The key signs and symptoms of ADHD cover two main areas of difficulty: inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.
Inattention
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty staying focused
- Forgetfulness
- Trouble organising tasks and activities
- Tendency to lose things
Hyperactivity/impulsivity
- Fidgeting and restlessness
- Difficulty sitting for long periods of time
- Difficulty engaging in quiet activities
- Difficulty waiting turn
- Acting or speaking before thinking things through.
For a diagnosis of ADHD the child must have several symptoms of either inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity, or both, across two or more settings such as at home and at school. Symptoms must also have been present before 12 years of age.
There are three types of ADHD, depending on the main difficulties the child is experiencing. These are:
- Predominantly inattentive: The child mostly has symptoms of inattention, rather than hyperactivity or impulsivity.
- Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive: The child mostly has symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, rather than inattention.
- Combined: The child has symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.
Children with the combined type are more frequently referred to services, possibly because the range of behavioural and social difficulties might be more noticeable.
For very young children, it is important to remember that skills of attention, concentration and impulse control are still developing. A short attention span, being easily distracted or acting impulsively is quite common at this age and not necessarily a sign of ADHD. A careful assessment is therefore needed to figure out what is typical and not typical for a child at each age and stage of development.