Conditions
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
We all know there are times when kids can’t sit still or concentrate properly, but ADHD is a behavioural disorder that makes it hard for kids to focus on what they are doing, resist distraction or even control what they say. So if your child is restless, impulsive and generally hard to control, how do you know it’s ADHD and not just ordinary childhood behaviour?
Symptoms start to display early on, and there are three broad categories of ADHD. The first is hyperactivity. This means your child will be fidgety and talkative, run around when they shouldn’t and be unable to sit and play quietly. The second is inattention. This means your child will forget things, be unable to concentrate on tasks or finish them, not listen to instructions and make easily avoidable mistakes. Kids can display either or both of these symptoms, and may also experience a third category of problems, such as difficulty sleeping, mood swings, anxiety, being argumentative and feeling depressed.
The condition affects those parts of the brain that control the ability to concentrate. The NHS reports that between three and nine per cent of kids in the UK have the condition, and it’s four time more common in girls than boys.
The precise causes of ADHD aren’t known at the moment though certain factors, including smoking, drinking and drug-taking during pregnancy are thought to raise the risk. ADHD can also be hereditary, and certain food additives are linked to hyperactivity.
There is no single way to diagnose ADHD, so if your child shows this kind of behaviour in a range of situations (ie not just at home or at school) speak to their teacher. A doctor can then undertake an examination and prescribe medication, but just as important is properly-tailored emotional, social and educational support, and providing your child with a solid sense of structure throughout the day.
ADHD doesn’t affect your child’s intelligence, but it can make learning in a conventional setting difficult. For many kids, though not all, the symptoms grow less in adolescence and about half of affected children will grow out of the condition by adulthood. Nevertheless, having a child with ADHD can be a challenging experience for families, so it’s important to make sure both they and you get all the support available.
Comments and Questions
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
hi i have a son who is 8 he is a character he is a very well behaved child at school to the point where the teacher has said he is the best behaved child in the class. ... however when i get my son home he is a completely different person, he becomes aggressive, he lies, he cant sit still and constantly attacks his sister verbally and physically and myself verbally. i am a single parent who has a very good support system around me but i just cant seem to get to the bottom of his change of personality from school to home. just wondering if there is anyone out there with the same problem or anyone with advice (no matter how harsh)for me. it hurts because i feel like hes punishing me but i dont know what for, when he wants to be he is the most loving child and its trying to help him be this more....any help or suggestions would be great thanks
ADD or ADHD is not just a condition that affects children, I am a in my mid 30's and only found out I had the condition at the end of last year. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia whilst at school and luckily for me I was educated at a private boarding school at the time. That afforded me extra tuition and training at a young age to cope with the challenges I faced. My symptoms were mild. As a young adult I ended up working in sales which is a perfect place for an ADHDer with brains, However, I have suffered relationship problems, divorced at the age of 30 and then developed a cocaine addiction which lasted for some 18 months. I later discovered this was largely due to the fact I and lacking in dopamine receptors. The cocaine was a form of ignorant self medication. Since discovering the root cause of my issues I have been able to thrive at work and my family life, whilst still challenging for me and my fiancé is getting better as we both learn how to cope with the frustrations and impulsiveness that comes hand in hand with ADHD. I now have a young family of my own which has driven me to tackle the symptoms of ADHD head on. Once in control of it, I have found ways to leverage it to my advantage, In fact it is a very powerful tool, almost like a superpower... I am on for a record year with my sales numbers and have progressed into a management position and earned over £170K last year, For all of those who are where I was 3 years ago, please don't give up. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it is very bright indeed. Keep working at it!
My question is do I have ADHD the reason I asked this because my Dad has it, so does my uncle and tow of my cousins I aced a lot like them I get so angry sometimes I forget why I get angry and when people try to calm me down I get off of that I punch my dad kick out on teachers I`ve been expelled 5 time and send to a school with bad kids I am not a bad kid I just get really angry, playful and fidgety and I like to run around and be free I am aggressive towards siblings concentration he lacks, figdgets, on the 'buzz' most of the time when he gets up to the time sleeps, he eats plain foods, one of the schools called me obnoxious because I climbed up trees during school hours tried to pull me out, he cant read or spell had to call police a couple of times, smashed up the door inside easily starts arguments with others friendship peers have ceased except for 1! I attitude is low and direspectful all around, steels money if i can too and sleeps late cant sleep straight anaway
help my son is 3 1/2 and he wont sit still wont concentrate on anything for more than 3 mins at a time when i get down to his level to speak to him he wont make eye contact and just laughs in my face he keeps turning the lights on and off all the time playing with plugs which i tell him of for and have to turn all lights of in the main box in the cuboard hes at nursery at the school and his parents evening went well when i spoke to them about his behaviour they said he wont sit still in school for long either please help x
my 14 year old daughter is very hyperavtice for her age, she will randomly scream or shout things and if she is playing with her younger brothers, she gets over excited and gets a bit rough, sometimes laughing when they cry. if i tell her not to do something, she will do it more, the other day she said 'do you want me to throw this ball at your head' i replied no, yet she still threw it at me. she doesnt realise when she hurts people and is very disruptive at school, cant sit on her chair for long considering shes 14, she argues and is rude to teachers however is very confused when confronted because she didnt realise she was being rude. she has been put into the isolation room a few times, for refusing to do academic lessons.
hi my son has been seeing doctors since he was 3yrs old and is now almost 13 but not yet been diagnosed with anything. he has problems with behaviour and has been excluded from a few schools so now attends a school for naughty kids but isnt realy improveing, he still wets the bed and has very bad temper tantrums were he can become quite violent and abusive to people. he has a very low attention span and all i want to do is help get him sorted so he doesnt get in serius trouble can anyone please help me
You need to find a clinical psychologist or specialist paediatrician who specialises in autism spectrum disorders initially, this may give you some answers. autism is far more complex than some people know and is not just the typical 'rainman' type. I have a little boy similar to this who is on the autism spectrum and has ADHD, so good luck.
my son is 4yrs old and he don't listen when he is told to do and when you talk to him he can't stand still he fidgets constantly and is very hyper,jumping on my sofas and his bed plus I will do actives with him and he gets distracted very easier and us unable to finish the task at hand plus he can be very difficult to handle on a day to day basic do U think he could have ADHA?should I get him tested?plus his dad had it when he was a child
Hi my 6year old boy as ADHD he on 3 lots of pills but he keeps wetting himself and don't know he done it he won't talk at school so he wets himself there can any one help please
I am so worried about my 3 year old grandson. He does not speak, though a speach therapist has confirmed that there is nothing wrong with him. He gets very angry and wont listen or carry out simple tasks, and now when he is angry he bites himself or pretends to cut himself as though he has a knife in his hand. It's very worrying and my daughter is at her wits end, any help would be appreciated.
Hi my name is Zoe I am 15 so in the middle of my GCSE's. I have ADHD and wanted to know if there is anything that will help with it. I am on Concerta but i don't think it is doing much. PLEASE HELP ME
Hi Zoe I am 23 I have been trying to get diagnosed since I was 7 I have got ADHD been told now lol I have been on loads of medications the herbal ones are best try gluten free diet it's amazing ..... Hope it helps stick it out tho love will help you in the long run
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