The National Institute of Mental Health states that ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common childhood disorders, and is one that can continue through childhood and into adulthood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds that this disorder tends to affect more boys than girls. Doctors categorize ADHD by subtypes based on the most pronounced symptoms: hyperactivity, impulsivity and an inability to focus. Children may fall into one or more of these subtypes upon diagnosis.
Inability to Focus
The National Institute of Mental Health points out that most children receive their diagnosis between the ages of three and six. These are the ages when parents begin to notice their child has difficulty following rules or sitting still.
A child whose ADHD is characterized by an inability to focus finds it difficult to focus when too many things are happening around him. If his mother is attempting to do a craft with him, she may notice him constantly looking around. Yet when she attempts to perform the same activity later in a quiet environment, she may find she has greater success.
HelpGuide.org explains that a child with this disorder also appears not to hear when he is being spoken to if suffering from inattention. Children may also have problems remembering and following simple instructions. At the age of three, a parent may begin to assign small chores to a child, such as picking up toys or feeding the dog. Yet the child may do one thing and forget the other if the instructions are given simultaneously. Parents may also find that the child is constantly misplacing his toys, even if they are his favorite.
Being Impulsive
A three-year old child may not always have a lot of tact or display many manners; this is what makes it difficult for parents to recognize the signs of ADHD. In many cases though, children being taught these lessons will eventually learn them. If they don't, that may indicate a problem with ADHD. For example, a child displaying symptoms of impulsivity generally shows no tact. She will blurt out whatever is on her mind. If an obese friend or family member comes to visit, the child may make a rude or hurtful comment about the visitor's weight, without thought to the consequences that follow, as the National Institute of Mental Health explains.
It is also common for an ADHD child with symptoms of impulsivity to be very impatient. When taken to the park or playground, it is common for her to not want to wait her turn for the swings or the slide. Instead she will go to the head of the line or push another child out of the way so she can go first. Again, this is without giving thought to any consequences that follow.
When playing outside she may run toward the road to retrieve her lost ball even if there is oncoming traffic. She may climb the highest tree no matter how many times she has been told not to do so. And as HelpGuide.org points out, she tends to overreact emotionally, whether it be lashing out in anger or crying uncontrollably.
Hyperactivity
As HelpGuide.org explains, hyperactivity is the most common sign of ADHD. Children with this symptom are constantly on the move and talk as fast as their legs move. Getting them to sit still, whether it be for dinner or a story at bedtime, can be a struggle for the parents. Times when parents can get him to sit, he is usually still moving a part of his body, such as bouncing his leg or tapping his fingers, according to HelpGuide.org. When he is playing, he tends to play with more than one thing at once and moves from one item to another rapidly.
