ADHD Symptoms in Adults and Children: A Comparison

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a condition that affects both adults and children although the symptoms manifest differently between the two. It is a condition that goes largely undiagnosed in adults, who will have had the symptoms from childhood. After all, you don’t suddenly develop ADHD as an adult, it is with you all along.

DSM–V Symptom Diagnosis Criteria

For a child to be diagnosed with ADHD doctors use the DSM-V criteria which state that the child needs to display at least six symptoms of impulsive or hyperactive characteristics. If the child has more than six symptoms of inattention they can be diagnosed with ADHD.

Children do not outgrow the symptoms of ADHD but they morph slightly in adulthood where they are more subtle and can have devastating effects on social behavior and relationships. When undiagnosed in adults these symptoms can make it a challenge to advance in careers or marriages.

Hyperactivity in Children and Adults with ADHD

When we look at the symptom of hyperactivity in children it is often characterized by constant motion. The child is like a whirling dervish, unable to remain still, always in high gear running and climbing. Sometimes their physical activity may be inappropriate for the situation.

They can become experts at creating distractions with their behavior by dropping things and getting up all the time when they are supposed to be seated. They can also create a fair amount of disruption in a classroom setting. A hallmark of the child with ADHD is that they can’t stop talking. By the time the child reaches adulthood this tendency for constant motion has been replaced by a constant feeling of restlessness.

The adult ADHD sufferer is prone to tapping feet, bouncing legs, playing with objects and has a tendency to fidget. They can become bored quite easily, and this can play itself out in job hopping because once they have “learned” the job they become bored and need something new. Their inner restlessness results in an inability to sit still for longer periods of time and often have to get up and walk around.

They are therefore drawn to occupations that require movement. They are able to complete projects, however, if they find the subject matter or experience interesting and enjoyable.  Hobbies might include risk-taking activities that are fast-paced and keep them in constant motion.

Inattention Symptoms

The inability to stay focused and the condition of inattention is similar between the child and adult. As a child, this will result in many careless mistakes in completing schoolwork as they struggle to pay attention to details. Compared to other children of the same age their attention span can seem diminished.

Homework avoidance is commonplace since homework requires sustained mental effort and they have an inability to sit quietly while still giving it their full attention. It often seems as if the child is not listening when spoken to and they often seem to be doing their own thing. A tendency to move from one activity to the other without completing any of them is characteristic of them, as well as a general forgetfulness.

Adults with ADHD display similar symptoms of inattention like losing everyday items such as their car or house keys, important documents or misplacing things that they need for work. Even tasks that are routinely done, like picking their child up from school can be forgotten. It is quite hard for the ADHD adult to follow conversations. Self-motivation is a weak point and they often struggle with the last 5% of completing a project. Another common complaint of individuals with ADHD is that they lose track of time.

Impulsive Symptoms

Impulsiveness is one of the major symptoms in children and adults with ADHD that results in behavioral issues. It is an area for both children and adults that interferes with being able to maintain healthy relationships.

The ADHD child in the classroom environment might not be able to stop themselves from shouting out answers without raising their hands or constantly commenting on conversations. They often struggle to wait their turn and will often push to get to the front of the line. A tendency to interrupt people is evident and they will often just spontaneously join games other children are already playing. These children can put themselves at risk by acting without thinking.

Impulsivity in adulthood can manifest itself as an inability to follow a household budget, which can result in overdrawn accounts and frustrated relationships. Additionally, adults with ADHD are more likely to participate in risky behavior, including sexual promiscuity, speeding, and addictive activities like gambling.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger . . .” – James 1:19

Channeling Restlessness into Risky Behavior

Adults with ADHD have modified their behavior due to societal constraints or a higher level of maturity so it may be harder to spot. A lot of the inner restlessness in adults with ADHD requires an outlet, but since they can no longer run wildly about climbing trees they might find themselves on the wrong side of the law or engaging in behavior that is otherwise socially unacceptable.

While other adults with ADHD might not channel their restlessness into risky actions they might have serious problems with organization, making decisions or completing tasks. These adults may not even realize that they have ADHD since they think of a high-strung, restless child as more in line with an ADHD diagnosis and they might never seek help.

The ADHD adult grows up to internalize their childhood restlessness instead of acting on every impulse. The result is that the individual can have symptoms that manifest as extreme mood swings or difficulty getting along with others. Often these symptoms are similar to those of anxiety and depression in adulthood and so might go undetected, or be misdiagnosed.

Challenges In The Home

Partners to individuals with ADHD often complain of feeling like they have “another child” to take care of. The adult with ADHD might be able to hold it all together at work and might have found ways to effectively compensate for their blind spots.

However, when they get home they can provoke extreme frustration in their family. Adults with ADHD may end up taking no responsibility for the functioning of the home, leaving their spouse to take on the extra burden. The divorce rate where one partner has been diagnosed with ADHD is much higher than in couples without the presence of ADHD symptoms.

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” – Proverbs 4:25-27

Finding the Origin of Adult ADHD in the Child’s Behavior

When diagnosing adults with ADHD doctors will often look to the individual’s childhood to find the criteria for diagnosing them. As a child, they could have demonstrated a lack of self-control and a long history of inattention and impulsivity. The adult with ADHD unfortunately, often has little insight into the impact of their behavior.

Clients often say in session that they were told “you’re not living up to your potential” all their lives. Diagnosing adult ADHD often requires feedback from a parent and/or significant other to gain a more historical perspective. Report cards are also a great source of information for both the child and adult as they show clear behavioral patterns that manifested in the classroom.

While there are other reasons for impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention like an overactive thyroid, bipolar disorder, lack of adequate nutrition, anxiety, drug use, and so forth, it is important not to sweep the symptoms under the rug but to tackle them head-on.

Many adults with ADHD learn the coping mechanisms to deal with the problem while many others lead lives of desperation unable to channel their restlessness. Another problem is that some adults, though diagnosed with ADHD as children, were simply told that they would grow out of it. This bad information hinders the adult from getting diagnosed with a condition that has persisted into adulthood.

ADHD and Genetics

There is a genetic component to ADHD, so if a family member has ADHD, the chances are higher that there are more people in the family who share the disorder. What can happen is that a child is diagnosed with ADHD and the doctor goes through the checklist of symptoms the parent suddenly realizes they share those symptoms with their child.

Sometimes a diagnosis for the child ends up leading to one for a few other family members as well. In fact, there is a 30%-40 % chance that if a child has ADHD, one of their parents has it too. Unfortunately, the literature is still developing and widening its understanding of how this unique disorder displays in different subgroups. Traditionally, researchers have thought that symptoms in children will display before the age of seven and two out of three of those children, diagnosed with ADHD will carry the disorder with them into adulthood.

Having ADHD can have a significantly negative impact on both children and adults so getting a proper diagnosis as early as possible will help with leading a more productive life. It’s also important to note that girls are often not diagnosed in childhood as they don’t display as many symptoms of disruptive, noisy behavior as boys. They are socialized differently and can have the tendency to distract themselves in a daydream world.

ADHD Self-Assessment

If you think you might have many of the ADHD symptoms as an adult, you can take a self-assessment. The ADHD Adult Self-Report Scale Screener was developed by the World Health Organization to give you a clearer idea if you have enough of the symptom markers for you to seek help from a doctor and a therapist.

Treatment Plan

When a diagnosis has been made many people will take medication to get their lives on a more focused track. Any treatment plan should include therapy to help the individual navigate through the stressful situations that arise from the condition, as well as to establish behavior modifications and new healthy patterns of behavior.

In therapy, clients can talk through how the disorder is affecting their home life and career, and a plan can be put in place to effectively strategize, set goals and structure their lives around the disorder.

Christian-Based ADHD Therapy

Therapists can assist the individual with ADHD to understand the restlessness inside that threatens to capsize them. Many sufferers turn to Christian therapists who provide not only the traditional psychological approach but are able to offer spiritual counsel. The support not only the mind but for the soul is a more holistic approach for the adult with ADHD.

The guidance laid out in the Scriptures can help adults to find a lasting solution to their condition as they draw strength from a fortified faith. The Christian therapist works with the teachings of the Bible to help the adult with ADHD strengthen their inner resolve by laying a foundation of beliefs and values that the person can hold onto in trying times. If you are disconnected from life, your loved one, and your God, ADHD can feel even more overwhelming and impossible to control.

If you are an adult struggling with the effects of ADHD in the Seattle area, I am a Christian therapist who is passionate and skilled in assisting adults with ADHD. We examine where your “downloaded messages” are coming from as well as understanding Christian culture versus the Biblical world.

I encourage the empowerment that comes from building an interpersonal relationship between the Holy Spirit and our spirit. I love helping clients grow in their personal and spiritual maturity. I believe in prayer as action and prayer with action and would love to help you find a way through the challenges of you or your loved one’s ADHD.

By your endurance, you will gain your lives. – Luke 21:19