How to Support Your Child With ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects behaviour and concentration. Children with ADHD can often seem unusually restless, impulsive, or distracted. There are also lots of positive attribute associated with ADHD, such as energy and enthusiasm, a keen sense of right and wrong, creativity, and hyper-focus.

Common behaviours seen in children with ADHD

Every child is unique, so they can behave in very different ways. However, there are several common behaviours many children with ADHD show. These include:

• Inattention: short attention span, appearing forgetful, appearing not to listen, difficulty organising tasks.
• Impulsivity: acting without thinking, interrupting conversations, being unable to wait their turn, little or no sense of danger
• Hyperactivity: constantly fidgeting, excessive physical movement, unable to sit still, excessive talking

Children are often diagnosed when they are between 3 and 7 years old, and boys are more commonly diagnosed than girls. Girls can have ADHD too, but can often show different behaviours to boys.

4 myths about ADHD

There are some common myths surrounding ADHD which cause confusion and may make it harder for children to get the support they need.

Myth 1: ‘Bad parenting’ causes ADHD

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition and not the result of something parents did or didn’t do. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, you may be offered a parenting course to develop the skills and strategies to best support your child but this does not mean you have done something wrong.

Myth 2: People with ADHD are lazy
ADHD isn’t a problem of motivation. Kids with ADHD are often trying as hard as they can to pay attention. Extra time for them to process what you’ve said using clear, simple instructions can help. While children with ADHD can face challenges, it’s important to celebrate the positives ADHD brings, too. Many parents talk to their child about having “superpowers”.