Children with ADHD can thrive with parent-teacher support

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood, which often continues into adulthood.

ADHD includes a combination of persistent issues such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour.

Children with ADHD may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school.

They might daydream, lose things, squirm or fidget, talk too much, make careless mistakes, have a hard time resisting temptation and have difficulty getting along with others.

But that does not mean children with ADHD cannot succeed in school. There are many things both parents and teachers can do to help children with ADHD thrive in the classroom.

Symptoms sometimes decrease with age. Some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms, but can learn strategies to be successful.

ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children they're noticeable as early as three years of age. It occurs more often in male children.

The exact cause of ADHD is not clear but genetics, the environment or problems with the central nervous system might be the key factors.

Risk factors for ADHD may include blood relatives such as a parent or sibling with ADHD or another mental health disorder, exposure to environmental toxins such as lead, alcohol use or smoking during pregnancy and premature birth.

Sugar is a popular suspect in causing hyperactivity but there's no reliable proof of this.

To help reduce risk of ADHD, avoid anything that could harm foetal development, protect child from exposure to pollutants and toxins, including cigarette smoke and lead paint and limit screen time.

Deciding if a child has ADHD is a process with several steps, which include a checklist for rating ADHD symptoms and taking a history of the child from parents, teachers, and sometimes, the child.

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

In most cases, ADHD is best treated with a combination of behaviour therapy and medication. For preschool-aged children (4-5 years of age), behaviour therapy, particularly training for parents, is recommended as the first line of treatment before medication is tried.