Many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are very energetic.
However, high energy alone is not enough to warrant a diagnosis.
It’s also important to recognize that children with some forms ofADHDare not high-energy at all.
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So when might a child with lots of energy be diagnosed with ADHD?
Impairment of functioning or learning is key to differentiating ADHD from normal activity.
Common signs of ADHD:
There can be additional traits that may not be as obvious.
Maturity
Children with ADHD also tend to be less mature developmentally than their same-age peers.
For neurotypical kids, energy levels tend to come in bursts.
They’ll have high energy for a while, but it eventually dissipates.
For kids with ADHD, high-energy levels tend to be more persistent.
Some other potential causes include:
If your child is struggling with hyperactivity, talk to their doctor.
Takeaways
If you are concerned about your child’s high energy levels, talk to their doctor.
For a child with ADHD, there is much more involved than simply being active and full of energy.
US National Library of Medicine.Stresses in childhood.
