Common Signs of ADHD in Elementary Aged Children

Written by: Samantha Angulo

 

Many parents notice that their child sometimes struggles with focus, forgetfulness, or hyperactivity. With all the information available online, it can be hard to discern between normal “kid stuff” and ADHD. As a child therapist, I often hear from parents how confusing the internet can be, so how do you actually know if your child is showing signs of ADHD?

 

While every child feels energetic at times, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is diagnosed when certain patterns of behavior are persistent, occur in multiple settings, and significantly affect daily life. As therapists we use guidelines from the DSM-5-TR to determine whether a child may meet criteria for an ADHD diagnosis.

Symptoms can be divided into two main areas: inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. However, it’s important to note that ADHD looks different for each child. For this reason, it’s important to look past criteria at real life examples of what symptoms may look like. Below you will find the criteria for ADHD as well as some helpful guidelines to determine whether your child may be showing signs of inattention and/or hyperactivity.

 

Let’s start with inattention:

Children who struggle with inattention often have difficulty sustaining focus, staying organized, and completing tasks. This can present in several ways:

 

1. Frequently making careless mistakes or missing details. A child may rush through homework, overlook instructions or miss important details, even when they understand the material. A classic example is not filling out their name on their homework, or failing to notice an assignment had questions on both sides of the sheet.
2. Difficulty sustaining attention. A child may have a hard time staying focused, especially during tasks they consider boring. Due to this, completing homework may be a challenge, and teachers may report they need frequent redirection in class. There is one important thing to note: many children with ADHD will not struggle to sustain attention during tasks they find fun and engaging. This means that they may focus for long periods of time on games or TV with little or no difficulty.
3. Appearing like they are not listening when spoken to directly. Parents often describe needing to repeat instructions multiple times, even when their child appears to be paying attention. It’s the classic case of information going into one ear and out the other all the time.
4. Difficulty following through on instructions. Parents often report their child is easily sidetracked. For example, a parent might ask a child to clean their room, and the child may begin the task but quickly become distracted by toys, or other activities, leaving the original task unfinished.
5. Organization can also be challenging. Backpacks may be full of loose papers, assignments may be forgotten, and multi-step tasks like preparing for school in the morning can feel overwhelming. Due to this, parents often report difficulties with completing daily routines.
6. Avoidance of tasks that require sustained mental effort, such as homework, assignments, or longer projects. This may lead to procrastination or frustration, doing homework time extra challenging.
7. Frequently loses things. Parents may notice their child is always leaving things behind such as jackets, homework folders, lunch boxes, or school supplies.
8. Easily distracted. You may notice a child frequently jumps from topic to topic, or activity to activity, without completing any one fully. A child may require frequent redirection as well.
9. Forgetful in daily routines, such as forgetting to bring home assignments, turn in completed work, or complete simple tasks like brushing their teeth or packing their backpack.

Now that you know what inattention looks like,

let’s talk signs of Hyperactivity and Impulsivity:

Some children with ADHD show more outward energy and disruptive behaviors, with many commonly struggling with emotion regulation. Here are some ways this can show up:

1. Frequent fidgeting or squirming. A child may constantly tap their hands or feet, wiggle in their chair, or have difficulty sitting still.
2. Struggling to remain seated when expected, such as during class, dinner, or homework time. Teachers may report that the child frequently gets up from their desk.
3. Excessive running or climbing in situations where it may not be appropriate, such as climbing on furniture or moving constantly during calm activities.
4. Difficulty playing quietly. Parents often report their child may quickly turn quiet activities into loud or very active play. They may also struggle to use their indoor voice generally.
5. Always being on the go or “driven by a motor.” Just like an energizer bunny, these children often appear to have endless energy and may move quickly from one activity to another.
6. Talking excessively or blurting out answers. This often shows up as children answering questions without raising their hand, or waiting to be called on, at school, as well as attempting to answer before a question has been fully asked.
7. Difficulty waiting their turn, such as during games, classroom activities, or while standing in line. Children may display disruptive behaviors when waiting or accidentally skip other’s turns during games as a result.
8. Interrupting or intruding on others. Most commonly seen as interrupting conversations. Parents often describe children intruding onto adult conversations and always needing to say their part. Kids might also grab toys from others, or join in activities without asking.

A Final Note for Parents

If you recognize several of these behaviors in your child, it does not automatically mean they have ADHD. Difficulties with attention and behavior can also be related to stress, life transitions, sleep challenges, or normal developmental stages among other things.
However, if these patterns are persistent and impacting your child’s school performance, daily routines, or relationships, it may be helpful to speak with a mental health professional. Early support can help children build skills for organization, and self-regulation while also strengthening their confidence and success at school and at home.

If your child needs support navigating ADHD related difficulties, or you need support as a parent attempting to navigate these challenges with them, feel free to reach out to schedule an appointment or schedule a free 15 minute consultation call today.