What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition and is one of the most common mental health conditions in children. ADHD is characterized by symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, which impact a person’s daily functioning. 

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), it should ideally be diagnosed before the age of 12. Symptoms are often observed as early as 4-5 years of age. 

As ADHD affects an individual’s functioning and development, it can result in other mental health diagnoses, such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, and communication disorder if it goes untreated. 

Signs of ADHD

ADHD is prevalent in children but it can be difficult to identify. Here are some common signs that your child may present: 

• Inattention and hyperactivity

• Trouble sustaining  attention during a task

• Easily getting distracted by external stimuli

• Making mistakes due to distractions and inattention

• Excessive talking

• Struggling to engage constructively in  conversations

Here are a few uncommon signs of ADHD that your child may present: 

• Hyperfixation when doing a task or trying to accomplish a goal

• Difficulty with transitions and changes

• Sensory sensitivities

• Difficulty tolerating rejection

• Trouble sleeping

These symptoms can often interfere with your child’s development and relationships in their school, community, and home environments. 

It’s important to note that these symptoms do not necessarily indicate ADHD and other factors, such as family struggles, bullying, and social stress can lead to similar symptoms. 

“ADHD is not a disorder of knowing what to do, but of doing what you know." – Dr. Russell Barkley

ADHD in Girls

Research suggests that boys are two times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls in childhood.

Clinicians believe that this gap is because ADHD often presents differently in girls.  While girls can show common signs of ADHD, they may show signs in more discreet ways, which are harder to recognize. 

Girls often internalize symptoms and use coping strategies to mask their challenges. Consequently, parents and teachers can miss subtle signs of ADHD in girls, often resulting in a lack of support for them. 

When provided with treatment and support, children with ADHD can learn how to cope with challenges, manage symptoms,  and move through difficult emotions, benefiting their relationships and mental health. Support can also help children to identify their unique strengths and qualities, leading to increased confidence and positive self image.

ADHD signs to look for in girls:

• Forgetfulness - may forget to complete tasks

• Coping with boredom and hyperactivity through subtle distractions

• Difficulty making and keeping friendships

• Getting absorbed in her thoughts - daydreaming

• Interrupting conversations and activities

• Trouble falling asleep and waking up early

• Heightened emotional sensitivity 

Experiences of parenting a child with ADHD: 

Parents of children with ADHD often face unique challenges. These challenges often depend on the severity of the child’s condition, current available resources, and support systems. Some of the common experiences that parents of children with ADHD may encounter are:

•  Exhaustion: Children with ADHD often show hyperactivity or inattentiveness and it may cause exhaustion for parents. For example  getting ready for school, completing homework and managing  excitement during playtime can become overwhelming.

• Anxiety: In the case of a child with ADHD, parents often get concerned about a child's future, academic performance and necessary accommodation in school. The demands of parenting a child with a lot of needs can impact a parent's own mental health.

• Guilt and Self-blame Parents with children experiencing challenges are very prone to self-blame and fear that they are the cause of their children’s struggles. At Attuned Families we do not view parents as the cause of their children’s difficulties, but we do see them as a big part of the solution, as parents are the most critical resource to their children.

• Stigma: Social stigma about mental health conditions are real and parents might face judgment from others in social circles about parenting.

However  challenging, parenting a child with ADHD can also bring a deep sense of pride among parents when their child achieves goals in spite of obstacles they have faced.

As parents gradually learn the techniques to support their child, they often increase their sense of empathy for their child as well as their own resilience.

Experiences of a child with ADHD

A child with ADHD can have a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. It’s easy for children with ADHD to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they are taking in at once. They often need to move in order to regulate, but are expected to sit still, and this can lead to restlessness. They are often highly sensitive and experience emotions as bigger and stronger than others do. Having trouble coping with the world and struggling with friendships, family relationships, and being successful at certain tasks, can really take a toll on their view of themselves.

On a positive note, children with ADHD often possess unique strengths such as creativity, thinking out-of-the-box, and hyperfocus, leading to high-level expertise in specific areas of interest.

Depathologizing ADHD in Children

Behaviours associated with ADHD are frequently seen as problematic, overshadowing a child's strengths and talents. Children are surrounded by a society that fails to appreciate their beauty, curiosity, honesty, and abstract ways of thinking. This is especially true for children with ADHD who are expected to conform to environments and systems that do not support their developmental needs. It’s very helpful to reframe symptoms and behaviours to highlight a child’s uniqueness and strengths. For instance, labeling a child as “wild” and “hyper” can be reframed as “eager” and “enthusiastic.”

Rather than viewing children with ADHD from a deficits perspective, it’s important that we collectively examine how societal structures (including schools) and institutions fail to provide environments that support healthy overall development in children. When so many people have this diagnosis, it no longer makes sense to only look at it as a problem located within an individual.

Early Intervention and Treatment

Early intervention and diagnosis can profoundly benefit a child with ADHD by providing targeted support at an early age.  

With support, children and families can start navigating the challenges of ADHD and building on strengths. Early diagnosis can also help children get the accommodations they need in schools to set them up for success and further enhance their learning. 

Early intervention and treatments are available in many forms that cater to your child’s needs. 

To medicate, or not to medicate?

A widely known treatment for ADHD is medication to help regulate symptoms of hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsivity. That said, the overuse of medication can result in irritability, decrease in appetite, sleep disorders and emotional flatness. 

Research has actually found that Psychotherapy is more effective for treating ADHD than medication. 

Therapy for the child and/or Family Therapy and Parent Coaching are all  effective ways to support your child to understand, and process emotions, regulate behaviours, and impulses, lessening or mitigating the impact of ADHD.

In fact, one of the skills we use in Therapy at Attuned Families, Emotion Coaching, has been found to work on the same pathways in the brain as Ritalin.

Whether or not medication should be part of your child’s treatment plan is a decision that should be made between you and your care provider informed consent. There are times when medication is very helpful for stabilizing symptoms so that a child can successfully engage in therapy.

Services Attuned Families Offers

At Attuned Families we offer Assessment and Diagnosis of ADHD, and various Evidence-Based Therapies to support your child by strengthening their relationships, providing effective coping strategies, and helping them regulate their emotions and behaviour. Using a child-centered, strengths based approach, we meet children and families where they are at and tailor supports to meet their specific needs. 

Attuned Families also provides in-home services through our Intensive Support Program. This program includes support from an Occupational Therapist, Child and Youth worker, and Child and Family Therapist. Our Intensive Support Program can provide the necessary support for families navigating ADHD by assisting children in learning coping strategies, enhancing their connections with parents and peers, and building self-confidence, while also addressing the functional challenges associated with ADHD.

Our Intensive Support Program creates a collaborative environment for families to address challenges together, while also providing active respite to parents who are over-extended.

October is ADHD awareness month. We hope this article will help not only to spread awareness and a deeper understanding of ADHD.