Symptoms of ADHD and ADD vary with age, yet follow a common theme throughout ones life. Some experts claim that it is possible to recognize ADD/ADHD in children between 2 and 3 years of age with a 60- 70 % accuracy. The following are some age ranges with the common ADHD symptoms usually associated with that stage of development.
ADHD Symptoms: Infants
Restlessness, such as a constant rolling or moving around their crib. Lack of eye contact or focus on physical cues such as smiles. Sleeplessness, hard to put to sleep and often wake frequently. Frequently whimpering or crying demanding attention to their constant stream of real or imagined problems. Being more demanding than other infants their age.
ADHD Symptoms: 2-3 Years of Age
Constant running jumping and climbing. Need for constant stimulation, reckless impulsive and accident prone, including accidents towards pets or animals as they play too rough or without the proper attention to the care of the animal. Multiple tantrums, sometimes several per day. No need for noontime naps and still hard to get to bed at the end of the day. Demanding constant attention often to the point that attention paid to other children or responsibilities by the parent creates jealous behavior in the child.
ADHD Symptoms 3-5 Years of Age
Defiance and Tantrums. Difficulty getting along with other children. Which can sometimes lead to destructive behavior to vent their frustration. Breaking toys, whether their own or other children’s, or even biting and kicking and scratching. Inability to follow directions and a difficulty in paying attention as they can easily be distracted. This can also create situations where the parent is rushing to get out the door and a simple act of putting on their socks and shoes can become a major task.
Complaints from teachers or baby-sitters usually regarding the above mentioned behavior.
ADHD Symptoms 5-12 Years of Age
Difficulty with taking tests or reading. The ease at which ADD/ADHD children become distracted or bored now begins to seriously affect their schoolwork. The more they fall behind in these early stages the more they will have to catch up later, which becomes an almost insurmountable task for most people with ADD/ADHD symptoms.
School assignments become easily forgotten and the complex tasks create situations where completing assignments, or even growing bored with the next step causes the add ADHD child to give up. Often, even if an assignment is finished the ADD/ADHD child will often misplace it or forget to turn it in on time. This and other issues can result in complaints from teachers about their child needing closer supervision.
Constant daydreaming or spacing out while being forced to sit still or remain in one place for a long time. This is especially true for those children suffering from add without the hyperactivity associated with ADHD
Impulsivity, which includes everything from making noise in class to interrupting and blurting out whatever is on their mind. Being the class clown and fidgeting and restlessness also fall under this category.
Social isolation. A lack of friends can be due to children with ADD/ADHD sufferer’s inability to pick up on the more subtle cues of social interaction. Their behavior can also be viewed as annoying or obnoxious by other children resulting in their isolation from the group.
Lack of interest in sports. The inability to focus along with a lack of physical coordination along with the above mentioned social isolation can all have an effect on their interest in sports. Though they have more than enough energy they often lack the interest to focus on the sport for long periods of time.
Often the ADD/ADHD child at this age will start lying to cover up some of their behavioral problems. They can become sneaky or result to stealing as a way to get what they want without taking the time to explore other avenues.
The Teen ADHD Symptoms have problems all their own as the child moves towards adulthood.