you that it is really difficult to focus on tasks while a person is having an allergic reaction to something. Some allergies can make a child’s skin itchy, or the inside of their sinuses itchy, and that can make it hard to sit still. People who are suffering from allergies can be highly irritable, overly emotional, and have difficulty with waiting for something. Parents may want to have their child tested for allergies, just in case that is the problem, instead of ADHD.
Kids who have a sensory disorder could become overstimulated by their environment, and this could cause them to react in ways that mimic the symptoms of ADHD. These include: problems with concentration, difficulties with paying attention to the current task, a tendency to quickly go from one activity to another, and impulsive behavior.
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