ADHD in ChildrenCOURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to the ADHD in Children course. This program is designed for parents, carers, educators, and support professionals who want a clear, evidence informed understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood. Throughout this course, you will explore what ADHD is and is not, how it affects childrens behaviour, learning, emotions, and relationships, and how to make sense of diagnosis, risk factors, co occurring

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the ADHD in Children course. This program is designed for parents, carers, educators, and support professionals who want a clear, evidence-informed understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood. Throughout this course, you will explore what ADHD is and is not, how it affects children’s behaviour, learning, emotions, and relationships, and how to make sense of diagnosis, risk factors, co-occurring conditions, and the long-term implications for a child’s development and wellbeing.

This course begins by defining attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and placing it in context for children and families. This section explains what ADHD is, how common it is in the general population, and whether different types of ADHD exist based on patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This section also introduces the core symptoms of ADHD in children, the age at which ADHD most often surfaces, the question of whether children “outgrow” ADHD, and how examples from well-known public figures with ADHD can help reduce stigma and challenge the idea that a diagnosis means a child cannot thrive.

The neurobiology and underlying causes of ADHD are then explored to help demystify why some children are affected and others are not. This section examines what parts of the brain are affected in ADHD, where in the brain neurotransmitters have their effects, and what is currently known about genes involved in ADHD and the role of family history when a parent also has ADHD. This section also considers whether having ADHD means something is “fundamentally wrong” with the child’s brain, how genetic and non-genetic risk factors interact, whether a child is born with ADHD or it develops over time, and the influence of environmental factors such as screen time, head injuries or concussions, premature birth, iron-deficiency anaemia, frequent early ear infections, and other exposures that may increase vulnerability but do not by themselves “cause” ADHD.

Developmental patterns and everyday presentations of ADHD across childhood and adolescence are then considered. This section describes the typical risk factors, symptom patterns, and pathways to diagnosis, including at what age parents might begin to worry, whether ADHD can be diagnosed in preschool, and how symptoms may change as children mature into late childhood and adolescence. This section also discusses additional signs beyond traditional criteria, the ways ADHD symptoms in late adolescence can increase vulnerability to other problems, how to distinguish ADHD from general attention or activity differences, the effects of gender on how ADHD presents, and why some children with ADHD may react strongly when limits are set, appearing defiant or hostile.

Comprehensive assessment and accurate diagnosis are then examined so that families understand what a thorough evaluation should include and what to be cautious about. This section outlines the essential elements of a good ADHD evaluation, including history-taking, rating scales, school and family input, and observation across settings, and explains which professionals can be consulted for a proper diagnosis. This section also addresses whether ADHD can confidently be diagnosed in a brief consultation, the limitations of medical tests and brain scans, when psychoeducational or neuropsychological assessment is useful, concerns about over-diagnosis or changing prevalence figures, and how clinicians reconcile criteria that specify early-onset symptoms with situations where ADHD is first identified in a 13-year-old or older adolescent.

Associated conditions and the broader impact of ADHD on children’s lives are then explored in depth. This section explains the increased likelihood of co-occurring conditions in children with ADHD, including learning difficulties, motor coordination problems that can make children appear clumsy or averse to team sports, and repetitive behaviours such as nail biting, chewing clothing, or frequent blinking that may reflect tics, anxiety, or sensory habits. This section also examines how ADHD can intersect with anxiety disorders (including school-related anxiety), obsessive–compulsive symptoms, mood difficulties, oppositional or defiant patterns, friendship and peer problems, autistic spectrum conditions, and situations where a child has limited intellectual capabilities, highlighting how these combinations affect diagnosis, support planning, and everyday functioning.

By the end of this course, you will be able to describe what ADHD in children is, how common it is, and how it typically presents at different ages, while recognising that not all attention or behaviour difficulties are ADHD. You will understand the current thinking on brain differences, genetics, and environmental risk factors, what a thorough and responsible diagnostic process looks like, and why ADHD so often co-occurs with learning, emotional, behavioural, and neurodevelopmental conditions. Most importantly, you will be better equipped to interpret children’s behaviour through an informed and compassionate lens, ask the right questions of professionals, and contribute to more supportive, realistic expectations and strategies for children living with ADHD.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
• How common is ADHD?
• Do different types of ADHD exist?
• At what age does ADHD most often surface?
• Do children outgrow ADHD?
• The Core symptoms of ADHD in children
• What parts of the brain are affected in ADHD?
• Where in the brain do neurotransmitters have their effects?
• What genes are involved in ADHD?
• Does having ADHD mean that something is fundamentally wrong with the child’s brain?
• Which famous people who have or have had ADHD?
• The risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis of ADHD
• What causes ADHD?
• If a parent has ADHD, will the child also have it?
• Do non-genetic risk factors for ADHD exist?
• Is a child born with ADHD, or did it “develop?”
• Is this true that watching television for hours can cause ADHD?
• What other environmental factors may cause ADHD?
• Can a significant head injury or a minor concussion cause ADHD?
• Are children born prematurely at increased risk for ADHD?
• Is it common that a child with iron-deficiency anaemia is hyperactive rather than tired?
• Could the many ear infections the child had as a toddler be the cause of his ADHD?
• At what age might parents begin to worry about whether their child has ADHD? Can ADHD be diagnosed in Pre-school?
• Do the symptoms of ADHD change as children mature?
• Are there other signs of ADHD besides the ones traditionally used to establish the diagnosis?
• Do ADHD symptoms in late adolescence put the child at risk for other kinds of problems?
• Does everyone with attention problems or hyperactivity have ADHD?
• Does gender have an effect on ADHD in children?
• When I say no, the child overreacts and is defiant or hostile. Is that common for a child with ADHD?
• What are the essential elements of a thorough evaluation to diagnose ADHD?
• Whom do I consult to get a proper diagnosis of ADHD?
• Can doctors really make a diagnosis of ADHD in 30 minutes?
• Can medical tests reliably determine whether the child has ADHD?
• Is a psychoeducational or neuropsychological assessment really necessary?
• ADHD is becoming more frequent among school children. Is it being over-diagnosed?
• Since diagnostic criteria indicate that symptoms of ADHD are supposed to be present by 7 years of age, how can a doctor now suggest for the first time that a 13-year-old seventh grader has ADHD?
• Is a child with ADHD more susceptible to other disorders as well?
• The child is very clumsy and hates team sports. Is that a common problem in children with ADHD?
• A child with ADHD bites his nails, chews on his clothing, and frequently blinks his eyes. Is that part of his ADHD?
• Is the ADHD child’s anxiety about school due to poor academic performance, or can ADHD children have co-occurring anxiety disorder?
• How often do obsessive-compulsive disorder and ADHD co-occur?
• Are problems with mood also common in children with ADHD?
• Is the ADHD child’s stubbornness and defiance caused by ADHD or by another condition?
• Does the ADHD child have trouble making and keeping friends? Is this a common problem for ADHD children?
• A child had been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder. The doctor says he also has symptoms of ADHD. Can he have both?
• Can a child with limited intellectual capabilities have ADHD symptoms?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.