ADHD: An Age-by-Age Guide
In this article, you will find:
Ages 7-12
The Elementary Years
Sitting at his desk in the classroom was next to impossible for "Adam," who was identified as having ADHD in second grade, says his mother Amy. His difficulties with school didn't end when he came home.
"He didn't have papers, books, and assignments," she says. "He couldn't concentrate and homework took him hours. He would stop a million times to go to the refrigerator or bathroom."
During the school years, demands are placed on children to listen, cooperate, organize, follow directions, and pay attention - activities that children with ADHD may find difficult. This inability to deal with the structure of school may interfere with learning and academic achievement. A child with ADHD may:
· Be easily distracted and not able to finish assignments or chores
· Fidget and squirm in his/her seat and wander around the classroom
· Talk at inappropriate times and often blurt out answers to questions
· Be disorganized and frequently lose things
· Be socially immature, with few friends
If untreated, Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., author of Taking Charge of ADHD, says that 30 to 50 percent of children between the ages of 7 and 10 with ADHD are likely to show symptoms of conduct disorder and behavior problems such as lying or petty thievery.
