If your child is struggling in school, it's time to start looking for the cause. If you, or someone else in the family, suffer from ADHD, it's a good idea to have your child evaluated for the same disorder. You might not realize this, but ADHD does run in families. Luckily, once it's diagnosed, treatment is available that will help your child overcome the disorder, and excel in school. Here are four signs you should be aware of. If your child exhibits any of these signs, you should have them evaluated for ADHD as soon as possible.
Starts Several Tasks at Once
If you've noticed that your child seems to move on to another task before the first one is completed, they may be dealing with ADHD. This disorder can make it difficult for children to complete one task before moving on to others. If this is occurring with your child, you may notice that they have multiple unfinished tasks that never seem to make it through to completion.
Has Difficulty with Sustained Concentration
If you've noticed that your child has difficulty with sustained concentration, even when involved in fun activities, you may be looking at ADHD. Children with ADHD often have a hard time concentrating on one activity for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately, that can make even fun activities difficult to enjoy. For instance, your child may find it difficult to focus on an entire movie, or may leave the table halfway through a family board game. If this seems familiar, you should talk to your child's pediatrician about an ADHD evaluation.
Is Easily Distracted During Required Tasks
If you've noticed that your child is easily distracted during required tasks, the cause may be linked to ADHD. One of the difficulties involved with ADHD is that it's almost impossible for children to focus on the task at hand when there are distractions around. For instance, if your child's desk at school is located next to a window, they may spend a good portion of the day watching the activities that are going on outside. If this is the case, it's time to have your child evaluated for ADHD.
Has Homework that is Dotted with Simple Mistakes
If you've noticed that your child has homework that is dotted with simple mistakes, they may be struggling with ADHD. Because this disorder makes it difficult for children to concentrate, simple homework mistakes can become common place. Talk to your child's teacher about the mistakes you're noticing, and then schedule an appointment for an ADHD evaluation.
For more information, reach out to companies like Associated Psychologists & Counselors.
Share22 June 2018
I suffered depression for much of my life, and I lived with it for years before seeking help. I visited a psychiatrist and received an antidepressant prescription along with a referral to a counselor. I filled my prescription, but I put off making an appointment with the counselor. The medication began to help, so I decided that I didn't need to see a counselor after all -- or so I thought at the time. After a couple of months of medication, a close friend of mine died of an illness. I then learned that even though the medication helped my depression, I still had not learned the coping skills I needed to deal with traumatic life experiences. That even motivated me to seek counseling, and it helped me immensely. I created this blog to remind others that medication can help when suffering with depression, but counseling is also extremely important.