Why Is My Child So Hyper? ADHD vs. High Energy

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns of ADHDADHD vs. High EnergyOther ExplanationsHow to Help Your Child

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Signs of ADHD

ADHD vs. High Energy

Other Explanations

How to Help Your Child

All kids seem to have those moments where they are bouncing off the walls. However, there are times you might wonder whether your child has high energy or if their behavior might be a sign of ADHD. Many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are very energetic. However, high energy alone is not enough to warrant a diagnosis.

It’s also important to recognize that children with some forms ofADHDare not high-energy at all. Primarily inattentive type ADHD, historically known as ADD, may manifest itself in low energy combined with inattentiveness and other symptoms.

So when might a child with lots of energy be diagnosed with ADHD? To qualify for the diagnosis, a child must have a chronic, pervasive problem with their ability to regulate activity level and impairment in their ability to inhibit and control impulses.

Impairment of functioning or learning is key to differentiating ADHD from normal activity. If a child has high energy but can behave and perform well at school, they likely do not have ADHD.

Hyperactivity and the other primary characteristics of impulsivity, and inattention are just the tip of the iceberg forkids who have ADHD.

Common signs of ADHD:Blurting out answers in classFidgeting, restlessness, and an inability to sit stillAlways on the goTalking excessivelyInterrupting others and being unable to wait their turnDifficulty paying attention to detailsSeeming to not listen when spoken toDoes not follow instructions or finish tasksProblems organizing activities

Common signs of ADHD:

Blurting out answers in classFidgeting, restlessness, and an inability to sit stillAlways on the goTalking excessivelyInterrupting others and being unable to wait their turnDifficulty paying attention to detailsSeeming to not listen when spoken toDoes not follow instructions or finish tasksProblems organizing activities

Checklist for ADHD Symptoms in Kids

There can be additional traits that may not be as obvious. For example, some signs of ADHD impact the following areas of development:

Information Processing

Children with ADHD often have difficulty processing information.With the hyperactive example, it may be that the individual has trouble slowing down enough to process information accurately. This can create problems in a classroom setting where students are expected to quickly and accurately make sense of and respond to instruction.

Emotional Regulation

Children with ADHD become frustrated and overwhelmed very easily and have trouble regulating their emotions.These symptoms can interfere with social relationships, leading to a sense of isolation andlowered self-esteem.

Executive Function

Children with ADHD usually struggle withexecutive functionissues like organizing, planning, prioritizing, paying attention and remembering details.These issues can become problematic in a range of settings. Even in after-school sports, team members are expected to come prepared, remember what they were taught, and show up on time.

Maturity

Children with ADHD also tend to be less mature developmentally than their same-age peers. Thus, an 11-year-old with ADHD may think and behave more like a young child than like a rising teenager.

This means that even as teens, kids with ADHD may lack the judgment they need to make good choices aboutfriendships, risk-taking, and potentially harmful activities.

ADHD Symptoms in Children

Distinguishing ADHD From High Energy

For neurotypical kids, energy levels tend to come in bursts. They’ll have high energy for a while, but it eventually dissipates. For kids with ADHD, high-energy levels tend to be more persistent.

ADHDUnable to sit stillImpulsiveDifficulty controlling emotionsTrouble paying attentionHigh Energy LevelsRestlessAlways busyAble to manage impulsesAble to pay attention

ADHDUnable to sit stillImpulsiveDifficulty controlling emotionsTrouble paying attention

Unable to sit still

Impulsive

Difficulty controlling emotions

Trouble paying attention

High Energy LevelsRestlessAlways busyAble to manage impulsesAble to pay attention

Restless

Always busy

Able to manage impulses

Able to pay attention

While the core traits that define ADHD can include hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, not all kids (or adults) with ADHD will have these symptoms in the same way or to the same degree. You will undoubtedly see changes in how the characteristics manifest or present as they go through different stages of life.

ADHD Combined Type

Other Reasons Your Child Might Be Hyperactive

ADHD might explain why your child is so hyperactive, but there are also other reasons why your child might be experiencing very high energy levels. Some other potential causes include:

If your child is struggling with hyperactivity, talk to their doctor. Your child’s pediatrician can evaluate their symptoms, rule out other conditions, make a diagnosis, and recommend treatments and coping strategies that can help.

How to Help Kids Deal With High Energy

Whether your child is experiencing hyperactivity stemming from ADHD or has very high energy levels, there are several strategies you can use to help them cope.

Takeaways

If you are concerned about your child’s high energy levels, talk to their doctor. They can look at their symptoms and better determine if what they are experiencing is linked to ADHD, a medical or mental health condition, or some other cause.

For a child with ADHD, there is much more involved than simply being active and full of energy. Any time you have concerns about your child’s development, it’s always a good idea to check in with your pediatrician.

Parenting Strategies for Kids With ADHD

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kóbor A, Takács Á, Bryce D, et al.Children with adhd show impairments in multiple stages of information processing in a stroop task: an erp study.Dev Neuropsychol.2015;40(6):329-47. doi:10.1080/87565641.2015.1086770Lugo-candelas C, Flegenheimer C, Mcdermott JM, Harvey E.Emotional understanding, reactivity, and regulation in young children with ADHD symptoms.J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2017;45(7):1297-1310. doi:10.1007/s10802-016-0244-7Pineda-alhucema W, Aristizabal E, Escudero-cabarcas J, Acosta-lópez JE, Vélez JI.Executive function and theory of mind in children with adhd: a systematic review.Neuropsychol Rev. 2018;28(3):341-358. doi:10.1007/s11065-018-9381-9Humphreys KL, Tottenham N, Lee SS.Risky decision-making in children with and without ADHD: A prospective study.Child Neuropsychol.2018;24(2):261-276. doi:10.1080/09297049.2016.1264578Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Hyperthyroidism.US National Library of Medicine.Stresses in childhood.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kóbor A, Takács Á, Bryce D, et al.Children with adhd show impairments in multiple stages of information processing in a stroop task: an erp study.Dev Neuropsychol.2015;40(6):329-47. doi:10.1080/87565641.2015.1086770Lugo-candelas C, Flegenheimer C, Mcdermott JM, Harvey E.Emotional understanding, reactivity, and regulation in young children with ADHD symptoms.J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2017;45(7):1297-1310. doi:10.1007/s10802-016-0244-7Pineda-alhucema W, Aristizabal E, Escudero-cabarcas J, Acosta-lópez JE, Vélez JI.Executive function and theory of mind in children with adhd: a systematic review.Neuropsychol Rev. 2018;28(3):341-358. doi:10.1007/s11065-018-9381-9Humphreys KL, Tottenham N, Lee SS.Risky decision-making in children with and without ADHD: A prospective study.Child Neuropsychol.2018;24(2):261-276. doi:10.1080/09297049.2016.1264578Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Hyperthyroidism.US National Library of Medicine.Stresses in childhood.

Kóbor A, Takács Á, Bryce D, et al.Children with adhd show impairments in multiple stages of information processing in a stroop task: an erp study.Dev Neuropsychol.2015;40(6):329-47. doi:10.1080/87565641.2015.1086770Lugo-candelas C, Flegenheimer C, Mcdermott JM, Harvey E.Emotional understanding, reactivity, and regulation in young children with ADHD symptoms.J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2017;45(7):1297-1310. doi:10.1007/s10802-016-0244-7Pineda-alhucema W, Aristizabal E, Escudero-cabarcas J, Acosta-lópez JE, Vélez JI.Executive function and theory of mind in children with adhd: a systematic review.Neuropsychol Rev. 2018;28(3):341-358. doi:10.1007/s11065-018-9381-9Humphreys KL, Tottenham N, Lee SS.Risky decision-making in children with and without ADHD: A prospective study.Child Neuropsychol.2018;24(2):261-276. doi:10.1080/09297049.2016.1264578Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Hyperthyroidism.US National Library of Medicine.Stresses in childhood.

Lugo-candelas C, Flegenheimer C, Mcdermott JM, Harvey E.Emotional understanding, reactivity, and regulation in young children with ADHD symptoms.J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2017;45(7):1297-1310. doi:10.1007/s10802-016-0244-7

Pineda-alhucema W, Aristizabal E, Escudero-cabarcas J, Acosta-lópez JE, Vélez JI.Executive function and theory of mind in children with adhd: a systematic review.Neuropsychol Rev. 2018;28(3):341-358. doi:10.1007/s11065-018-9381-9

Humphreys KL, Tottenham N, Lee SS.Risky decision-making in children with and without ADHD: A prospective study.Child Neuropsychol.2018;24(2):261-276. doi:10.1080/09297049.2016.1264578

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Hyperthyroidism.

US National Library of Medicine.Stresses in childhood.

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Common signs of ADHD:#

Information Processing#

Emotional Regulation#

Executive Function#

Maturity#

Distinguishing ADHD From High Energy#

Other Reasons Your Child Might Be Hyperactive#

How to Help Kids Deal With High Energy#

Takeaways#