From What Age Can a Child Be Assessed for ADHD?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect anyone, at any age. In both adults and children, it involves an inability to control impulses, sustain focus, and manage hyperactivity. In adults these traits can be obvious, in children, especially younger children, with seemingly endless amounts of energy, it can become a little more difficult to detect.

Identifying ADHD in children involves careful observation, evaluation, and collaboration between parents, educators, and healthcare professionals and one common question that arises is: From what age can a child be assessed for ADHD? 

At What Age Does ADHD Become Apparent in Children?

Symptoms of ADHD in children are usually noticeable before the age of 6 and will occur in more than 1 situation or setting, such as at home and at school. 

Early Years

The very early signs of ADHD in children are displaying extreme hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty sustaining attention. These symptoms can be confused with normal childhood, brain development but if the behaviours persist and interfere with the child's daily functioning, then this could be a sign that it may be ADHD.

Pre-School Age

Around preschool age (3-5 years), it becomes more feasible to assess for ADHD-related symptoms in children, it is still important however, to consider that young children often exhibit high energy levels, impulsivity, and short attention spans as a normal part of their developmental stage. The key is to look for signs that go beyond what is typical for their age group.

School-Age Children

The majority of ADHD diagnoses are made during the primary or junior school years when academic and behavioural expectations increase. As academic demands intensify, difficulties with attention, organisation, and impulse control may become more apparent. Teachers often play a crucial role in recognising these challenges and providing valuable input for the assessment process. 

How ADHD Presents in Children

Children can present symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity and impulsiveness, or they may just present symptoms of 1 type of ADHD behaviour, across 1 or more settings, including:

Inattentiveness

• Showing difficulty in maintaining focus on the task at hand and constantly needing to change tasks.

• Appearing unable to listen and carry out instructions.

• Constantly forgetting and misplacing/ losing things.

• Being easily distracted and having a short attention span.

• Making careless mistakes in schoolwork or homework.

• Inability to stick to a task that isn’t of interest or is too time-consuming.

Hyperactivity and Impulsivity

• Excessively talking, inability to remain quiet when needed, and interrupting others.

• Inability to wait their turn.

• Excessive movement and constant fidgeting/ stimming.

• Having little or no sense of danger.

These are only a handful of symptoms that children with ADHD can present and can make a significant impact on their lives. Children with ADHD often report under-achievement, poor social interaction with other children and adults, and having problems with discipline from those in authority. 

Is It ADHD or Normal, Endless Childhood Energy and Excitement?

If you are the parent or guardian of a child, you will know all too well just how much energy they have and how sometimes, it’s easy to worry about if that energy could be something more. It’s quite possible that every parent or guardian has gone through this. The key difference to understand is that an energetic child can focus when prompted and complete a task from start to finish when needed to do so. A child with ADHD may find it nearly impossible to complete a task, focus on it, and get highly frustrated in the process.

It is possible for children to have signs of other problems alongside ADHD, such as anxiety disorder, oppositional defiance disorder (ODD), conduct disorder, depression, sleep problems, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), dyspraxia, epilepsy, Tourette’s syndrome, and dyslexia. 

I Think My Child Has ADHD: What Age Can They Get a Child ADHD Assessment?

An official assessment and diagnosis can be considered but will not always be confirmed until the child is around 6 years of age and has started school. If you think your child may have ADHD it is important to speak to their teacher and their school's special education needs coordinator (SENCO). Doing this can alert your child’s teacher to extra care they may need, they will also be able to help in the ADHD assessment and diagnosis by arranging a specialist referral for your child. 

It is also important to speak to your GP, although they cannot formally carry out a child ADHD assessment and diagnosis, they can discuss your concerns and refer you to a specialist for treatment. Some questions your GP may ask you are about what types of symptoms your child presents, when they started, where they first occurred (in school, at home), whether they affect your child’s day-to-day life (socialising, in school, with other children), if there have been recent significant event’s in the child’s life (death or divorce in the family), if there is a family history of ADHD and if there are any other problems or symptoms of different health condition yourself or your child may have. 

Child ADHD Assessment with Beyond ADHD Clinic in Manchester 

While there is no simple test to find out if your child has ADHD, an ADHD specialist can carry out a detailed child ADHD assessment which may include a physical examination, interviews with your child, and also with parents, carers, and teachers.  

To be diagnosed through the NHS, your child must be displaying symptoms of ADHD, continuously, for at least 6 months and they must display 6 or more symptoms of inattentiveness or 6 or more symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness across at least 2 different settings and have started to show these symptoms before the age of 12.

Using the NHS for child ADHD assessment and diagnosis can be a lengthy process. You may be asked to complete a period of watchful waiting, lasting around 10 weeks, where you will need to keep track of your child’s symptoms and observe whether they improve, stay the same or get worse. If after this time your child's behaviour does not improve then your GP will refer you to a specialist via the NHS for a formal assessment. 

The current NHS waiting for ADHD is around 3 years, which can understandably be an added worry. Beyond is a private ADHD clinic in Manchester providing comprehensive child ADHD assessments up until their 18^thbirthday. We include input from the child, parents or guardians, and teachers, as this collaborative approach supports an in-depth and objective understanding of how your child’s ADHD symptoms may have impacted them throughout their life.

Contact Beyond, a private ADHD clinic today, to see how we can help you and your child navigate their ADHD journey.