ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is something that many parents have at least a vague awareness of. How can a parent tell between typical preschooler behaviors and symptoms of ADHD in a child so young? There are a few tips that can help parents to tell one from the other.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of ADHD must appear before the child is seven years old in order for that child to be diagnosed with the disorder. That means that an attentive parent, who has reason to think that her child could have ADHD, needs to be very aware of those symptoms while the child is still very young.
Today, many parents are aware of at least some of the symptoms of ADHD. They realize that it includes things like being impulsive, having difficulty focusing or paying attention to something, problems with sitting still, and a high amount of energy. Little kids tend to exhibit these behaviors whether or not they have ADHD.
Toddlers, for example, often need to be told something more than once before the child will comply. Is that a typical, age-related, behavior, or is it ADHD? How can a parent distinguish one from the other?
The Mayo Clinic suggests that parents who are concerned that their child has ADHD should speak with their pediatrician. Your child’s doctor can preform a medical evaluation to see if the behavioral symptoms are caused by something other than ADHD. The Mayo Clinic also notes that it is normal for 3 year olds to have problems with sitting and listening to a story from start to finish.
An article in Health News Daily has some other tips about discerning between ADHD and typical pre-schooler behavior. Does your 3 year old constantly climb things, even after being told not to do so?
Does she exhibit continuous movement, (such as squirming, tapping feet, and a frequent need to get up and move around)? Has your child run or moved so fast that it resulted in a serious injury, and has that injury not been a deterrent for your child when it comes to repeating the behavior?
Signs of ADHD in 4 year olds could include an inability to peacefully play with others. This can include a show of aggression from your child, that results in a need to remove him from the situation. Is your child often louder and noisier than the other kids? Is your child unable to stick with one activity for more than a minute or two? If so, then tell your pediatrician about what you are seeing. He or she can guide you from there.
Image by David Woo on Flickr