Common Signs of ADHD in Children

Do you have a child who can invent elaborate daydreams or become engrossed in a complicated activity for hours? Maybe your child often keeps everyone waiting or has a hard time calming down after an upset. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) involves a delay in executive functioning, especially in organizing, prioritizing, and self-regulation. Dr. Thomas Brown (2025) explains that ADHD is not an inability to pay attention; rather, it is an inability to regulate attention. Your child may be creative and have the ability to hyperfocus on tasks and priorities that interest them, but they may have trouble with repetitive tasks like chores, or they may underestimate how long something may take. Here are signs to speak with a therapist about:

1. Unless they are engrossed in an activity they love, your child may have difficulty maintaining attention during schoolwork, conversations, or other activities, particularly when tasks require sustained mental effort.

2. Your child frequently fidgets, has difficulty remaining seated when expected, moves around excessively, or seems to be constantly "on the go" or hyperactive.

3. Inhibitory control can be challenging for children with ADHD, so your child may act or speak before thinking, interrupt others, have difficulty waiting their turn, or struggle to inhibit an immediate response (Groves et al., 2022a; Groves et al., 2022b).

4. A child with ADHD may forget instructions, assignments, responsibilities, or what they were supposed to be doing, indicating their challenges with working memory (Groves et al., 2022a; Groves et al., 2022b).

5. Executive functioning difficulties that may be present include trouble planning and organizing schoolwork, keeping track of belongings, following multistep directions, or completing tasks (Groves et al., 2022b).

6. Although emotional dysregulation is not one of the core symptoms used to diagnose ADHD, research indicates that emotion-regulation difficulties are common among children with the disorder. Your child may experience frequent frustration, strong emotional reactions, irritability, or difficulty calming down after becoming upset. Groves et al. (2022a) report that approximately 48-54% of children with ADHD experience impairing difficulties with emotion regulation.

Hallowell (2019) notes that the ADHD brain is a "Ferrari engine" paired with "bicycle brakes," which is why kids can have difficulties regulating otherwise substantial cognitive capacities. Although occasional inattention, impulsivity, or high activity is common in children and does not automatically indicate ADHD, a pattern of problems can create anxiety for children and families and may indicate that it's time for therapy. A diagnosis requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation and multiple people rather than relying on one behavior or screening measure alone (Peterson et al., 2024), and early intervention is one of the most important factors in supporting positive outcomes for children with ADHD. C & A Counseling's therapists can work with you and your child to find out more and set up systems and practical strategies for their well-being and success. Call 678-856-5042 or email office@candacounseling.com. We respond promptly and look forward to hearing from you.

References

Brown, T. E. (2025). Understanding the ADHD brain [Video]. GoZen! Focus Forward ADHD Summit.

Groves, N. B., Chan, E. S. M., Marsh, C. L., Gaye, F., Jaisle, E. M., & Kofler, M. J. (2022a). Does central executive training and/or inhibitory control training improve emotion regulation for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? A randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 1034722. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1034722

Groves, N. B., Wells, E. L., Soto, E. F., Marsh, C. L., Jaisle, E. M., Harvey, T. K., & Kofler, M. J. (2022b). Executive functioning and emotion regulation in children with and without ADHD. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 50 (6), 721-735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00883-0

Hallowell, E. (2019, November 25). Your racing ADHD brain. Dr. Hallowell. https://drhallowell.com/2019/11/25/your-racing-adhd-brain/

Peterson, B. S., Trampush, J., Brown, M., Maglione, M., Bolshakova, M., Rozelle, M., Miles, J., Pakdaman, S., Yagyu, S., Motala, A., & Hempel, S. (2024). Tools for the diagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Pediatrics, 153 (4), e2024065854. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-065854