Like an Overflowing Laundry Basket: This Is What Happens in the Brain of a Child With ADHD

Like an Overflowing Laundry Basket: This Is What Happens in the Brain of a Child With ADHD

Understanding ADHD is key to supporting those who live with it. What may appear as disorganization or impulsiveness is actually rooted in the way the brain functions differently.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been receiving more attention in recent years. Decades ago, children and adults with ADHD were often labeled as disorganized, restless, poorly behaved, or inattentive. Today, we understand that ADHD isn't a behavior issue, but a difference in how the brain functions.

So, what's actually happening inside the brain of a child with ADHD? Kristin Wilcox, PhD, who has researched ADHD medications at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and is also the parent of a child with ADHD, explains it in Psychology Today.

Understanding ADHD Symptoms

Signs of ADHD often surface early, even in preschool, but become especially noticeable during the school years. The most common symptoms include:

  • Impulsiveness
  • Distractibility
  • Difficulty with schoolwork
  • Restlessness and hyperactivity
  • Emotional challenges
  • Intense emotional reactions

What's Going on in the ADHD Brain?

Around 3-5% of children are affected by ADHD, with boys more frequently diagnosed. Experts link ADHD to a neurobiological imbalance, specifically lower levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, key brain chemicals. Brain scans show that dopamine rich areas like the prefrontal cortex are particularly affected.

Dopamine influences attention and drives novelty seeking or risk-taking behaviors. This explains why children with ADHD are often drawn to high adrenaline activities like rock climbing or hockey. These activities trigger a surge of dopamine and norepinephrine, helping them focus better.

Dopamine also fuels the constant search for stimulation in kids with ADHD. Their brains crave more intense experiences, making mundane tasks like sitting through a class feel unbearable.

The prefrontal cortex, which manages executive functions like planning, time management, and emotional control, is less efficient in kids with ADHD. This can make them appear inattentive or uncooperative, but their brains are simply overwhelmed with the mental "organizing" required to complete tasks.

Many describe their brain as feeling like an overstuffed laundry basket, overflowing with thoughts and tasks, making it hard to focus on just one thing.