ADHD is a confusing condition because it looks so different in kids of different ages. Preschoolers with ADHD can seem to be in constant motion, impervious to direction from their exhausted parents. In the lower grades, kids with ADHD may be popping out of their seats and interrupting the teacher, or too dreamy and distracted to finish that math worksheet. By middle school, they might be having trouble following the rules in sports or finding their homework — if they remembered to do it. By high school, ADHD is a more subtle and less visible challenge, affecting teens’ ability to manage their responsibilities and their social lives, too.

This week we round up resources on childmind.org focused on how ADHD affects children at different ages and what to do to help them at each stage. We look at what kind of support is appropriate for preschoolers who are hyperactive and how to tell whether challenges in the early grades are ADHD or immaturity. In the teenage years, we look at how to support kids struggling with organization and prone to risky behaviors, including how to help them learn to drive safely. And finally we offer tips for kids with ADHD, away from home for the first time, to thrive in college.

– Michelle Shih, Managing Editor | ✉