At what age did specific symptoms of ADHD peak for your kid?

[Anonymous]

I am wondering at what age certain ADHD symptoms tend to peak on average. Could people share when certain symptoms started to peak and get better? And I realize this is a long road....so some symptoms may be their worst at age 18 or something......

Wondering specifically about these symptoms:
-- Hyperactivity
-- Impulsivity
-- Inattention
-- Disorganization
-- Poor time management
-- Low frustration tolerance
-- Poor planning

[Anonymous]

Could you share the age of your DC?

[Anonymous]

I can't remember the speech or paper to cite, but Russell Barkley says that hyperactivity is typically the earliest symptom to subside (by the teen years).

[Anonymous]

4 this OP is from yesterday....

[Anonymous]

I noticed signs around 3, became more obvious at 5, diagnosed at 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I noticed signs around 3, became more obvious at 5, diagnosed at 6.

Oh geez, nevermind! Misread your question.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how accurate this is, but according to this website
https://healthinfo.healthengine.com.au/adhd-recognising-the-symptoms

At what age are symptoms of ADHD the worst?
The symptoms of hyperactivity are typically most severe at age 7 to 8, gradually declining thereafter. Peak severity of impulsive behaviour is usually at age 7 or 8. There is no specific age of peak severity for inattentive behaviour.

How long do the symptoms of ADHD last?
Hyperactive symptoms tend to resolve by adolescence. Impulsive symptoms are more likely to endure throughout adulthood. Symptoms of inattention tend to be life long.

[Anonymous]

For us the inattention, disorganization and poor planning became obvious in middle school. The low frustration tolerance has always been there since about 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am wondering at what age certain ADHD symptoms tend to peak on average. Could people share when certain symptoms started to peak and get better? And I realize this is a long road....so some symptoms may be their worst at age 18 or something......

Wondering specifically about these symptoms:
-- Hyperactivity
-- Impulsivity
-- Inattention
-- Disorganization
-- Poor time management
-- Low frustration tolerance
-- Poor planning

My DH has ADHD. He was never medicated for it (he also has anxiety and is medicated for that).

He is successful at work and we have a good marriage. But he still shows
-low frustration tolerance
-inattentive in
-disorganization
-poor planning
-hyperactivity now is that he can’t ever just sit and watch TV - he’s always doing two things at once.

He loves his work and is able to hyper focus and is very successful. I run most other things in our life - pay all the bills, kids stuff, home stuff, vacations, cars, etc.

I imagine all of these were worse when he was younger - his siblings tell stories about a bad temper, lots of risky behavior, and losing things through high school. He grew out of his bad temper in high school so I am hoping my kids mature out of similar when they hit that point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't remember the speech or paper to cite, but Russell Barkley says that hyperactivity is typically the earliest symptom to subside (by the teen years).

How about impulsivity?

[Anonymous]

My DC is 9, not very inattentive, more hyperactive impulsive. What I would say is that at around 6 DC was less of a "energizer bunny" / automaton and was able to stop and breathe more. At the same time, paradoxically, i think that 6/7 is when the hyperactivity and impulsivity is the worst. This is because it stands out more glaringly against the peers who have moved on and settled down (this is why ADHD is most commonly diagnosed at 6). I noticed at 8 that the hyperactivity and impulsivity are improving and so is DC's self awareness of their symptoms. DC has been medicated since age 6.5.

[Anonymous]

I am PP and wanted to add that it seems like most of the requests for exec functioning coaches on this board to help with organization and planning/time management seem to come around middle school.

[Anonymous]

For my teen girl, she is much better at 15. 9 was the worst age for us. She is medicated now and wasn’t then but still, much improved. She went from hyperactive and emotionally dysregulated to stable but more day-dreamy/forgetful.

[Anonymous]

Wow this is so interesting. My 8 year old is more hyper than ever so I really hope this is the peak. We have recently seen an improvement in emotional regulation, hard to know it’s maturity or some of the other interventions we have going on.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know about peaking, but symptoms presented differently through the years.

Early and mid elementary- impulse control where the school was contacting me frequently about behavior issues.

He would bounce on a beanbag while watching tv

Middle school - no more school behavior issues with teachers or other kids, but impulse control work friends and making choices

High school- planning and organization when academics got more demanding. Things fell apart with classes and lack of executive functioning skills. More impulse control issues with making poor choices with friends.

He’s in HS now and still does two things at once while watching tv or a movie, but now it’s texting on his phone at the same time.

Also, he can hyper focus for hours on something when he’s interested and it’s like he can’t stop.