Kids and teens are often misdiagnosed with ADHD when they are actually experiencing anxiety. ADHD and anxiety have similar symptoms which include restlessness, inability to concentrate or focus, fidgeting and many others.
Kids struggle with anxiety due to home issues or problems at school or with their peers. They can be victims of abuse and not feel safe to express their emotions, keeping them in a constant state of anxiety, which can lead to a false diagnosis of ADHD.
Tomorrow River Games has created Anxiety Cubes (a talk therapy game) for kids, teens and adults that addresses people, places and situations that trigger anxiety. Through talk therapy or with a facilitator, kids and teens are more likely to express whether or not they are experiencing anxiety, which can help them get the proper diagnosis.
If in doubt, use resources to help you get the most accurate information from kids and teens. They can be non-verbal at times and fearful of expressing what is really going on in their lives.