In fact, anyone who has been diagnosed with ADHD will tell you they don't necessarily have the same symptoms as others. While these two terms have been used in the past to describe the same condition, they aren’t technically the same thing. They can also advise on other strategies, tools, treatments, and resources that may be useful.Įven if medication is not used, you can learn more about the condition, ways to help your child cope, and support they can get at school.If you’ve spent any time exploring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, you’ve likely seen ADD used interchangeably with ADHD. Their doctor can help decide if medication would help. If left untreated, either condition can get worse, making it harder for your child at school, home, and in social situations. It’s important to talk to your child’s doctor if you believe they may have ADHD, anxiety, or both. When your child is restless, are they trying to manage nervous energy through pacing, leg shaking, etc.? Or are they unable to sit still, and driven as if they have a constantly running motor?.Be sure to share your family’s medical history with your child's doctor or pediatrician.

Does your child have relatives with anxiety? Anxiety can run in the family, so if family members have the condition, your child may have a higher risk of also having the disorder.

When your child is distracted, are they having trouble focusing due to noises and sounds around them or hung up with worries?.

When your child is struggling to complete schoolwork or tasks, are they fearful, struggling with perfectionism, or unable to get motivated and organized to get the work done?.

Behaviors to Look Out ForĬonsider the following when trying to figure out if your child has ADHD, anxiety, or both: This means a child always has the condition, but symptoms and challenges may be highlighted more at developmental stages of life.

But ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the way a child’s brain functions. A child with anxiety may struggle with homework because they are fixated on worries or struggling with perfectionism – so they are too scared to start or fail.Īnxiety disorders in children can be sparked by a sudden life change – such as divorce, death in the family, moving to a new home, etc. While children with ADHD and anxiety may have some overlapping or similar symptoms, they can be caused by different reasons.įor example, a child with ADHD may have trouble focusing on homework due to distractions around them like noise. Have trouble processing concepts or ideas.Feel uncomfortable in social situations.Have trouble focusing and concentrating to complete a task.That’s because while those conditions can cause a kid to act out in obvious ways, anxiety disorders are often internalized, or contained to thoughts and feelings. It can be harder to notice anxiety disorders than behavior disorders that are disruptive. There is a significant overlap in kids with ADHD and some kind of anxiety disorder, whether it’s generalized anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a phobia such as social anxiety, or other types.ĪDHD and generalized anxiety disorder can cause a child to have similar symptoms or challenges, making it hard to tell which of the conditions they may have or if they have both. Whether your child is dealing with ADHD or ADHD and anxiety, it’s important to understand the root cause of the symptoms so you can find the best way of helping your child cope with them. Some symptoms of anxiety – such as restlessness and poor concentration – can also be misdiagnosed as ADHD. Some anxiety disorders – including generalized anxiety disorder - can be hard to spot in children because symptoms include internal thoughts and feelings that don’t always result in outward behavior. Children with anxiety and ADHD may have a hard time with working memory, sleep, and other life skills. Sometimes a child may have both ADHD and anxiety, and other times children are misdiagnosed with ADHD when they have anxiety.Īccording to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 3 out of 10 children with ADHD have anxiety as well. Many children with ADHD – or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – also have other mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions including generalized anxiety disorder.

Difference between add and adhd