How to Know if Your Child Has ADHD: Causes and Signs of ADHD in Babies, Toddlers, and Teens
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) relates to a child's difficulties in managing their activity level, mobility, and attention. While a child may know and understand social norms, they may be unable to maintain focus for an extended period or regulate their activity and reactions to their surroundings due to various factors.Most specialists agree that diagnosing ADHD in children under 4–5 years old is nearly impossible for several reasons:
- The psychological state of young children is unstable and changes rapidly as they grow. A very active child may become less active over time.
- Young children express anxiety through crying and struggle to focus on anything outside their familiar environment or daily routine—this is simply a result of their age.
- High energy is a normal part of childhood and a basic developmental need.
Advice:
To find out if your child has behavioral concerns, try our unique Parenting Mentor Test. It will help you assess whether your child's physical and mental activity is age-appropriate. Based on your results, you’ll receive tailored recommendations related to different stages of your child's growth and development.
Don’t rush to make a diagnosis!
Before suspecting your child has ADHD, remember that all children are naturally active. They have yet to develop a sense of "dangerous vs. safe" or "allowed vs. forbidden." They also lack life experience and social or intellectual maturity. This can make them seem overly energetic or inattentive. Each child develops and displays their activity differently, and these behaviors often change with age. However, it helps parents to recognize potential ADHD symptoms so they can seek professional advice if needed. If, after observing the following symptoms, you feel concerned, it’s best to consult a doctor.
ADHD in Preschool and Young Children
Young children who may have ADHD are often extremely restless. They may be overly active, talk constantly (even if their speech is not fully developed), grab things from adults, struggle to control their movements, and not recognize danger that seems obvious for their age.
They have trouble staying focused on any one thing for long. For example, these are the children who can’t listen to a bedtime story or song without asking lots of questions or bringing related toys into bed.
However, there are other signs too: children with ADHD may sometimes hyperfocus on things they enjoy, such as computer games. They might watch the action for hours without being distracted.
ADHD in Primary School-Aged Children
At school age, children with ADHD might not always appear hyperactive. As schoolwork becomes their main focus, other ADHD challenges are more prominent:
- Trouble concentrating.
- Difficulty choosing the correct answer.
- Difficulty making clear decisions.
- Problems planning and following through with tasks.
In these situations, hyperactivity tends to fade into the background, so families and teachers may not notice it as much. Some parents may think their child has "outgrown" ADHD, attributing ongoing issues to puberty or upbringing rather than ongoing attention difficulties.
ADHD in Teenagers
During adolescence, ADHD symptoms often become less noticeable. Teenagers learn accepted behavior for different situations, gain experience, and become more motivated.
Teens might notice it’s still hard to concentrate or sit still, but usually develop their own coping strategies. Some take breaks to refocus, while others split up tasks to make them more manageable.
For teenagers, ADHD can be seen in:
- Struggling to set priorities in tasks, actions, or routines.
- Difficulty paying attention to long lectures or to topics they disagree with.
- Problems with homework, reading, or watching educational videos—they find it hard to start, and are easily distracted.
Because of challenges with planning, distractibility, emotional regulation, and a desire for instant feedback, some teens with ADHD may experiment with risky behaviors, such as substance use, theft, or unsafe sexual practices.
All of these issues warrant attention from parents and teachers.