You don’t have to be ADHD to struggle with attention and concentration issues. Attention struggles come in many forms and manifest differently depending on the person’s age and gender.
The Root Cause: Weak attention skills
Types of Attention:
Sustained: staying on task for an amount of time
Selective: staying on task while being subjected to distractions
Divided: staying on task while doing two or more things at once
The Symptoms:
For boys, it’s common for them to be fidgety or squirmy while seated, or to frequently leave their seat to walk around. They may be prone to excessive chatter or climbing on things. They may be impatient, interrupt frequently, and have difficulty waiting for their turn.
For girls, it’s common to see them struggle with things like listening to directions and following through with those directions. They tend to make careless errors, struggle with paying attention to details, and may have difficulty with organizational skills and/or messiness.
For adults, ADHD often manifests in symptoms of disorganization, trouble completing projects, or staying focused on a task. They tend to procrastinate, can be forgetful, and make careless mistakes.