Forgetful, Distracted Kids May Have ADHD : Reports
HYDERABAD: If your child “studied all night but forgot everything during the test” or “is always late for school, no matter how early you start,” it may not be carelessness or laziness. Doctors say such behaviour could signal Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a neurological condition that affects focus, organisation and time management.
Children with ADHD often misplace books, forget instructions, miss deadlines or underestimate time. These everyday struggles, frequently mistaken for indiscipline, stem from differences in brain functioning that affect attention, memory and motivation.
“Children with ADHD are easily distractible, have trouble finishing tasks, show poor organisation and forgetfulness and frequently lose things,” said Dr Charan Teja Koganti, a psychiatrist. He explained that the condition is linked to low or irregular levels of dopamine and norepinephrine — neurotransmitters that control focus, motivation, and reward. “The prefrontal cortex, which manages executive functions like planning, inhibition and sustained attention, is less efficiently activated in ADHD,” he said.
“Two types of memory are impacted in different ways. Episodic memory — events and experiences — is usually intact, but recall is inconsistent. Semantic memory — facts and knowledge — may be indirectly affected. Children may forget what they’ve just studied, fail to recall details of conversations or instructions, and remember only information that emotionally engages them,” he explained.
Another hallmark difficulty, he noted, is “time blindness,” which arises from impaired executive functioning. “Poor time estimation, procrastination and difficulty prioritising tasks make them perpetually late and anxious at deadlines,” he said.
Dr Vishal Akula, professor and head of psychiatry at Government Medical College, Jagtial, said children with ADHD struggle to perceive and sequence time accurately. “Their internal clock is often slower or inconsistent due to dopaminergic dysfunction in fronto-striatal circuits,” he said. “This affects their ability to follow multi-step instructions, meet deadlines, or complete timed classroom tasks. Such children often misjudge how long a task will take — either overestimating, which frustrates them, or underestimating, which makes them rush or skip steps,” he added.
Despite these challenges, doctors say ADHD does not imply a lack of intelligence. “Children with ADHD are bright, but their academic performance often doesn’t match their potential,” said Dr M. Hrishikesh, associate professor of child psychiatry at Niloufer Hospital. “Their selective attention — doing well only when deeply interested — leads others to label them lazy, which is unfair. Forgetting school projects or misplacing stationery is common, but that’s no measure of ability.”
Experts emphasise that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, not a behavioural flaw. With early diagnosis, medication, behavioural therapy and skill training, children can learn to manage their symptoms and perform to their true potential. “Understanding that these children are not careless but neurologically different is the first step to helping them thrive,” Dr Hrishikesh said.
