Don’t miss the signs: ADHD manifests in various ways

A new school year is always challenging. The work becomes more taxing, extra-curricular activities seem to pile up and childrens’ diaries are sometimes more jam-packed than that of their parents. If your child’s 2015 report was a disappointing one, he or she will have an extra challenging year ahead.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be the cause of your child’s learning difficulties. How would you know if your child suffers from ADHD? Detecting this disorder may be easier than you think, once you know which tell-tale signs to look for.

Dr. Rykie Liebenberg is a psychiatrist and convenor of the ADHD South African Special Interest Group. She says it presents itself in various ways.
“Most people don’t know that boys and girls present in very different ways if they’re struggling with ADHD, and there is often misdiagnosis as a result,” explains Liebenberg. “Boys’ symptoms are distinctly outward, while girls struggling with the disorder, in contrast, have more inward symptoms.”

She says in a classroom boys with ADHD may have rambunctious, uncontrolled behaviour, such as physical aggression, throwing things, jumping and running around. They can also show emotional dysregulation, with outbursts. In contrast, girls with ADHD may be withdrawn, prone to daydreaming and even chronically fatigued. Liebenberg points out that it may be much easier to notice in a boy than in a girl.

“Undiagnosed girls with ADHD are often quite well behaved – they just struggle to focus and remember what they’re told,” she says.
One trait that can occur in both girls and boys, says Liebenberg, is hyperfocus. “A child struggling with undiagnosed ADHD will typically become fixated on one subject or item, to the exclusion of all their other schoolwork.”

Many sufferers do not receive the correct treatment, end up struggling with academics due to their decreased ability focus.

Although the classroom is a key environment in which to identify the signs, Liebenberg says that its symptoms presents themselves at home too. She advises parents who think that their child may suffer from ADHD to take a holistic approach. In finding the cause of their inattention, she advises parents to start by ruling out other factors that may be contributing towards the problem. “This might be a divorce, abuse or even an ill sibling.” If, however, conditions at home are comparatively normal, and the child is showing similar signs of ADHD at home – inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity – it’s best for the parents to visit a medical professional to seek a formal diagnosis.”

Once a child has been diagnosed with ADHD, a doctor may prescribe medication that will alleviate the symptoms. Examples include Ritalin and Concerta. Occupational and/or learning therapy may also assist in solving the problem.

With the right help, your child can reach his or her full potential, regardless of an ADHD diagnosis.

Also read: ADHD? Thrive anyway