Behavioral indicators for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, vary from child to child and may be harder to identify in some children. According to the Help Guide website, ADHD usually begins to appear before the age of seven and must occur across two situations, such as school and home, in order to be diagnosed.
Fidgets or Squirms
Children with ADHD may be seen constantly fidgeting or squirming. They may constantly tap a foot on the ground or drum their fingers across the desk. These children may be constantly playing with something in their hands, like a pencil.
Talks Excessively
According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, one of the indicators of ADHD is excessive talking. It will seem as though the child talks nonstop and never experiences a moment of silence.
Interrupts Others
Often teachers, parents and other children will be interrupted by children with ADHD. The Help Guide notes that these children have trouble controlling their impulsive behaviors. Therefore, when they want to say something they will do it, without regard for the fact that someone else is currently talking or others are already engaged in a conversation.
Blurts Out Answers
This behavior usually occurs in the classroom where children are expected to wait their turn when providing answers to questions. The Mayo Clinic notes that an indicator of ADHD is the need to share an answer right away, even if the child has not been call on or even if someone else is already answering.
Lacks Attention
Many times children with ADHD will be found daydreaming, not paying attention to what is going on around them. Children with ADHD can have trouble paying attention to a singular task for more than a brief period of time. These children may be found engaging in multiple tasks over a very short time frame without completing any of them. Inattention may lead to more accidents. They may bump into things or trip as they attend to everything going on around them.
Cannot Sit Still
Children with ADHD may be unable to sit still. They may often be seen running around or climbing trees at times that may be deemed inappropriate for that type of behavior, notes the Help Guide.
Loses Things
Often children with ADHD will lose or misplace homework assignments, affecting their academic performance. Also, they tend to lose and misplace a variety of other things and are often on the hunt to find something they misplaced.
Easily Distracted
ADHD can cause a child to become easily distracted even by the slightest things. He may have to sit up front in the classroom in order to help keep possible distractions at bay. A child like this will only be able to concentrate in calm and quiet environments.
Makes Careless Mistakes
Children with ADHD may lack attention to detail, notes the Mayo Clinic. They may tend to not hear directions correctly or only hear part of the directions. These children may constantly turn in homework assignments riddled with minor mistakes and errors that could have been reduced if the directions had been followed.
