Signs & Symptoms of Hyperactive Children

Inability to Focus

• Children with hyperactivity can have trouble focusing on and completing tasks. The inability to focus can become more apparent as the child enters school age, when completing work and reading in school becomes a priority. When children cannot stay focused on their work, a lifelong struggle to catch up to their peers may ensue. This can cause hyperactive children to feel like failures and to feel as though they have trouble succeeding in life.

Inability to Relax

• Hyperactive children often have a reduced ability to relax and calm themselves. This can be seen as restless, nervous or kinetic behaviors that can interfere with daily routines, such as sitting down to meals or attending church. Nervous, overactive behaviors can also stress the physical bodies of children, which can lead to a stressed immune system and a fatigued nervous system.

Excessive Talking

• When a child seems to have excessive talking, especially during inappropriate situations, he may have an issue with hyperactivity. Excessive talking can become a problem for hyperactive children when they are required to sit quietly in class at school or during church. Controlling excessive talking may be a challenge, especially for young children.

Temper Tantrums

• Hyperactive children typically have outbursts of anger where they can become overwhelmed with emotions. While temper tantrums are a normal behavior for toddlers and young children to have, children with hyperactivity often have temper tantrums even into adolescence. Hyperactive children may have very little self control and may have temper tantrums at the most inopportune times and places, such as at the grocery store or at a social function.

Inability to Listen

• Hyperactive children commonly seem to lack the ability to listen to given instructions or while in a conversation with others. This lack of listening skills can prevent hyperactive children from forming lasting friendships and can often lead to misbehavior. Many times hyperactive children can be mislabeled as having a hearing problem, such as an auditory processing dysfunction or deafness. These children may seem to "tune people out" and not respond when called or talked to.