Question: Friends and family members have mentioned that both of my children may have ADHD. One child has trouble focusing while the other has more prominent behavior problems. Yet they are almost opposite in their personalities. Is it possible that they both have ADHD?
Answer: It is possible that more than one child in a family can share the same disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, like others, can be hereditary and has a higher likelihood of occurring more often in boys than girls. Sometimes when one child in a family has ADHD, his behaviors may cause problems amongst his siblings. The result may be a brother or sister appearing to share the same undesirable characteristics as the child with ADHD when in reality they are only reacting to the ADHD child's behaviors. You may have one child copying the other, as we know that younger children have a tendency to mimic and look up to their older siblings. Additionally, not all children with ADHD exhibit the same characteristics. One child's challenges may be in the area of learning while another child's difficulties may be behavioral. To truly be certain if your children have ADHD, a comprehensive evaluation must be administered.
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