Early assessment gives children the best chance to learn, connect and thrive. These pages are written for parents and teachers.
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
Does your child find it impossible to sit still, lose things every day, forget instructions, or get complaints from teachers despite being bright? ADHD is a brain-based condition of ongoing inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that starts before age 12 and shows up both at home and at school (ICD-11 6A05). It can continue into adulthood.
How common is it?
About 5–7 in 100 children and 2.5 in 100 adults. Boys are diagnosed about twice as often; girls are often missed because they tend to be quietly inattentive.
Who is at higher risk?
- A parent or sibling with ADHD (it is 70–80% inherited)
- Premature birth or low birth weight
- Smoking, alcohol or lead exposure during pregnancy
Signs & symptoms
- Inattention: careless mistakes, doesn't seem to listen, loses things, leaves homework unfinished, easily distracted
- Hyperactivity: fidgets, leaves seat, runs or climbs at wrong times, talks non-stop
- Impulsivity: blurts out answers, can't wait for a turn, interrupts others
What causes it?
Mainly genetic, with differences in the brain areas that control attention and self-control (prefrontal cortex) and in dopamine signalling. Poor parenting and sugar do not cause ADHD.
How to know if your child is struggling — you may relate if…
- Homework that should take 30 minutes takes 3 hours.
- His teacher says he's clever but never pays attention.
- She's always daydreaming and forgets what I just said.
How Mind Detox Centre helps
A complete ADHD assessment — parent and teacher rating scales, attention tests and IQ/learning screening — then behaviour therapy, parent training, classroom strategies for teachers, organisation-skills coaching for older children, and psychiatric referral for medication when needed.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can autism or ADHD be diagnosed?
Autism can often be identified by 18–24 months; ADHD is usually diagnosed from about age 5–6.
Will my child outgrow a learning disability?
SLD is lifelong, but with early remedial support children learn strategies and do well.
Is screen time a cause of autism?
No. But too much screen time can delay speech and attention, so limit it for all young children.