ADHD awareness is on the rise – yet it can still sometimes be tricky for parents and carers to know whether their child is affected or not. It’s estimated that 5% of children in the UK have ADHD, according to the charity ADHD UK. And while the condition has previously been stereotypically associated with ‘disruptive’ and ‘naughty’ behaviour, particularly in young boys, it is now understood to be far more complex and nuanced than that. “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts someone’s attention, their levels of hyperactivity and impulsivity,” explains Dr Seb Thompson, consultant clinical psychologist at Cygnet Health Care. “Typically when someone has ADHD, they tend to struggle with their attention, with hyperactivity and with impulsivity – although it is possible to just struggle with symptoms from one of those,” Thompson adds. Of course, no child has ‘perfect’ concentration all the time, and many kids can have impulsive moments or bouts of being a bit hyperactive. So, how do you know if they’re actually showing signs of ADHD? To mark October’s ADHD Awareness Month, we talked to some experts… ADHD does not always look the same There are some common patterns that crop up with ADHD, however it can also affect individuals very differently. So, if another child has similar behavioural traits to yours and has had a diagnosis, that does not necessarily mean your child has ADHD too. At the same time, children could have very different behavioural traits, yet both have ADHD. “Every child with ADHD will probably struggle with a unique set of difficulties,” explains Georgia Chronaki, senior lecturer in developmental neuroscience at University of Central Lancashire. “[For example] One child might struggle with paying attention in class, another may struggle with managing their emotions.” They find being still and quiet really hard It may be a stereotype, but uncontrollable fidgeting could be an indicator of possible ADHD. Thompson explains: “The hyperactivity and impulsivity difficulties associated with ADHD could include being unable to sit still without fidgeting, excessive restlessness, finding the quiet to be uncomfortable, difficulty engaging in tasks quietly, difficulties in turn-taking, impulsively saying or doing things without thinking through consequences, as well as a tendency not to consider the risks of behaviour.”Your child is often forgetful and loses things easilyThompson says if they are “frequently misplacing or losing items, being easily distracted, appearing to be daydreaming, and having difficulties remembering to do tasks and difficulties following through with instructions”, it may be linked with ADHD. You can tell your child is struggling If your child seems to be finding things a struggle, this could be a big indicator. “Imagine really wanting to pay attention to a conversation that is happening but your brain is not letting you,” says Thompson. “Imagine really wanting to focus on your homework, but your brain is not letting you. Imagine really wanting to sit and watch a TV programme, or sit and eat a meal, or sit and relax and your brain is not letting you. “The world can be a very frustrating place for young people with ADHD, particularly if they do not understand why their brain works in the way it does.” They seem down or depressed Thompson adds that kids with ADHD “can often suffer with low self-esteem, depression and anxiety”. He explains: “Young people who get frustrated by their difficulties may stop trying at school, or lose interest in their hobbies because they can’t sustain the attention to take part.” Seeking advice If any of these things are impacting your child’s wellbeing and making things seem hard for them, or if you are concerned they may have ADHD, then it may be worth seeking professional support. Diagnoses are typically given by specialist ADHD assessment teams, and referrals tend to be made via schools or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Naomi Campbell on the catwalk at Sarah Burton’s final Alexander McQueen show This is how your make-up needs change as you age Victorian dahlia show recreated at Stonehenge with thousands of flowers

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It appears that Travis Kelce is supporting Taylor Swift’s upcoming 1989 album re-release with a very fitting outfit. The Kansas City Chiefs star was seen leaving with the Grammy-winning musician on Sunday 24 September, after Swift was spotted cheering for Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Following the game, which saw the Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 41-10, the rumoured couple were filmed leaving Arrowhead Stadium together by sports anchor Jarred Payton. In the clip, which has been viewed more than 12m times, Kelce is spotted wearing a blue and white splatter paint denim suit by the brand KidSuper Studios. However, eagle-eyed fans noticed that the name for the denim suit seemed to pay homage to Swift’s forthcoming album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which is due for re-release on 27 October. “Travis Kelce wore a ‘1989 Bedroom Painting’ matching set piece tonight leaving Arrowhead Stadium with Taylor Swift, very timely for #1989TaylorsVersion,” wrote one fan on X, formerly known as Twitter. The cream denim suit jacket, which retails for $295, and the matching denim pants, which cost $285, appeared to be labelled on the KidSuper website as “1989 Bedroom Painting Denim Jacket” and “1989 Bedroom Painting Denim Pants”. The Brooklyn-based menswear label seemed to have made the change from “Bedroom Painting” to “1989 Bedroom Painting” after the NFL star was spotted with the 1989 musician at Sunday’s game. On X, the brand wrote: “Look at the name change haha”. The rumoured couple were then seen leaving the stadium in Kelce’s convertible in photos and videos posted on social media. What’s more, fans couldn’t help but notice that Kelce, much like Swift, was also born in 1989. Throughout the game, the “Shake It Off” singer was often seen enthusiastically cheering on the tight end in the Arrowhead Stadium box seats. Swift sat next to Kelce’s mother, Donna, as she appeared to yell “let’s f***ing go” in response to Kelce’s third-quarter touchdown reception. Her appearance at the NFL game comes amidst much speculation that Swift and Kelce are dating. Romance rumours first circulated when the NFL star admitted that he tried to give the “Bad Blood” singer his number at a recent Eras Tour concert. Kelce’s brother, fellow football star Jason Kelce, later fueled speculation when he claimed that rumours the pair are dating are “100 per cent true”. While Kelce encouraged fans to stop asking his “brother about [his] dating life,” he did reveal that he reached out to Swift and asked if she’d want to attend one of his football games. “I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court,” Kelce said on the The Pat McAfee Show last week. “I told her, you know, I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead [Stadium], you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit. So, we’ll see what happens in the near future.” Most recently, Swift was linked to The 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Prior to their short-lived romance, which came to an end in June, she and British actor Joe Alwyn called it quits after six years of dating. Meanwhile, Kelce was previously in an on-again, off-again relationship with ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole for five years. The former couple reportedly ended their long-term relationship in 2022. Read More Witness claims Taylor Swift paid for entire restaurant to eat and leave for her and Travis Kelce Taylor Swift fans giddy as pop star cheers on ‘new boyfriend’ Travis Kelce at Kansas City game Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce seen together for first time leaving NFL game Witness claims Taylor Swift bought out restaurant for her and Travis Kelce Taylor Swift spotted alongside Kansas City star’s mother amid dating rumours Taylor Swift fans giddy as pop star spotted enthusiastically cheering on Travis Kelce