We all know young children have short attention spans. But if his/her attention span is unusually short-spanned for his/her age, that warrants some concern. Or an older child who is not able to stay put in his/her chair and behaves more like a toddler wandering around the classroom.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficits Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a neurological and/or mental disorder associated with the inability to focus or concentration on regular daily tasks. ADHD or ADD is usually diagnosed in childhood.

A diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) means your child has a hard time focusing WITHOUT being hyperactive. But, in general, ADHD and ADD are used interchangeably.

ADHD in children can affect learning, self-esteem, and social skills. It is important to get proper diagnosis and treatment early.

Diagnosis of ADHD is usually based on behaviors observed by parents, teachers, and care providers. And the child is usually evaluated by an experienced child psychiatrist.

Do you know someone who is forgetful, get distracted easily, talks very fast and a lot?

We all know someone who we think have ADHD because of certain behaviors.

I once had a coworker who talks very fast. When I first met him, I swear  to God, I couldn’t understand a word coming out of his mouth. I drew a total blank trying to figure out what language he was speaking because I could not understand a word coming out of his mouth. He literally talked like Twitchy on Hoodwinked.

And one time, my boss asked me to give him a ride to the dealership to pick up his car. I swear to God, I barely uttered a syllable during the whole 30 minutes car ride. He talked non-stop at 1,000 miles per hour about something, which I probably don’t care.

According to the DSM-5 criteria for ADHD diagnosis, your symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity, and impulsivity have to be persistent and interfere with daily functioning or development in children.

To be considered inattentive, you have to have at least six or more symptoms of inattention for children up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults for at least 6 months and these symptoms have to interfere with your life or inappropriate for your age.

• Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.
• Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities.
• Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
• Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses focus, side-tracked).
• Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.
• Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
• Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).
• Is often easily distracted
• Is often forgetful in daily activities.

To be considered hyperactive and/or impulsive, you have to have at least six or more symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity for children up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults for at least 6 months and these symptoms have to interfere with your life or inappropriate for your age.

• Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.
• Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected.
• Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may be limited to feeling restless).
• Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.
• Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor”.
• Often talks excessively.
• Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed.
• Often has trouble waiting his/her turn.
• Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

How many of the above symptoms of ADHD does your child have?

Wait…this post is meant for educational purposes only, not for you to self-diagnose.

Besides, there are still other criteria to meet and testings.

So if you have a few of the above symptoms of ADHD and these symptoms have persisted for 6 months or more, and they’re affecting your social life, work function, or school, talk to your primary care physician for a proper diagnosis.

We all can find a few of these behaviors in ourselves at some point in time, such as not getting enough sleep will cause you to make more mistakes during the day, life stress can also result in more inattentive behaviors, etc.

Ok, there you have it…

I hope you find this information helpful. Let me know what you think and comment below. 

Remember ADHD does not doom your child to a life of under-achievement. You know your child is bright, full of potential, and deserves the best. In fact, many of the world’s greatest discoveries and inventions were made by people with ADHD.

I helped my crazy wild child who couldn’t read or write when she was little overcome her learning difficulties, and become a merit scholarship student majoring in premed at Loyola Chicago University.

So don’t give up, everything is possible. 

If you’re just starting out on this natural ADHD treatment journey and still in the research phase, check out my new book Eat to Focus.

Inside this book, you’ll learn why your ADHD child is always hungry, why he or she seems addicted to milk and bread, the reason why most ADHD treatments do not work, and the exact four strategies I’ve used for my daughter to help her calm down to focus and finally learn normally. 

Don’t forget to download your free gift 15 Quick & Simple ADHD-Friendly Breakfast Ideas before you leave. It’s my gift from one parent to another. 

God bless!