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ADHD Symptoms in Kids
Your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, but what does that exactly mean? Are you confused about what the symptoms are and how they may present in your child? At Dandelion Family Counseling, we specialize in ADHD diagnoses and help you understand how to help your child. Learn more about the types of ADHD here.
Now that you know the details behind diagnosing ADHD, let’s look at what that might really mean for your child. Here are the lesser known details about ADHD.
Signs of ADHD in Kids
➤ Higher levels of anxiety:
Ever wonder what it is like to always do the wrong thing, no matter how hard you try? And even worse be told you aren’t even trying when you really truly are? That is what living with ADHD can be like. Many with ADHD experience high levels of anxiety as they begin to overthink every action in the hopes of making a decision that doesn’t get them in trouble.
➤ Overthinking everything:
Just like mentioned above, when a person with ADHD has anxiety, they often begin ruminating and overthinking their decisions in the hopes of paying better attention, remembering details, and making positive choices. This can be an exhausting process as those with ADHD have many things working against them. Let’s learn about them below.
➤ Poor Executive Functioning:
The ability to follow directions, focus, handle emotions and feelings are all executive functions. Kids with ADHD struggle significantly in this area- they have trouble problem solving, making decisions, planning ahead and often procrastinate excessively.
➤ Difficulty with transitions:
The above struggles with executive functioning also cause struggles with transitions! Executive functioning is required for flexible thinking and kids with ADHD often need more support to move from activity to activity without exploding in frustration. Simple parenting techniques rarely help in this area.
➤ Excessive imagination:
Kids with ADHD-inattentive or combined type often have a hyper-imagination. This means they are often distracted by their own thoughts. Imagine having a mind that gets excited by every little detail! They create pictures in their minds that are incredibly complex and inter-connected. Michelle, our owner, calls this ‘popcorn brain’ meaning ADHD brains jump from topic to topic as they imagine what you are trying to discuss.
➤ Being distracted:
All of that imagination sure is distracting! Those with ADHD are hyper-sensitive to their environment. In fact, they often absorb 3 times more information than a person without ADHD- meaning they are constantly overstimulated by their environment! This is a non-stop and exhausting process that all with ADHD experience. No wonder they are always distracted.
➤ Forgetfulness:
Due to the above distraction they are often always forgetful as well. As mentioned in the segment on Executive Functioning- kids with ADHD really struggle with the ability to plan and organize their thoughts and plans. This is a non-stop challenge for those with ADHD.
➤ Inability to manage screen time:
Those with ADHD struggle excessively with impulse control. This in particular means they struggle with managing screen time. If your child with ADHD is always on their phone or video games, it is important to remember that they do require parent intervention to be successful in managing anything related to impulse control.
➤ Decreased social-emotional age:
Those with ADHD are often recognized as being 2-3 years developmentally delayed in regards to social emotional skills. This means a 10 year old child may act more like a 7-8 year old in regards to both social and emotional awareness! And when upset, this gap can expand even more!
➤ Higher probability towards depression:
All that anxiety and overthinking mentioned above means that kids with ADHD are also prone to higher levels of depression. If you non-stop are getting in trouble then it makes complete sense that eventually you will become saddened by the process of never being good enough. This sadness ultimately becomes depression as it all progresses.
➤ Lower self-esteem:
When we think of depression we definitely think of low self-esteem. As mentioned above, when someone with ADHD is constantly doing the wrong thing, and getting in trouble over and over, self-esteem will be impacted. Kids with ADHD often have low self-esteem. Our team sees kids as young as 4 already being impacted in this area.
➤ Higher probability of getting in trouble:
Kids with ADHD tend to be in trouble non-stop. Whether they have forgotten to do something, are being impulsive, running too quickly or talking back- kids with ADHD tend to be in trouble way more often that kids without ADHD. This really begins to add up and impacts both self-esteem and anxiety. In fact, they often question why they can’t be good enough or make good decisions. It can be exhausting trying to behave when you also have ADHD.
➤ Feeling stupid, not good enough, worthless:
I think you would probably feel pretty stupid or worthless if all the above were true for you. This is the reality for kids with ADHD. Feeling not good enough is a common thread for kids with ADHD because let’s face it, kids with ADHD are in trouble way more often than any of their peers.
➤ Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD):
This is the adrenaline reaction to feeling not good enough. RSD is the reactive behavior due to both the social and emotional challenges that come along with ADHD> Emotionally- it is the feeling of, or the reality of, not being good enough. Socially- it is the experience of, or the perception of, being unwanted or socially inept. For many kids with ADHD- RSD turns into an anger reaction, and is often explosive.
➤ Acting disrespectful or lazy:
The above mentioned anger reaction is often described by parents as being disrespectful and rude. But, it can also be a cause of laziness. Think of it from two directions. If RSD responds in a way that makes a child angry- they are quite literally reacting in a way of ‘protecting’ themselves. They feel so worthless that they are simply trying to defend themselves. But, as with any adrenaline response, sometimes it results in the collapse mode which is where the perceived laziness can be viewed.
➤ After school restraint collapse response:
Another way ADHD can impact a child is through their absolute exhaustion at the end of the day (typically school day) due to holding it together all day. They work so hard to manage their poor executive functioning, lower impulse control, excessive talking etc that by the end of the day they are just done. They act fantastic at school- almost like a model student at times, and by the end, in the safety of their own homes they let it all out. They become overly emotional, easily upset, pick fights, whine, blame others and it is often occurs immediately upon arriving at home.
➤ Perfectionism and Hyper-focusing:
After all of this, it is no wonder many with ADHD also experience either perfectionism or hyper-focusing tendencies. When they finally find something they are good at, they invest everything into that area. That means that they put all their energy into one topic (hyper-focusing) often forgetting that other things (or people) exist. These areas are exhausting, but are recognized as coping skills that compensate for the low self-esteem and poor executive functioning mentioned before.
ADHD Symptoms in Children
So there you have it- a good portion of the ways that a child with ADHD is impacted by their diagnosis. But truthfully- it is not all the ways that they are affected. It may feel like a lot, but trust us in knowing that ADHD can be a superpower once a child learns to harness all these potentially overwhelming symptoms. And yes, parenting an ADHD child is exhausting for all the reasons mentioned above as well.If your child is diagnosed with ADHD or you suspect a diagnosis, remember that all of these are also symptoms of ADHD. ADHD is way more complex than just the diagnosis! We are here to help. Just reach out!