ADHD is a neurobiological condition that affects the brain's ability to focus and pay attention to details. Though often very pronounced in children, ADHD symptoms are more subtle in teenagers. ADHD can affect your teenager's self-esteem, her family relationships, her friendships and her emotional well-being. Though not curable, ADHD is manageable. If your child shows symptoms of ADHD, don't hesitate to have her evaluated by a medical professional.
Short Attention Span
According to KidsHealth, teenagers with ADHD often have a markedly short attention span. Your child may have difficulty listening you and to his teachers. He may have trouble following directions, and may find it very hard to stay on task. He may lack follow-through and shun detailed or tedious work, which may earn him the label of "lazy" or "uncaring." It's not uncommon for most teenagers to fail to pay attention or to be uninterested in hard or boring work at times. In teenagers with ADHD, however, the inability to focus is the rule rather than the exception, and it affects their lives detrimentally.
Irresponsibility
In teens with ADHD, forgetfulness, inattentiveness and a lack of follow-through often translate to others as irresponsibility. Your child may seem undependable and "flighty." She may repeatedly let down and frustrate those around her. Some degree of irresponsibility is expected during the teenage years, and some teenagers choose not to follow instructions out of rebellion or apathy. Teens with ADHD, however, often try to be dependable and responsible, yet repeatedly fail.
Impulsivity
KidsHealth notes that a teenager with ADHD may have a tendency to be impulsive. He may have difficulty waiting his turn. He may blurt out statements without thinking, interrupt others, and say things that other people find odd or disruptive. He may also do imprudent or even dangerous things on a whim, and may not be able to explain his reasons after the fact.
Disorganization
Many teenagers are messy. In adolescents with ADHD, however, messiness and disorganization are chronic, and possibly debilitating. Your child may repeatedly lose important items, miss important deadlines and forget important school assignments. You may be impressed with the way she cleans her room one day, only to find it as messy or worse a week later.
Poor Grades
According to Kathleen G. Nadeau Ph.D., writing for ADDvance, bright teenagers with ADHD may have done well in school as children, when they were less self-aware and more emotionally secure. In the teen years, however, new responsibilities, harder schoolwork, and more demanding teachers can overwhelm a teenager with ADHD. You may see your child's grades drop, in spite of his intelligence and previous willingness to learn.
Emotional Problems
Repeatedly failing to meet the expectations of teachers and parents--and being repeatedly misunderstood by them; persistent feelings of inadequacy; social awkwardness due to the realization that they are somehow "different' and less capable than their peers; and continuous fear of failure can lead to depression and anxiety in teenagers with ADHD. They may become apathetic about friendships, home responsibilities and schoolwork. Or, they may seem driven and busy, but accomplish little.
