What You Need to Know About ADHD Kids- Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Let’s talk about what you need to know about ADHD Kids - the causes, symptoms and treatments and what they all mean.

There is A LOT of information out there about ADHD and trying to read and understand it all can be overwhelming.

In this post you will get a clean break down of what exactly you and your child are dealing with.

Let’s dive in.

What You Need to Know About ADHD Kids: The Causes.

Let’s start with what it is NOT.

ADHD in Kids is NOT caused by:

• Naughtiness

• Bad parenting

• Overdiagnosis to sell drugs for pharmaceutical companies.

• Laziness

• Character Flaws

So what does cause it?

It is a developmental neurological disorder that causes an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development (NIMH - March 2016).

Translation: It is a problem with the brain that makes it hard for your kid to focus, be calm or think before he / she acts.

It is can be caused by different things.

In (⅓ of cases) it is caused by:

• A delay in brain development

• A slight injury sustained during early brain development at the level of the molecules.

In ⅔ of cases it is caused by:

• Abnormal brain functioning that is genetic (hereditary).

(Barkley, Russel A. (2013). Taking Charge of ADHD (3rd edition). New York, NY. The Guilford Press.)

There are currently numerous studies examining the correlation between Leaky Gut, diet, and their impact on ADHD symptoms. (Psychiastrst.com, National Library of Medicine,) to name a couple.

There is no test to check for ADHD like you would for some other hereditary disorders. You cannot do a brain scan and say, “Yep. There it is.”

Many mental (neurological) disorders do exist even though there are not tests you can run to pinpoint their presence.

Examples are: Autism, reading disorders (dyslexia), bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression. ADHD is no different.

Okay. So, you can’t see it...how do you know that it is there?

ADHD is diagnosed by symptoms.

What you need to know about ADHD Kids: The Symptoms.

ADHD has in impact in numerous areas of your kid’s life including:

• Social Skills

• Communication

• Attention Span

• Impulse control

• Activity level (how much / how long)

• Ability to self regulate behavior when it involves any kind of coordination, planning or foresight …(in other words they act -or fail to act- without thinking).

A kid with attention issues related to ADHD will often:

• Overlook or miss details, make careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or during other activities

• Have problems sustaining attention in tasks or play, including conversations, lectures, or lengthy reading

• Not seem to listen when spoken to directly

• Not follow through on instructions and fail to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace or start tasks but quickly lose focus and get easily sidetracked

• Have problems organizing tasks and activities, such as what to do in sequence, keeping materials and belongings in order, having messy work and poor time management, and failing to meet deadlines

• Avoid or dislike tasks that require sustained mental effort, such as schoolwork or homework, or for teens and older adults, preparing reports, completing forms or reviewing lengthy papers

• Lose things necessary for tasks or activities, such as school supplies, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, and cell phones

• Be easily distracted by unrelated thoughts or stimuli

• Be forgetful in daily activities, such as chores, errands, returning calls, and keeping appointments

(NIMH - March 2016).

A kid with hyperactive - impulsive symptoms caused by ADHD will often:

• Fidget and squirm in their seats

• Leave their seats in situations when staying seated is expected, such as in the classroom or in the office

• Run or dash around or climb in situations where it is inappropriate or, in teens and adults, often feel restless

• Be unable to play or engage in hobbies quietly

• Be constantly in motion or “on the go,” or act as if “driven by a motor”

• Talk nonstop

• Blurt out an answer before a question has been completed, finish other people’s sentences, or speak without waiting for a turn in conversation

• Have trouble waiting his or her turn

• Interrupt or intrude on others, for example in conversations, games, or activities

(NIMH - March 2016).

Not every kid will have the same symptoms and they won’t all show up in the same way.

ADHD symptoms can show up as early as ages 3-6 and continue through the teen years and into adulthood (NIMH - March 2016).

It is more difficult to diagnose ADHD in young children because many of the tell tale signs are very common for their age.

It is most obvious for preschoolers with severe cases of ADHD when their behaviors are

A LOT worse than what other 3-4 year olds are doing.

There are certain criteria (sets of rules) that a child must meet in order to be diagnosed with ADHD.

ADHD is diagnosed by a medical or psychiatric professional - usually your child’s pediatrician can do this.

They will typically do a medical examination, ask questions to the parents and the child (depending on age) and have a rating scale completed by both the parents and a secondary source.

The most common rating scales are the Connors Rating Scale which is for ages 6-18,

and the Vanderbilt Scale which is for ages 6-12.

In order for your kids behavior to be diagnosed as ADHD it has to:

1. Show up early in child development (before age 12)

2. Look significantly different that what is seen neurotypical (No disorder) children.

3. Show up in multiple settings and situations (it can’t just be happening at one place or under one circumstance).

4. Keep them from being able to do what typical kids their age can do in various major life activities (self care, complete school work, play on a team, make friends, etc).

5. Be persistent over time (it doesn’t come and go).

6. It can’t be attributed to other causes (other physical or neurological disorders).

(Barkley, Russel A. (2013). Taking Charge of ADHD (3rd edition). New York, NY. The Guilford Press.)

ADHD can be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed because it looks like

• a rambunctious kid (hyperactivity),

• a kid with few or no boundaries set for them (impulsiveness),

• or a shy, quiet or bored child that needs to be more motivated (inattentive).

• Or...it could be a combination of any of these.

It is often easier for people to blame a cause that you think can be controlled or corrected (such as poor discipline or a lack of motivation) than it is to recognize ADHD for what it is…..a disorder that cannot be visibly seen.

ADHD, while treatable, is not (as of yet) cureable.

The facts that it is not a visibly physical disability and that it doesn’t have a quick fix make it difficult for kids (or anyone) with ADHD to get the support they need.

This can be especially true in some Christian circles.

There are those who believe that behavior is a matter of letting the spirit have control.

I have heard some people say,

“They can’t really be Christians because they (or their kid) have no self control. If they had the spirit they would have self control.”

Or

“The Bible says children are supposed to be obedient and honor their parents. That kid obviously hasn’t been taught what is right.”

And

“If they just believed harder or discipline their child better those behaviors would go away.”

As a special education teacher, I’ve heard the same arguments made about kids with learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, fetal alcohol syndrome, traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder, etc.

Folks….that just isn’t true.

These are statements made out of ignorance and a lack of charity.

Because they cannot see a disability...it isn’t legitimate.

Ask yourself this,

If a person has diabetes, can you discipline it out of them?

Will having enough faith cure them of the disease?

If it doesn’t, does that mean that the person with diabetes is bad or not a Christian?

Of course not.

Jesus is your advocate in your journey with ADHD…

Use your faith as a source of strength, not a source of judgement.

Okay. Moving on.

What you need to know about ADHD Kids: The Treatment.

ADHD can be treated with:

• Medication - Stimulants or Non Stimulants

• Psychotherapy - Behavioral Therapy, Family Therapy

• Education & Training - Social Skills training, Parent Skills training, Stress Management techniques, Support Groups.

Many of these are from a secular perspective, but there are therapists and educational programs that are rooted in a Biblical perspective as well.

Medication:

The choice to use medication to treat your kid’s ADHD is a highly personal choice.

Everyone has an opinion: the pediatrician, your neighbor, the church, your parents…

The medical doctor is the one who can best advise you about the medicine itself and how it is supposed to work in your child’s body.

I say supposed to because, it isn’t an exact science.

Not everyone responds to meds in the same way.

There is a lot of trial and error in the process of finding what med will work and at what dose and for how long.

As kids grow and their bodies change, it is common to need to make changes in medication.

That is not to say that medication is not a good choice.

It can be a total game changer for many kids once you find the right fit.

It really depends on what your kid needs at the time.

Just be aware that giving meds is not the same thing as popping a Tylenol and getting rid of a headache. It is a long process for which you should be prepared.

Psychotherapy:

Behavioral therapy is 1:1 or small group counseling that is designed to teach a person how to replace an undesired behavior with a more appropriate behavior.

It can be related to social skills, organization, communication, or any number of things.

It’s usually hands on or a role playing type of thing. Sometimes there are workbook activities.

Eventually it is intended to be transferred from the counseling session to daily life.

This involves a lot of effort by the parents to remind your kid to apply what has been learned in therapy.

Family therapy is more of a supportive resource for the family of a person with ADHD to help them find ways to cope with and support the person with the disorder.

ADHD takes a big toll on the families of those who have it.

“ADHD often creates unproductive patterns in parents’ lives. When parents become overly stressed or or overwhelmed, that affects their children….and because ADHD itself increases family stress, it makes it harder for you to m

manage your child’s ADHD, which then amplifies stress further.”

Bertin, Mark M.D. (2015). Mindful Parenting for ADHD. Oakland, CA. Harbinger Publications.

Education & Training can be found in numerous resources.

There are thousands of publications specifically about ADHD that can be found in bookstores, online, at the library.

There are support groups for parents, families, siblings.

These can often be found by contacting your pediatrician’s office.

There are social skills classes that can be obtained via a therapist (see behavioral therapy) and often even in the public school setting if your child has an individual education plan (IEP) that indicates need for social skills training.

You may also want to look into the studies mentioned above that examine the imact of Leaky Gut, the gut microbiome, and diet on ADHD Symptoms. There is so much being studied and published about this topic. Look for a post on this topic to be linked here soon.

It will take time to find the best treatment or combination of treatments to meet your families needs.

Those needs will likely change over time and the treatments will change with them.

Consistent communication with your pediatrician or therapist will help you know when changes need to be made.

Often this will involve getting input from outside sources (such as school or work) to document how and when behaviors are changing.

If you are unsure who you should tell about your child’s ADHD, there is I have an entire post just on that subject >>HERE<<.

I hope this has been helpful.

If you find you would like some daily encouragement in your journey with your child’s ADHD, please take a FREE Copy of The ADHD Prayer Journal for Moms.

It is 30 days of blessings and prayers just for you.