Important Things to Know and Consider About ADHD

Finding out that your child has ADHD can be quite distressing. There are a lot of things that you need to know if your child has ADHD, and it can be overwhelming to take in all of the information at first.

Ultimately, you just want to do right by your child, and that starts with understanding their condition.

If you have found out that your child has ADHD, take a deep breath and don’t panic.

This is a condition that can be manageable with the right knowledge, understanding and professional help.

With that in mind, here are a few vital things to know and consider about ADHD.

What It Is

First, what is ADHD? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Having the condition often means that a child has a hard time behaving like other children – their attention may wander more than most, they may struggle to sit still and pay attention to orders and sometimes they may display impulsive behavior.

It can sometimes mean that a child struggles in school, and it can also sometimes result in arguments and confrontations at home and with school friends. 

The Symptoms

There are a number of different ADHD symptoms that you need to be aware of, and they are generally separated into two separate groups – inattentive and hyperactive behaviors.

You may expect your child with ADHD to display some of the following symptoms:

• Gets distracted easily
• Has a hard time following directions
• Disorganized
• Appears to not be paying attention when you speak to them one on one
• Doesn’t like making consistent effort
• Running and climbing to an extreme level
• Trouble keeping still
• Impatience
• Excessively loud play
• Talks or interrupts a lot 

As with any condition, your child may not display all of these symptoms and may just show a few. It’s a good idea to keep an eye out for these symptoms though.

It’s Something Rooted In A Child’s Brain

While some of the behaviors exhibited in children with ADHD are quite frustrating, don’t blame your child – it’s not something that they can control.

ADHD is a disorder that affects the brain, so telling them to pay attention more or other phrases like that isn’t going to help them. Their brains work differently to other children.

Likewise, it’s a condition that you’re more likely to inherit if you or the child’s other parent also has ADHD.

Since it is a condition that affects the brain, there are particular ways that it needs to be managed.

Your Child May Struggle With Things Like School and Making Relationships

We listed some of the symptoms of ADHD earlier. From reading them, you may be unsurprised to learn that many children with ADHD can have a hard time with their relationships and with school work.

They may struggle to concentrate in school or may have a hard time staying organized. Things like homework may end up going missing or they may have a hard time articulating their thoughts.

Some children with ADHD may also struggle with other learning challenges, such as dyslexia.

Because some children with ADHD have a hard time with their emotions and may struggle with impulsivity, this can make their relationships a little more challenging.

They may have a hard time following rules in social situations or in school, and all of these things can make a lot of aspects of life quite difficult for your child.

You may even find that your child’s home relationships are a little strained too and require a little more effort.

There Are Treatments Available

ADHD is a difficult diagnosis to manage, but rest assured, there are things that you can do to help your child to manage their symptoms.

ADHD is not a condition that can be completely eradicated, but it can be worked on in a number of ways.

Medication is the obvious pathway for management in many cases, and it’s an effective way of managing ADHD symptoms.

Stimulant medications are the ones that you will most often see suggested, such as Adderall or Ritalin. 

Alternatively there is also behavior therapy that teaches your child to manage their symptoms without medication.

Your child’s therapist will work on things like social skills and ways for your child to cope with the more disruptive behaviors.

Educating yourself is one of the best things for ADHD though. If you are well informed about ADHD then you will have a much easier time helping your child to manage their diagnosis.

Conclusion

Having a child with ADHD can be a challenge, but parenting in general is challenging!

Now that you know a little more about ADHD, you are more equipped to manage the challenges and help your child to live a rich and fulfilling life in spite of their diagnosis.