Hi everyone

I'm just wondering when Dr will consider a diagnosis of ADD...what has been your experience with Dr etc?
I know some of you on this board are familiar...
Zach is only 2.5 but I worry about him
He is very smart....was talking by 1yr old and now has a very very extensive vocabulary (everyone we meet comments on how well he speaks)
He is extremely hyper ALL the time...I am constantly telling him to take it easy/SLOW down
He literally runs around the house in circle, jogs in place, jumps in place, hurls himself on the coach, pants when talking...his head really seems like it is spinning in a million different directions
If we try to sit with him and go over numbers/colors he has NO attn span
At night though he will sit in my lap for about 20-30min and read Thomas books
He is able to watch TV/movie at night before bed
I'm worried because I've always felt I might have mild ADD
I was never ever able to concentrate in school (I never got anything out of classes, but studied on my own) and even now I can't sit through a movie w/ out my mind wandering or getting up to do something else..have trouble sleeping etc
Are there any sure fire signs...when should I worry??
How do you know what's normal toddler stuff?

Well...I guess it all depends on the doctor. Z's doctor said kids are usuually diagnosed by the age of seven..since they get older and start school is when you can really tell.

The little boy next door was diagnosed at age 2 and started meds at 3.

So it depends on the doctor and also you and whether or not you are willing and or choosing to medicate Zach at his age. It is very tough though because none of the meds come in liquid form.


Here is some signs you may find useful!
http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/symptoms_add_adhd.htm

Brianna was diagnosed in 3rd grade with ADHD. I guess it depends on the dr and the parents willingness to admit there is a problem. I didn't want to admit it until her grades were affected.She was talking very well by the time she was a year she also tied her shoes at a year. She is very hyper I have to tell her a hundred times a day to stop running or jumping. At one point in time during last summer she was jumping off the back of my couch. They do tests on them. They give everyone who is in constant contact with the child. It's more like a survey about what the child is doing. Well that is it I think. I would talk to the dr about it.

I am not sure Kim, I think about it for Parker all the time LOL, he can be so hyper. My elder son is completely different. Thats why I am going to do what you suggested and try the failsafe diet when we get back from holiday, it basically says that every symptom Parker has with the food allergies can be related- so I think it is worth a try. Maybe you should talk to your friend who has tried it and see if they would reccommend it.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone
I will discuss this with his ped at his next check-up...I don't think i would do anything about it at this time
Rachel...let me know how the diet goes!

Ohhhh...I also wanted to add I read flax seed oil and omega 3's are good for kids with ADD
Does anyone give their child supplements?

Just calorie supplements..since he has lost some weight from them! He is 42 pounds and will be 7 in a few days:(

FYI....info from a friend

look for a brand of fish oil that is very pure (because of potential mercury issues). I have been using Nordic Naturals for my daughter, though I know other people use other brands.

Here is their website:

www.nordicnaturals.com

They have a lot of information on their website, but they also have a lot of products, and it can be confusing. I chose the Pro-Efa product, because they have been used in a lot of clinical studies.

Just calorie supplements..since he has lost some weight from them! He is 42 pounds and will be 7 in a few days:(

I weighed 40 lbs when I was 7. Skinny kids do grow up to be normal-sized adults, lol.

Totally irrelevant, I know ... :toothy10:

I wouldnt believe any doctor that diagnosed and medicated ANY child for ADD at age 2 or 3. I believe it is a label FAR too overused for a child with energy. There are a lot of factors that are involved with a child that should be taken into consideration like how much exercise do they get, how much time do they spend in fron of the tv, computer or video games, how much sugar do they eat, etc.. Jumping off the back of the couch (or trying to before being told to get down) can be totally normal behavior for most preschoolers.

I was a elementary school/middle school teacher for 5 years before becoming a mom and taught special education for a year during that time. I believe it is way over diagnosed. I heard Dr Sears has a great book out called the ADD book. It explains everything about ADD/ADHD and the different treatment options. I would recommend it because he will always take the natural approach first, and I think it would even help kids who struggle without having a diagnosed problem.

Thanks
Here is a link I found...just an FYI....
I hope Zach is just a little genius in the making :)
This is just something in the back of my mind right now..I could be way OFF base
I am curious to see what happens when he starts daycare (2, 1/2 days per week) in Jan)

http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/e_article000609244.cfm?x=b7Cr9j7,b1kJpvRw

BTW I meant to add to my opinion on what contributes to it being overdiagnosed today--because 5 and 6 year olds are being forced to sit at a desk all day and learn skills that are developmentally inappropriate for many of them. Having to sit still all day and accomplish tasks that are above where they are at developmentally would set up many kids to appear to have attention problems without actually having them. In reality, they may be just an energetic 5 or 6 year old who needs activities in which they can use their energy.

I am not saying that I dont think real add/adhd exists, because I know it does. I just think that just because a child has a large amount of energy doesnt mean they need medication. All children were wired differently and learn differently at different paces. I find that many schools today are trying to make kids all learn the same way and if a child doesnt fit into that mold, they are given a label and a medication and sent on their way. I think it is wrong.

Okay I am steeping down from my soapbox now!:wink:

BTW I meant to add to my opinion on what contributes to it being overdiagnosed today--because 5 and 6 year olds are being forced to sit at a desk all day and learn skills that are developmentally inappropriate for many of them. Having to sit still all day and accomplish tasks that are above where they are at developmentally would set up many kids to appear to have attention problems without actually having them. In reality, they may be just an energetic 5 or 6 year old who needs activities in which they can use their energy.

I am not saying that I dont think real add/adhd exists, because I know it does. I just think that just because a child has a large amount of energy doesnt mean they need medication. All children were wired differently and learn differently at different paces. I find that many schools today are trying to make kids all learn the same way and if a child doesnt fit into that mold, they are given a label and a medication and sent on their way. I think it is wrong.

Okay I am steeping down from my soapbox now!:wink:

I couldn't have said that better! I agree with you 100% on that comment!

In this day and age it is what is easiest for the teacher! That is why when we move and have all new docs and teachers..i will have Zachary re evaluated and see if behavioral therapy without meds would be appropriate for him...See now I need to stop because i will just end up in denial again that my child couldn't possibly have this even though i clearly know he does.

Often times it does end up being a treatment based on what makes the child fit into his classroom. I dont agree that it should be done this way. Classrooms should be tailored to meet each individual child's needs--not the other way around. Lately it seems as if schools are trying to change the child to meet their needs of having high test scores.

I know this is such a huge general statement, but I did teach in the public school system--it is not like I have never stepped foot in a school and I say these things. For example, I had a student in my 4th grade class, we will call him "Fred"(!). Fred had A LOT of energy. He could not sit still to save his life. He was really SMART and he was really likeable-- he had a lot of friends. He got kicked out of schools because he couldnt sit in his chair for more than a minute. His mom did not want to medicate him--she felt like he just was an active boy. He would try so hard to sit still and pay attention but he couldnt if he wasnt moving. So I gave him an area in the back of the room, with an imaginary tape line, where I put his desk. He sat alone behind the class and he had permission to stand and walk around his area whenever he wanted to, as long as he was quiet and listening. When he was going particularly crazy, I sent him outside to run once around the track, then he was to come back. It worked so great. He got great grades, and his mom said he was the happiest he had ever been. Now, he was never tested for ADD because his mom wasnt interested in medicating him. He did still get great grades. But it was the point that this great child had been kicked out of school after school because he couldnt sit in his chair like a robot all day. You gave him the opportunity to move-- without meds-- and he was fine.

Of course, some parents and teachers want their kid to fit a cookie cutter mold and therefore they medicate. I am not saying it is easy having a child that cant sit still. I have seen kids that genuinely NEED the med and do really well on it. I just think it should be more carefully evaluated, more careful than it is today.