I know how easy it is to search the internet for a diagnosis like ADHD. It’s a common reason for parents to make contact. In this blog, we will answer some common questions about ADHD.
What is ADHD?
ADHD means attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a condition that makes it unusually difficult for children to concentrate, pay attention, sit still, follow directions, and control impulsive behaviour.
While all young children are sometimes distractible, restless, and oblivious to parents’ and teachers’ instructions, children with ADHD behave this way much more often than other children their age. And their inability to settle down, focus, and follow through on tasks in age-appropriate ways makes it very hard for them to do what’s expected of them at school and can lead to many arguments at home.
What are the symptoms of ADHD?
Symptoms of ADHD are divided into two groups: inattentive behaviours and hyperactive and impulsive behaviours.
Inattentive symptoms of ADHD:
- Makes careless mistakes
- Is easily distracted
- They don’t seem to be listening when spoken to directly
- They have difficulty following instructions
- Has trouble organising
- Avoids or dislikes sustained effort
- Is forgetful, constantly losing things
Hyperactive or impulsive symptoms of ADHD:
- Fidgeting or squirming, difficulty staying in one place or waiting his turn
- Excessive running and climbing
- Trouble playing quietly
- Extreme impatience
- He always seems to be “on the go.”
- Interrupting, blurting out answers
- Can’t sleep or get off to sleep for hours
Some children exhibit only the first group of ADHD symptoms, and some exhibit only the latter. But most of those with an ADHD diagnosis have a combination of both.
They may have difficulties with executive functioning skills:
- Planning
- Organising time and materials
- Making decisions
- Shifting from one situation to another
- Controlling emotions
- Learning from past mistakes
Many children with ADHD have deficits in some executive functions, though not all children with executive function issues have ADHD. Remember to recognise that all children are developing their executive functioning skills. It is essential to understand that children with learning difficulties such as dyslexia or memory and processing difficulties can present similar problems. In addition, children with attachment difficulties can behave similarly to what would be classified as ADHD.
When would ADHD be diagnosed?
Is abnormal for their developmental age? (Make sure you understand normal childhood development)
- Only if it is in two settings, such as school and home
- The symptoms are present for an extended period
Who would do this?
- Paediatricians
- ADHD Nurses
- Psychiatrists
In Bristol, the pathway is generally through a Paediatrician in the first instance. They need to take an entire developmental and family history, send out Conner’s questionnaires to home and school, and may even complete a school observation. When conducting assessments at CAMHS, they look to see if the school’s scores are similar to the parents.
Treatment
We have Nice guidelines that are here to recommend treatment pathways to deliver them. The Incredible Years and similar parenting programmes are typically the initial option presented. My colleagues and I in the NHS are typically equipped to administer such programmes. Then medication may be considered; click on the link for further advice from NICE at https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg72, and the other reference for this post is
