What is ADHD in Toddlers?

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a medical condition that affects a toddler’s social and behavioral development. It not only affects its attention but also affects the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD affects a child’s overall performance at school, home, and with friends.

What are the signs of ADHD?

In general, almost every child struggles to pay attention, sit properly, listen, or follow directions, but a child with ADHD struggles harder and more often.

Kids with ADHD show the following signs:

• Inattentive – Kids who are inattentive or get easily distracted have trouble focusing on their topic. They find difficulty in paying attention or concentrating on a certain task. They do not listen well to the instructions, miss important details, and usually do not complete their task. Parents or school teachers have to repeat the instructions for them multiple times. They sometimes seem to be absent-minded, forgetful, and lose track of their things.

• Hyperactive – Hyperactive kids get easily bored and behave restlessly. They hardly keep quiet even when they are been asked to stay quiet. They make careless mistakes despite being asked to stay alert and attentive. They may behave in ways that disrupt others. They may keep on climbing and jumping all over the place.

• Impulsive – Impulsive kids are super quick in their act. They do not wait for their turn. They often push or grab to get things. Their emotional reactions are also intense as per the situation is being concerned.

What Causes ADHD in a Toddler?

The clear reasons are still not present behind the occurrence of ADHD. Studies say that ADHD is hereditary. Any parent who had this ADHD in their childhood can expect this risk in their child too. However, ADHD is not related to a child’s screen time, poor parenting, or eating too much sugar.

How ADHD is Treated?

The treatment of ADHD usually includes the following:

• Medicine – There are certain medications available that a doctor can prescribe. It will help a child in activating its brain’s ability to pay attention and learn things constructively.
• Behavioral Therapy – This therapy usually helps kids in developing social and behavioral skills with the help of training and coaching.
• Parental Support – Parents are the best support that a child with ADHD can get. But with continuous and repetitive efforts, parents feel stressed. Thus, to help parents positive deal with ADHD children, parental coaching is also essential.
• School Support – Teacher’s support can bring a lot of changes in a child’s behavior.

The signs of ADHD start appearing from the school-going age of the child. However, at the initial age, every child behaves restless, impatient, and impulsive – thus, these things do not always say that a child has ADHD. Be more observant in a child’s activities and his/her behavior. If a child constantly repeats the same attitude for more than 6 months, seek a doctor’s help.

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