ADHD / ADD Support Group
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) are more common than you might think. It is a syndrome that exhibits symptoms such as hyperactivity, forgetfulness, mood shifts, poor impulse control, and distractibility. Join others who suffer from these conditions and share your experiences.
My son turned 4 in May of 09' and I think he could possibly have ADHD, but doctors say he's too young to know for sure. A lot of people tell me they think he does and I've done some research online. I think he has the hyperactivity part, if not the inatentiveness. He is constantly on the go. He hardly ever sits down, and when he does, it's only for a few seconds here and there. He can't be quiet for any amount of time, even if it's just sounds. So time outs would last ALL day if I kept to the rules I use for my daughter. (Stand in the corner quietly without for as many minutes as their age). The whole time he fidgits and makes noise. He's constantly jumping and running (even if he's staying in one place). Sometimes he gets so much energy that he'll stand shaking (like a wet dog does to get dry) while making noises. He also has an anger problem. He's very short tempered and can't control his anger. Sometimes he'll self punish. (Hitting, biting, pinching, scratching himself). I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I feel your pain. I too have a 4 year old that has similar traits. However, he doesn't self punish. He lashes out on his older and younger brothers. He gets very intense. He is a sweet little boy and just sometimes gets extremely intense and then goes way down into anger. One thing that I have a hard time with, being ADHD myself is having patience with him. What I have really seen all along is that he just wants attention. The misnomer about ADD/ADHD is that there is a lack of attention. That is not true at all. There is a ton of attention just not the ability to put it all together and retain it. My therapist talked to me about that.
I have 5 children and I am in no way perfect with patience. All I can really give you right now is hope that he may grow out of it. My therapist said that it is harder to diagnose little boys because little boys in nature are more ruff, hyper, etc.
One thing that you may want to look at is his diet. When do you notice that he acts out? Is it ever times when he is hungry? I have noticed that with my 4 year old. If he doesn't eat around the same time everyday or when he says he is hungry, he acts out. Could be a diet thing. I have heard a lot about that. Does he crave sugar/candy? I know that I do. Sometimes I cannot stop the impulse to binge on sugar. I always regret it later.
I then had a developmental behavior pediatrician tell me she "thinks" he has ADHD normal milestones w/disparate self regulation. He can't calm himself down reasonably when getting angry. NO ONE has yet to give me advice that I can use and I am so stressed out.
I now found a psychologist that specializes in diagnosing ADHD. He said you can absolutely tell whether or not a 4 year old has ADHD. He will be evaluating my son tomorrow (without me in the room) and promised to give me behavior strategy as well as whether or not he feels that I should consider medication at this age. I hope he comes through.
So....my advice would be to seek out a qualified professional that works with preschoolers who can evaluate whether or not your son has ADHD. Hopefully you can find someone covered under your insurance, which can be a challenge.
Good luck and stay strong.
Also, get any diagnosis in writing. It will help you get services for your son.