What is ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition that makes it hard for you to concentrate or sit still and can trigger impulsive behaviors.
ADHD can have a severe impact on your child's ability to succeed at school and develop friendships. It can also lead to low self-esteem and interfere with their ability to achieve success and reach their full potential later in life.
What are the signs of ADHD in adolescents?
There are three types of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, and combined. The different types of ADHD cause various symptoms.
Inattentive ADHD
Inattentive ADHD manifests as problems with concentration and focus. Some of the common symptoms of inattentive ADHD include:
- Easily distracted
- Forgetful
- Trouble finishing tasks
- Bored easily
- Doesn't seem to listen
- Slow to process information
- Frequent daydreaming
- Losing homework, keys, phone, and other essential items
- Doesn't follow instructions
Inattentive ADHD symptoms can severely impact a teenager's ability to learn and make good decisions.
Hyperactive/impulsive ADHD
If your teenager has the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADHD, they're more likely to have symptoms such as:
- Fidgeting
- Touching everything
- Constantly talking
- Impatience
- Acting without thinking
- Argumentative
- Irritability
- Can't control emotions
- Makes inappropriate comments
Many young people have combined ADHD, which means they live with a combination of inattentive and hyperactive symptoms.
How is ADHD treated?
If you're concerned that your child might have ADHD, make an appointment at EXIS Youth. The team of experienced adolescent mental health providers offers comprehensive evaluations to diagnose the condition causing your child's symptoms. Then, they create a personalized treatment plan to help them thrive.
Treatment plans often combine evidence-based therapy with mindfulness, lifestyle adjustments, and experiential therapies like yoga, meditation, and art therapy.
Your teenager will learn strategies to control their impulsiveness, read social situations, and consider the consequences of their actions before they act. Mindfulness can help them learn to calm a racing mind and improve their concentration and focus.
EXIS Youth also provides educational support for all patients, including the time to focus on schoolwork and get the help they need to learn. ADHD can interfere with a child's ability to learn, and the educational coordinators at EXIS Youth ensure that a plan is in place to help your child achieve their full potential.
Call EXIS Youth to make an appointment today for expert treatment of ADHD.
