Often parents question whether their preschool-aged child has ADHD. Parents frequently describe their kids as “bouncing off the walls.” It can be difficult to determine if this is typical kid behavior or if this is cause for further investigation. A helpful strategy is to compare your child’s behavior to other same-age children. If there is a large difference between their behaviors, evaluation may be warranted. Below is a list of symptoms that may appear in a preschool-aged child with ADHD.
- Restlessness
- Running, climbing, and jumping on everything
- Constantly on the go
- Talk nonstop
- Unable to concentrate or listen for long
- Struggle with settling down, taking naps, or sitting for meals
Typically, young children are easily distracted and hyperactive. For preschoolers, the impulsive behaviors are what stand out. It is important to remember that these symptoms need to be consistent across environments. This means that your child is exhibiting the same behaviors at home, at school, and in public. If you are seeing consistent ADHD symptoms across environments then it is likely that your child has ADHD.
Complete Diagnostic criteria for ADHD in children are as follows:
Inattentive | Hyperactive/Impulsive |
|
|
Use the lists above to help you determine if ADHD may be a possibility for your preschool aged your child. Here at Dandelion Family Counseling we provide classroom observations and treatment strategies to assist with addressing ADHD symptoms. If you have more questions or would like more information on determining if your child has ADHD, contact us today!