Warning signs of ADHD

There has been much talk about listing signs of ADHD but you should be careful when using such lists. ADHD diagnosis is difficult, in fact many experts disagree on the best methods for attention disorder definitions - never mind treatments!

Basically the lists you will see on many Internet sites of ADHD signs could all be seen in "normal" children at times. All the symptoms - as you can imagine - revolve around signs of hyperactivity, problems with attention span and staying focused, lack of patience, social interaction problems and impulsive behavior. Which child does not suffer from one or all of these symptoms at some point?

The main difference between acceptable variations in children's behavior and possible signs of adhd or attention deficit disorders, are the severity of the symptoms and also the timescale. For instance many children will have periods of bad behavior or not paying attention in class and this in itself is not a sign of ADD. However if these hyperactive problems or traits continue over a period of time, perhaps getting worse and actually cause social problems for the child with possible long term implications, then this may be indeed a sign of an attention deficit problem and should be investigated by a medical professional as soon as possible.