Symptoms of ADHD in children
ADHD disorder can manifest itself in three areas: attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Attention disorders make the child:
- easily distracted,
- experience problems with performing difficult, long and monotonous tasks, and often do not finish them,
- experience difficulty in focusing on one thing,
- commit errors due to being distracted,
- experience difficulty in organizing the day,
- experience problems with discipline and performing all daily tasks,
- forget about certain tasks,
- lose things.
Hyperactivity is connected with:
- problems with sitting still, i.e. during classes (the child keeps squirming, jumping etc.),
- remaining in constant motion – running, sliding, swinging, squeezing through, and the like,
- problems with engaging in motor skill games, refraining from games that require attention, such as pick-up sticks and checkers.
- fast, sometimes slurred speech.
Impulsiveness is related with:
- problems with waiting one’s turn,
- interrupting someone’s speech,
Symptoms of ADHD in adults
In adults, the disorders are manifested quite differently compared to younger persons. Some symptoms cease to be while others might become even more burdensome. Adults with ADHD have problems with achieving their set goals and maintaining employment. Furthermore, they also have problems with organizing their time and performing difficult, often arduous tasks. In private life, they tend to spoil relations that are important to them. Furthermore, they ought to be careful not to fall into addictions.
The most common symptoms of ADHD in adults include:
- chronic lateness and forgetting,
- anxiety,
- low self-esteem,
- problems at work,
- problems with controlling anger,
- impulsive behavior,
- tendency to fall into addictions,
- trouble with organization,
- procrastination,
- getting irritated fast,
- problems with concentration, e.g. when reading,
- mood swings,
- depression,
- problems maintaining relationships with other people.
It is worth remembering that despite such obstacles many people with ADHD disorder are able to lead a happy family and professional life. Diagnosing the disorder and implementing therapy is helpful in overcoming the dysfunctions. It is also important not to focus solely on one’s own demerits, but rather on developing one’s strengths.