ADHD

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a medical condition. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at school, at home, and in friendships.

All children struggle at times to pay attention, listen and follow directions, sit still, or wait their turn. But for children with ADHD, the struggles are harder and happen more often.

children with ADHD can show signs in any or all these areas:

Inattentive. children who are inattentive (easily distracted) have trouble focusing their attention, concentrating, and staying on task. They may not listen well to directions, may miss important details, and may not finish what they start. They may daydream or dawdle too much. They may seem absent-minded or forgetful, and lose track of their things.

Hyperactive. children who are hyperactive are fidgety, restless, and easily bored. They may have trouble sitting still, or staying quiet when needed. They may rush through things and make careless mistakes. They may climb, jump, or roughhouse when they shouldn't. Without meaning to, they may act in ways that disrupt others.

Impulsive. children who are impulsive act too quickly before thinking. They often interrupt, might push or grab, and find it hard to wait. They may do things without asking for permission, take things that aren't theirs, or act in ways that are risky. They may have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation.

Sometimes parents and teachers notice signs of ADHD when a child is very young. But it's normal for little children to be distracted, restless, impatient, or impulsive — these things don't always mean that a child has ADHD.

Attention, activity, and self-control develop little by little, as children grow. children learn these skills with help from parents and teachers. But some children don't get much better at paying attention, settling down, listening, or waiting. When these things continue and begin to cause problems at school, home, and with friends, it may be ADHD.

It's not clear what causes the brain differences of ADHD. There’s strong evidence that ADHD is mostly inherited. Many children who have ADHD have a parent or relative with it. children also can be more at risk for it if they were born early, are exposed to environmental toxins, or their mothers used drugs during pregnancy.

School will complete a referral form, with the parent adding their information and once completed, the referral is submitted to the Wirral 0 – 19 Service via the dedicated ND email folder. If the community paediatrician requires this assessment, they will send a clinic letter with their request to the dedicated ND email folder.

Referrals once received triaged by the Neurodevelopmental Team within 10 working days.

If the referral is declined, we will inform the referrer and parent by letter.

If the referral is accepted, the ADHD pre-diagnostic pathway will commence.

A referral for ADHD Foundation Parenting Skills Training will be made and Conners questionnaires will be sent out to home/school. Once these are returned a comparative report will be generated.

If the criteria to progress has been met, the child will be placed on the classroom observation waiting list or QB waiting lists (criteria is set for different age groups).

If the criteria to progress has not been met a discharge letter will be sent to referrer and parent.

Once all this information/screening has been completed, the referral will be submitted to the community paediatrician.

For more information contact Wirral 0 - 19 Service

Tel: 0151 514 0219

If your child is diagnosed with ADHD:

Be involved. Learn all you can about ADHD. Follow the treatment your child's health care provider recommends. Go to all recommended therapy visits.

Give medicines safely. If your child is taking ADHD medicine, always give it at the recommended time and dose. Keep medicines in a safe place.

Parent with purpose and warmth. Learn what parenting approaches are best for a child with ADHD — and which can make ADHD worse. Talk openly and supportively about ADHD with your child. Focus on your child's strengths and positive qualities.

ADHD can improve when children eat healthy food, get enough sleep and exercise, and have supportive parents and carers who know how to respond to ADHD.