• What is ADHD?
    • Adults with ADHD
    • Children and teens with ADHD
    • ADHD is more common than you think
    • Why it's good to have ADHD
    • Inspiring stories from people with ADHD
    • News and Research on ADHD
  • Have you got ADHD?
    • Think you're an adult with ADHD?
    • Think your child has ADHD?
    • How to get a diagnosis for ADHD >
      • Getting an assessment and diagnosis for ADHD
      • Self screening assessment tool for adults who suspect that they have ADHD​
    • Co-Morbidities
    • FAQs
  • Succeed with ADHD
    • Access ADHD Healthcare Professionals >
      • The Different Types of Healthcare Professionals
    • Products and Services
    • Join ADHD NZ's community
    • Managing ADHD >
      • Families living with ADHD >
        • Tips on how to support children with ADHD
        • Parent Support is a Phone Call Away
      • Managing ADHD at school >
        • ADHD eLearning module FAQs for staff at primary and secondary schools
        • Feedback from school staff about ADHD course
      • ADHD in tertiary education organisations >
        • FAQs for staff at tertiary education organisations
        • Feedback from staff at tertiary education organisations
      • Tips for adults managing life and ADHD
      • ADHD Support Organisations
    • ADHD Medication >
      • ADHD Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Non-Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Anti-Depressant Medication
    • Vlogs and blogs on ADHD
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • ADHD Ambassador
    • Help Us By Volunteering
    • ADHD Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) in NZ
    • Donate now
    • For investors, sponsors and donors of ADHD NZ >
      • ADHD NZ 2021: past, present and future
    • ADHD NZ in the news
    • ADHD Research Institute of New Zealand
    • Contact Us
ADHD NZ
  • What is ADHD?
    • Adults with ADHD
    • Children and teens with ADHD
    • ADHD is more common than you think
    • Why it's good to have ADHD
    • Inspiring stories from people with ADHD
    • News and Research on ADHD
  • Have you got ADHD?
    • Think you're an adult with ADHD?
    • Think your child has ADHD?
    • How to get a diagnosis for ADHD >
      • Getting an assessment and diagnosis for ADHD
      • Self screening assessment tool for adults who suspect that they have ADHD​
    • Co-Morbidities
    • FAQs
  • Succeed with ADHD
    • Access ADHD Healthcare Professionals >
      • The Different Types of Healthcare Professionals
    • Products and Services
    • Join ADHD NZ's community
    • Managing ADHD >
      • Families living with ADHD >
        • Tips on how to support children with ADHD
        • Parent Support is a Phone Call Away
      • Managing ADHD at school >
        • ADHD eLearning module FAQs for staff at primary and secondary schools
        • Feedback from school staff about ADHD course
      • ADHD in tertiary education organisations >
        • FAQs for staff at tertiary education organisations
        • Feedback from staff at tertiary education organisations
      • Tips for adults managing life and ADHD
      • ADHD Support Organisations
    • ADHD Medication >
      • ADHD Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Non-Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Anti-Depressant Medication
    • Vlogs and blogs on ADHD
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • ADHD Ambassador
    • Help Us By Volunteering
    • ADHD Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) in NZ
    • Donate now
    • For investors, sponsors and donors of ADHD NZ >
      • ADHD NZ 2021: past, present and future
    • ADHD NZ in the news
    • ADHD Research Institute of New Zealand
    • Contact Us

ADHD in ​CHILDREN AND TEENS

Photo by Sasint

What are the signs of ADHD in children and teenagers? 

Because ADHD is neurodevelopmental (i.e. dependent on brain development) it's not possible to make an accurate assessment until the age of five or six years. This is when the type of behaviours, often seen in those with ADHD, would be considered grossly immature for their age and a significant departure from typical neurodevelopment. 

Data from the Ministry of Health suggests 2.4% of those 18 years and younger have had an ADHD diagnosis.
Graph showing percentage of New Zealand children's prevalence to ADHD between 2011 to 2020.
If your child has ADHD this means they have to work much harder to control and filter attention, behaviours, emotions that come naturally to others of the same age. This is the nature of the "disordered" part. It commonly results in significant fatigue and an even more profound loss of control by the end of the school day

Common ADHD symptoms in kids' early development and childhood

​​​Each person is likely to vary in the type, number, frequency and severity of their ADHD behaviour/symptoms but there are some definite commonalities.

​Click on each heading or "+" to find out more.
POSSIBLE Early signs
  • on the go
  • cries easily
  • poor sleeper
  • reflux is more likely
  • difficulty maintaining friends
  • takes longer to/difficult to settle
  • climbs and runs rather than walks, or
  • can push in, shove, snatch, blurt out things without noticing others​.
InattentiVE BEHAVIOUR
  • easily distracted
  • forgetting instructions
  • extreme difficulty focusing when bored
  • trouble staying on task, don't finish tasks
  • frustrated by tasks requiring sustained focus
  • difficulty moving focus on fun activity to a routine task, or
  • can't switch focus between multiple tasks or topics without getting lost.
Hyperactive behaviour
  • fidgets and wriggles
  • has a “driven” quality, runs and jumps
  • talking excessively (often more in girls)
  • excessive restlessness, in constant motion
  • has difficulty in sitting still or staying seated
  • restless sleeper and/or has difficulty settling into sleep
  • shows a lot of purposeless activity (i.e., not for a particular reason), or
  • insatiable (constantly seeking stimulation and entertainment, sometimes negative).
Impulsive behaviour
  • interrupting 
  • unpredictable behaviour
  • intruding in others' personal space
  • shouting or blurting out answers or secrets
  • acting without thinking of what might happen
  • pushing in or walking over others and not noticing, or
  • immediate regret and guilt that did or said something but frequently "didn't mean it"
Emotional Impulsivity/dysregulation
  • impatient
  • low self-esteem
  • highly emotional
  • easily upset by others
  • difficulty controlling temper
  • easily frustrated and tantrums
  • can overreact to pain and sounds, or
  • trouble in friendships and relationships.
executive dysfunction
  • often loses things 
  • forget things needed
  • generally disorganised
  • poor concept of time and often late
  • little to no planning or thinking ahead, or
  • little to no automatic reflection (thinking) about actions or consequences. 
MORE LIKELY TO HAVE OTHER CHALLENGES
  • messy handwriting
  • allergies, ezcema and asthma
  • specific learning disabilities in reading, writing or math
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Anxiety, Anger, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), or
  • Dyspraxia or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) - Clumsy, poor balance, movement coordination, core muscle control, poor ball skills, mixed left-right dominance.
COMMON ASSOCIATED Physical TROUBLES
  • digestive upset
  • allergies, eczema, asthma
  • poor temperature sense and control
  • headaches, muscle or stomach pains
  • food and drink cravings i.e. sugar or milk
  • ear troubles: including grommet insertions, infections and glue ear, or
  • eye troubles: including visual tracking, dark circles, puffiness and including allergic rhinitis.

Common Behaviours and Symptoms of ADHD in Adolescence

​​​Each person is likely to vary in the type, number, frequency and severity of their ADHD behaviour/symptoms but there are some definite commonalities.

​Click on each heading or "+" to find out more.
Behaviour
  • poorly organised
  • disorganised and untidy
  • forgetful, loses things
  • feelings of being overwhelmed
  • often late (poor time management)
  • day-dreamy and distracted in their head
  • slow to process information and directions
  • difficulty in getting things done "properly"
  • easily distracted and finds it hard to focus
  • emotionally immature but intuitive, empathetic and kind​
  • difficulty concentrating and focusing, finds it hard to complete tasks, or
  • impulsive behaviour, takes unnecessary risks for the fun of it, can’t see the consequences of actions.
School
  • finds studying extremely boring, frustrating and procrastinates, or
  • has trouble keeping up with demands of homework and poor motivation (unless they love the subject).
Moving
  • if experienced hyperactivity, this has settled but are still fidgety, jittery or restless, or
  • driving erratically, has lots of minor accidents, some afraid to drive at all.
socialising
  • interrupts others
  • talking excessively without necessarily noticing if others are bored or not interested
  • getting upset quickly, over-reacting and not calming self quickly so appearing emotionally volatile
  • attracted to exciting people/relationships that can be unhealthy or destructive (without meaning too)
  • ​eats/drinks or does recreational drugs to calm themselves down or to excite them with little to no thought about the consequences
  • being a highly empathetic "emotional sponge" and so can be attracted to helping others but also very affected by their emotional states, or
  • has significant friendship issues - often due to missing/not paying attention to the social cues of others (resulting in offending or upsetting them thoughtlessly, rather than on purpose).

ADHD is more common than you think
ADHD is more common than you think
Do you think your child has ADHD?
Do you think your child has ADHD?
How to get a diagnosis for ADHD
How to get an Assessment
The material on our website is provided for educational purposes only. Your use of our website is governed by our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer. We are a not-for-profit organisation that can provide you with ongoing support in your ADHD journey. However, we do not provide medical advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Your GP can recommend a suitable healthcare professional to you.

What's ADHD?

Adults with ADHD
​Children and teens with ADHD
​ADHD is more common than you think
Why it's good to have ADHD
​Inspiring stories from people who have ADHD
​
News and research

Have you got ADHD?

Think you're an adult with ADHD?
Think your child has ADHD?
How to get a diagnosis for ADHD

Getting an assessment and diagnosis of ADHD
Self-screening tool for adults with ADHD
Co-morbidities
​
FAQs

Succeed with ADHD

Find healthcare professionals near you
The different types of healthcare professionals
​
Get help with these products and services
Become a member of ADHD NZ's community
Managing ADHD
Families living with ADHD
​Tips on how to support children with ADHD
ADHD in tertiary education organisations
​
Tips for adults managing life and ADHD
Get support from other organisations
​ADHD medication
​ADHD stimulant medication
​ADHD non-stimulant medication
ADHD anti-depressant medication

Vlogs and blogs on ADHD

About Us

Our people
​
Ambassador
Help us by volunteering
Donate to ADHD NZ
For investors, sponsors and donors
ADHD NZ 2021: past, present and future
ADHD NZ in the news
Contact us

Follow us

Privacy policy

Disclaimer


Content on ADHD.org.nz is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License.​
Picture
  • What is ADHD?
    • Adults with ADHD
    • Children and teens with ADHD
    • ADHD is more common than you think
    • Why it's good to have ADHD
    • Inspiring stories from people with ADHD
    • News and Research on ADHD
  • Have you got ADHD?
    • Think you're an adult with ADHD?
    • Think your child has ADHD?
    • How to get a diagnosis for ADHD >
      • Getting an assessment and diagnosis for ADHD
      • Self screening assessment tool for adults who suspect that they have ADHD​
    • Co-Morbidities
    • FAQs
  • Succeed with ADHD
    • Access ADHD Healthcare Professionals >
      • The Different Types of Healthcare Professionals
    • Products and Services
    • Join ADHD NZ's community
    • Managing ADHD >
      • Families living with ADHD >
        • Tips on how to support children with ADHD
        • Parent Support is a Phone Call Away
      • Managing ADHD at school >
        • ADHD eLearning module FAQs for staff at primary and secondary schools
        • Feedback from school staff about ADHD course
      • ADHD in tertiary education organisations >
        • FAQs for staff at tertiary education organisations
        • Feedback from staff at tertiary education organisations
      • Tips for adults managing life and ADHD
      • ADHD Support Organisations
    • ADHD Medication >
      • ADHD Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Non-Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Anti-Depressant Medication
    • Vlogs and blogs on ADHD
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • ADHD Ambassador
    • Help Us By Volunteering
    • ADHD Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) in NZ
    • Donate now
    • For investors, sponsors and donors of ADHD NZ >
      • ADHD NZ 2021: past, present and future
    • ADHD NZ in the news
    • ADHD Research Institute of New Zealand
    • Contact Us