ADHD may be one of the most talked-about medical conditions in recent years. But there’s an awful lot of confusion and misinformation about it.
The condition – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – is usually defined as a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that interferes with daily life. However, the symptoms can be incredibly broad and varied.
Around two million people in England are thought to have ADHD, around 520,000 of whom are children.
In recent years, social media has been awash with confusing information about the condition. One study, published last year, found that, of the 100 most viewed ADHD videos on TikTok, nearly half of the claims made were inaccurate.
These videos, which had been watched by nearly half a billion, often involved young influencers talking about their own ADHD symptoms and how the condition affected their lives.
In many cases, these influencers talked about symptoms that are not always linked to ADHD, potentially confusing young people – and their parents – about the actual nature of the condition, beyond the obvious symptoms such as inattention and hyperactivity.
As an ADHD researcher at the University of Nottingham who has the disorder myself, along with my two children, I know this confusion better than most.
Much of my work involves helping healthcare professionals, schools and parents identify ADHD children so that they can get the support they need.
Dr Blandine French is an ADHD researcher at the University of Nottingham. Her two children also have the learning disorder
And whenever I’m asked about ADHD symptoms in children, I always start with the same message: No two patients are the same. This isn’t like diagnosing chickenpox – you can’t spot the condition based on a defined list of easy-to-spot symptoms.
There is a huge variety of ways that ADHD can affect children. Often, symptoms can differ based on age or even gender (more on this in a bit).
However, it’s also true that parents should educate themselves on some of the more common signs.
All evidence shows that, the sooner ADHD is diagnosed, the better children perform in school – not to mention in life after education too.
This is because, once diagnosed, children can access prescription medicines that help them focus, or special measures at school, such as extra time, to ensure they keep up with other children.
Armed with this knowledge, parents can also adapt their behaviour to their children too. It is important to remember that ADHD is a combination of symptoms.
There is a huge variety of ways that ADHD can affect children, says Dr French. Often, symptoms can differ based on age or even gender
Most children will experience some of the symptoms and the difference between someone with or without ADHD relies on two things: Does your child experience more then one or two of these symptoms? And do these impair their daily life, whether that’s at school, home or with friends?
So with all that mind, here are five lesser-known signs that your child might have ADHD…
They forget things all the time
One of the most common issues we see in boys and girls with ADHD is forgetfulness.
This might mean they forget their homework or PE kit. Research show this is because children with ADHD tend to have issues with what is known as working memory – their ability to hold and use information in the moment.
Studies show that around three-quarters of children with the condition have significant impairments in working memory.
This can have a significant negative impact on their education – beyond simply remembering homework. ADHD children might forget they have a test to revise for or recent instructions that a teacher has given them.
Fascinating graphs show how ADHD prescriptions have risen over time, with the patient demographic shifting from children to adults with women in particular now driving the increase
Left undiagnosed, this can lead to teachers wrongly assuming that ADHD children have a bad attitude, rather than a learning difficulty.
The effects of this symptom can also often be seen at home, for example, having to tell their children ten times to put their shoes on in the morning before school.
They struggle to get a good night’s sleep
A large percentage of children with ADHD will experience difficulties sleeping. Often, this means they will have trouble falling asleep, will wake up frequently in the night, or be resistant about going to bed.
This can often lead to tantrums over going to sleep. One reason ADHD children have this issue is because their brains are over-stimulated before bed, meaning they don’t feel tired.
According to research, around half of children with ADHD have these sleeping problems. This can also have a knock-on effect on their behaviour during the day. When ADHD children are tired, their attention and hyperactive issues get worse.
They can be sensitive to light – or picky about food
Children with ADHD are often hypersensitive to sound, light, touch and taste. Those affected might struggle to handle bright lights or loud sounds. The effect of this might mean that they have meltdowns or begin to show signs of anxiety.
I often hear about children who have a strong dislike to the sensation of certain items of clothing, such as socks, or certain features like labels, seams or waistbands.
And this sensitivity can also display itself through picky eating – where children avoid certain foods or textures. Studies show that heightened sensitivity affects about half of children with ADHD.
Their emotions can get the better of them
Surprisingly strong emotions can be a common feature for children with ADHD. I often see children who are prone to big reactions – often over seemingly small things.
Children with ADHD are also more likely to be very emotional. This might mean that they feel everything very strongly, good and bad emotions.
It’s fairly normal for children with the condition to cry over things that, to their parents, might seem unimportant.
About half of children with the disorder show what clinicians call emotional dysregulation. And many also display signs of anxiety and depression from a young age.
Symptoms can look very different in boys and girls
Many parents don’t realise that ADHD often affects boys and girls differently.
Boys tend to be more hyperactive. This might mean they are constantly moving around or fidgeting.
In the case of my son, I always say that it felt like he could run before he could walk, because he was filled with so much energy from a young age.
Girls, meanwhile, are more likely to be inattentive. This might mean they are more prone to daydreaming in class. Their teachers might use phrases like ‘could do better’ or ‘head in the clouds’ to describe them during parent-teacher meetings.
And since most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity, rather than inattentiveness, this means that girls are often harder to diagnose.
In the UK, boys are around four times more likely to be diagnosed in childhood than girls, despite the fact that researchers believe both genders are equally likely to have ADHD.
… and what to do if you think your child might have ADHD
If you think your child has ADHD, getting a diagnosis through reliable healthcare providers is essential.
Unfortunately, ADHD services for the condition are currently swamped. Some children wait a year or longer for an initial consultation. This means that, increasingly, parents are turning to private clinics. This can often cost more than £1,200.
And while many of these clinics are run by experienced and trusted specialists, there are also some that do not follow the right processes.
Sometimes, this might be because they aren’t trained to prescribe ADHD medicines. These drugs, while safe, often affect children differently, meaning the dose might need to be adjusted or the medicine changed. NHS specialists are generally best-placed to do this.
So my advice would be to see an NHS specialist – even if the wait time is frustratingly long.
There are also a lot of things that parents can do while they wait for a diagnosis and NHS support. If parents suspect their child has ADHD they can educate themselves about the condition and how to manage it.
This might mean adapting their parenting style. For example, ADHD children require more patience, so parents may need to accept that they will have to ask their child to do a task more than once.
ADHD children also often need more encouragement than those without the condition – so, for parents, this might mean remembering to praise their child for completing a seemingly simple instruction, such as cleaning their room.
For more information about parenting a child with ADHD, I would recommend www.additudemag.com
