High Energy Child

Hi E.,

I think that ADD and ADHD are totally over diagnosed, though I do think that there are tendancies that kids have the follow that path, including general hyper behaviors as you're describing.

To mention, I've all but given up on allopathic (western-medicine) doctors who work in 10 minute intervals from patient to patient to come up with the most generic diagnoses and don't put much thought into it further. (I don't mean to come across as bitter or one-sided, but I honestly believe that to be true.) Ever since I started taking myself and my kids to a Naturopathic doctor, I've felt so much better about the medical attention and information that we get. (To note, naturopaths do vaccinations and well-child appts just the same as regular [allopathic] pediatricians.)

Back to the subject at hand, my 4-year old son had, and occassionally still has, ADHD tendencies, though I would not diagnose him with ADHD. I've done a bit of research about it on my own, as well as talked with our family naturopath and have found the following information really helpful.

Supplements: (Be sure to always talk to their doctors before taking any supplements.)
· Omegas 3 & 6 (Essential Fatty Acids): In addition to the many health benefits of EPA's and DHA's, including healthier brain and immune system functionality, studies have shown a link between children diagnosed with ADHD and deficiencies in EPA's and DHA's. Suggested daily doses are:
2 - 6 years old: 250 mg
7 - 11 years old: 500 mg
12 years old and up: 1,000 mg
· Calcium & Magnesium: Both of these minerals are key in proper cognitive brain function, in addition to having a calming effect. Magnesium deficiencies have specifically been linked to ADHD, as well as childhood depression and autism. Hyperactive children may actually need extra magnesium due to higher amounts of adrenalin. (Magnesium has really seemed to help my son a lot so far.)
· Pycnogenol (an extract of French maritime pine bark): This extract has been linked in studies to show a significant decrease in hyperactivity and inattention in children 6 to 14 years old. (from HerbClip - a publication of the American Botanical Council.)

Additional herbal remedies to help concentration:
· Gingko Biloba
· Ginseng
· Gotu Kola - (**Be careful if taking an medication for cholesterol, high blood pressure or any anti-depressants.)
· Valerian Root
· GABA** (Good for calming behavior)
· Chamomille** (")
· DMAE
· A good multi-vitamin high in vitamin C

Things to (try to) avoid:
Processed Foods!!: I've thought for many years that today's processed foods have a HUGE part to do with the increasing behavioral problems that we are seeing with kids, and there have been studies that have proven me right. It's unfortunately difficult to avoid unless you solely shop at PCC (or a similar grocery store) and never eat out. More specifically, trying to avoid foods with food additives (especially corn syrup), flavor enhancers (MSG), red & yellow food dyes (especially yellow dye #3 and red dye #5), unhealthy fats (trans fats, etc), and **SUGAR**.

(And finally,) Food Allergies:
Food allergies have also become increasingly common in kids, which I also partially contribute to processed foods. Since we found out my 4yo was allergic to wheat/gluten and removed it from his diet, it has made a SIGNIFICANT difference in his behavior and attention span. Other common food allergies are eggs, dairy, soy, corn & unfortunately, chocolate. It might be a good idea to have your son tested. Personally I think the blood test is more accurate, but you can talk to his pediatrician (or allergy specialist (if you go that route) about it more.

I highly suggest also doing your own research online or at the library, especially if you see a regular pediatrician. Often (and unfortunately) you will find a lot more information, and understand different perspectives on things to help YOU determine the right course for your child rather than trusting it to someone elses opinion. (Again, not trying to be so strong minded about it, just something to think about, as most people don't.)

I hope you find something in here helpful. Good luck to you!

2 moms found this helpful

I think it's funny....how many, if not most, of the things that are described negatively in children are usually described positively in adults. For example:

Child - - - - - - - - - - Adult
__________________________________________________________
Hyperactive - - - - - - - Vitality, passionate, driven

Poor transitions - - - - Focused, intense concentration

Sassy - - - - - - - - - - Quick witted

Backtalks - - - - - - - - Self assured, confident

Bossy - - - - - - - - - - Leadership

Doesn't ask permission - -Self starter

Anyhow...the list could go on and on and on. But we don't need to do that here. The pure simple fact is that half the stuff we want our kids to do, to make our lives easier, is the exact opposite of what we would want them to do as adults.

I think, a lot of the trick, is to see what they are like naturally and then channel it. My own son is super high energy...so we use it as much as possible. We just make it fun.

- Playing music while cleaning (he's been washing our windows, cupboards & cabinets since he was 3)turns it into jumping and dancing.
- Laundry is a race and a climb and a jump.
- Putting away clothes is a dramatization.
- He's started sweeping and mopping the floors this year
- Yard work is a treasure hunt.
- He helps cook almost every meal.
- ANYTHING can be a race.
- Times when he needs to be still and quiet, he pretends he's a spy pretending to be someone else.

We organized our house so that it's rough and tumble friendly (and he learned at an early age that different rules exist at different places). So while he can bounce on the bed here and at nana'a and at one of his friends houses, he can't jump off the couch at nana's and can't jump off the stairs at his friends, and can't run or jump or rough and tumble in any way at grandpa's. At one point when he was young we actually turned our living room into a gymnasium. Now that he's older (and we're getting our floors replaced in 3 years so we don't care about them), he can skateboard in the house.

All of this he has to ask permission for. He frequently gets it...and learned early on that "throwing a fit means you don't get what you want". We also practice common courtesy. Pleases, & thankyous, and if you're thirsty find out if anyone else is, etc. As such, even though he's a little hellion in reality...all the reports i get from people is how polite & thoughtful he is. Huh.

We also have him in a lot of sports. Gymnastics, swimming, aikido, soccer, basketball, teeball. He's not particularly good at any of them, but he's in heaven with this HUGE grin on his face the whole time. Also in my not-so-humble opinion (as a former competitive athlete) having fun is WAY more important then talent!!!

Our "downtime" in the day is usually centered around math or the computer, or movies, & he will put up with reading if he has to (sigh).

Montessori preschool was amazing for him. Public school was a nightmare...he needs to be moving his body less if his MIND is active. He had a challenging preschool and an abysmal public school. So we changed his schooling, and he loves it again.

Anyhow...this is my tale of a super active little boy & what has worked for us. What hasn't worked, or days where I want to pull my hair out/hire a bodyguard/or merely crawl back in bed and pull the covers over my head happen...we can leave for another time.

Have fun, & good luck.

2 moms found this helpful

Let me tell ya, my 2.5 year old is go!go!go! too. My mother bought me this book called "Eat This, Not That for Children.". In this book, I found out that red and yellow dies in foods cause hyperactivity and ADD in children (like yellow #5&6 and red 40). I was also feeding him a lot of it too, being mac and cheese is one of his favorite foods. These dyes are in tons of stuff but it is not hard to find food that are the same but don't contain those dyes. Lots of other products use veggie dyes. I stopped buying food with those dyes in them. It has made a bit of a difference. He seems to be listening better and focusing better. It might just be the age too but ya never know till you try!!

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You are lucky indeed to have a healthy active child. He does not have ADD he is simply an active boy.

Ask me about my live-in twin godsons, I know what active boys are like.

Have you tried removing food dyes from his diet?

Does he take a GOOD daily vitamin?

Does he take extra B complex 250 mg B1?

Does he get to get out and run each day?

Try some cal-mag from this site ____@____.com It is a natural calming drink.

Stay away from TV. Get him outside. Have him ride his bike in circle around dad and little sister at the park.

Regular preschool might not be the right place for him. He needs a program where he can be a boy. I know of some.

Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

What you describe sounds like my eleven-year old when he was four.
It is way too soon for you to know if this child has ADHD. Many kids at this age are what adults would call 'hyper', but it's just a natural energy of a child.
You won't know about ADHD until he gets into first and second grade and if he starts really standing out from his peers in ways the teacher notifies you about.
Deal with that later. I don't see any need to label your son right now.

For right now I'd get him on a schedule. Some sort of predictable routine for him each day. If you are looking into preschools for him, which sounds like a great idea - aim for a 'play-based' one. SWIMMING is awesome. It gets all his muscles moving, the water calms - it's the perfect thing.
Diet - monitor his sugar intake. Eliminate as many preservatives and dyes as you possible can. Take him in and have him tested for food allergies.
Provide lots of ways for this boy to burn energy. Designate an area of the house for jumping, etc.
Don't compare him to other kids who you see sitting still in a restaurant or the shopping cart. That is not your son.
God gave you the son He did for a reason.
READ AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. I read a book several years ago called, "The Wildest Colts Make the Best Horses"

http://www.wildestcolts.com/adhd/book.shtml

and it helped me get a better perspective on the uniqueness of my son. The high-energy is a gift if you look at it the right way.
Stay positive, for yourself and your family.
Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Swimming lessons! This will do a number of things.

He has to concentrate to float and move forward. He has to concentrate to learn new things. It will strengthen his muscles. It will make him more coordinated. It will aide in his future reading skills.

I speak as a k-1 teacher. I was also Apolo Ohono's Kindergarten teacher and that is what his father did for him.

It will initially tire him out. It will make him stronger and you will have to find more sports for him. I believe in sports for active, bright children. I had one and that is what I did. I made my life much easier. I also did this as a teenager.

Good luck at all your endeavors.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi E.,

My son, who is now 15, was exactly the same way when he was 4. He could focus intently on things he really enjoyed, like reading and playing video games, to the exclusion of everything around him; however, he had a VERY hard time following simple directions. What worked for us was that when we wanted (or needed!) him to do something, I physically touched his face with both hands, got down to his level so that he was looking right at me and gave him the instructions- no more than a list of 2 things at a time! Then, he had to repeat what he was to do back to me. This helped tremendously, and unfortunately, when he was in school (2nd grade), we got the ADD/ADHD diagnosis. I made sure he had an activity to do EVERY day, whether it was swimming, going to the park, Tae Kwon Do, gymnastics, music, whatever. Even now, though he is in 9th grade and doing well at school, we have him participate in an after school sport each quarter: football, swimming, wrestling, track and field. He has a special education designation, although his IQ is extremely high, because of the ADD/ADHD diagnosis, where he attends an organization class everyday to help him keep up on school work.
Please contact me if you want to as you go through the challenging, but very rewarding experience of raising a high energy child- it is hard work, but if you are VERY consistent, have set guidelines and routines, things get much easier. My son went to preschool in Bellevue at Samena, where they incorporate a 30 min. swimming lesson everyday as part of the program. He went for two years and is was phenomenal for him!
Good luck!
C.
____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

The first thing to realize is you and your husband are not alone! One of my closest friends has 2 like yours and my husband and i are one of the few people that can help her and watch/spend time with her kids. She has taken them to different doctors offices, even ones set up to work with kids like that, and they can barely get through an office visit sometimes. But they can focas on things they like. Her son does well with video/computer games. Even still they have both been diagnosed with add. The thing to remember is if your child needs treatment of some sort it will help them calm down long enough to learn how to focus. Another big note i have for you would be: i dont know what kind of preschool you are setting up but if it is a regular one and he has a hard time, contact your local schools about a developpemental preschool. the teachers are trained and usually have had lots of practice workiing with special need kids. When i say special needs that includes anything extra they need outside the "normal". And/ or contact local childrns hospital about their therapy programs. Sometimes its all not enough to do, no not always makes sense but true in their eyes, and sometimes they are getting frustrated with something and don't know how to express themselves or they really do have a medical condition. Good Luck and just remember full day school is just around the corner. Roberta

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Hi E.,

I was a high energy child, now adult age 51 years young. Don't repromand him by telling him there's something wrong with him. Instead encourage him and give him love, this planet needs positive energy. He's young, in time, he will know what Gods will is, and his mission in life. Teach him to love himself, love God, and to follow Jesus path. Make sure he eats a balanced diet with protein, and drinks a lot of water. Start him on 4000 mgs of MSM powder, 1 teaspoon a day, it's natural dehydrated protein sulfer from fruits and vegetetables. It hydrates everything in the body including the brain. This is very important as the body is 90% H20 and all bodily functions depend on it. Most people never drink enough water, I drink 1/2 gallon a day, and some juice, nothing else. I've been doing this since I was 15, and I now take the MSN powder as well. There's a reason I'm 51 and look 30, all doctors call me a walking miracle. I've been to hel- and back and I've been told my organs are functioning like a 25 year old.

My name is K., AKA Reverend On The Run, email me at ____@____.com and I'll tell you more. The Wind of Change is blowing us right in the face E., the world is turning and changing, and there's more to come that has to do with Peace for all and the future of our children.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi E.,

I was also a high energy child who is in my 50s (before anyone knew what that was!) and so was one of my sons.

I am still very sensitive to sugar, so I think it really helps to avoid sugar and artificial chemicals (colors, flavorings, preservatives, etc.) in the diet as much as possible.

The most important thing of all is lots of excercise - preferably outdoors as much as possible. Things like playing in the snow, trips to the park where he can run and I would get him involved with strenuous sports like soccer, basketball, swimming, tennis, etc. as soon as you can. This will help release a lot of the energy he has and this will help him learn to focus his attention.

Enjoy him and keep him physically and mentally busy and challenged.

It sounds like it's part of his personality to have so much energy and typically 4 year old boys are about the most energetic people on earth. Trust me, I am a director of a preschool and have been teaching this age for 14 years. Get him enrolled in a preschool and plan lots of activities. He is probably bored staying at home and needs more stimulation. There are so many classes and activities available around here. Good luck! I live this every day and it's fun but exhausting. BTW-they do get calmer as the years go by but you can't change a child's personality.

For goodness sake, you have been given a ton of advice, but I would say this-

I have an 8 year old who needs to be medicated to avoid being a disruption at school (and we started this in kindergarten). He was a very busy little guy, and drove us a bit crazy. There was never a dull moment, or even down-time with him. It was exhausting.

I also have a wiggly 5 1/2 year old boy, who has no trouble focusing, but couldn't sit still if his life depended on it. He does not have ADHD, but he is a kinesthetic learner- he learns best when moving around, or chattering.

Both boys take swimming lessons and gymnastics. I agree that it is a great idea to enroll yours into swimming and gymnastics, for many reasons. Join the YMCA and take both classes during the week. If you can stand to have him go daily take him each morning- this also gives dad a 1/2 hour break to work out, or hang out there. (there is also a nursery for the baby) They also have Tai Kwon Do for when he's a little older- my younger one had quite a few time-outs for wiggles our first year.

And just for the record, my husband is a developmental pediatrician, so we knew the diagnosis was certainly accurate. A lot of people seem to think that medication is the wrong answer, but it saved my sanity as a parent. I did everything I was "supposed" to do for years- consistent discipline, careful watching of food intake, herbal remedies, scheduling activities and playdates, and none of it really helped. If you need help as a parent don't feel like you've failed, talk to your doctor and have him evaluated. My last comment is simply this- you are the expert on your child, if you think he's not behaving the way other kids his age do, you're probably right.

I always read through the other responses before I decide whether to respond or not. My now 18 year old son was very high energy as a child. I refused to even think about having him tested for ADHD because of the possibility of someone telling me to medicate him. I also believe boys just have more physical energy and needs for energetic activities. I spent alot of time making sure my son had some form of high-energy activities. I also homeschooled. When he just couldn't sit still and focus I would make him go outside and run! This activity got to be a great outlet for him. As he got older he would take the initiative himself to go out and run when he felt the need. I'd also pay attention to what he eats. I also think some types of foods can also cause a person's body to produce more energy.

Hi E.,
Wow, like talking to myself! I hear you. My nearly-4 year old is the same. Even his pediatrician says that he is tired after seeing my son (and he has two small kids himself)! I just try to channel his energy - coloring, sometimes running around the dining room table (to tire him out). When it is nice out, he goes out to run around. My daughter (18mos) is use to his noise (he only knows loud) but loves running after him.

As you, I do not think he has ADD since he does focus attention (at times of his choosing, of course). I have a hard time getting him to take direction from me and hope as well that preschool will help. I think that he will benefit from other kids. I think having friends to play with, rather than just a little sister might help. I am SAHM and dont have friends in this area that have kids. Until recently, I have had a hard time dealing with a baby and a "kid".

I hope that preschool with help you with your son - I really think it will help channel his energies to learning from teachers and kids. Other than that, keep directing him to do creative things - this past few holidays, we made decorations and I had him help with cleaning, which he was surprisingly happy to help, provided I encouraged it on.

Just know that you arent alone - I feel your frustration and exhaustion. Energetic boys, gotta love them!

Aren't they wonderful? - arent they exhausting?? ( children- that is)- . E.- can you tell us more? - does he become more excited after getting large-motor exersize?? Or does that help him focus? -- Does he focus on favorite tv shows? or videos? - Depending on where you live-- you might check out the special ed preschool program that your local school has. Every public school district in this country provides special ed preschool- free of cost- to any child that qualifies for service- and that does NOT mean only children with medical issues or retardation-- NOT --. I taught Special Ed preschool for Northshore School District in the north end of Puget Sound for 20 years-- it is an incredible program and very few people know about it. At least half of my children were exactly as you describe your lamb-- hard to focus- distractible- '''antsy''-- . By giving him the ''boost'' now- he'll be able to enjoy Kindergarden and be a pleasure to have in class. Check it out.

Many Blessings,
J.
aka -- Old Mom

If I was in your position, I would look at diet. What is he eating? The standard American breakfast is high in sugar and empty calories, not to mention color if you feed him breakfast cereal. For example, I cannot eat pancakes or waffles for breakfast. Cereal? Forget it. it's full of sugar, has no fiber in most cases and coloring to add insult to injury. That's why they add vitamins to cereal. The real food value has been processed out. Oatmeal, however, is good. So is Muselix, but check the sugar content.

In the 70's the doctors found out that sugar and coloring in foods makes the kids super hyper. It sounds to me as if your child is hyperactive. Make sure your child is eating low-sugar things for breakfast (eggs, sausage, cheese - dairy items - maybe vegetables as weird as that sounds or fruit).

Lunch meats with nitrites can also send the digestive and other systems in the body into hyper drive. Make sure he is eating non-processed snacks.

Also, research has shown that GMO foods (Genetically modified) such as soy and corn can spin childrens' bodies into overdrive. This information has been suppressed by Monsanto and other large companies.

When my youngest daughter eats sugar she gets REALLY hyper and crazy! She LOVES cereal, so I require her to eat her fruit before she has her organic non-gluten cereal which she eats in small amounts. (She can't process gluten either).

The other thing to look for is put on music and movies or childrens programs that are calming. Make sure that you aren't having hyperactive stimuli in your home. Our church has a web site ancientfaithradio.com that has very calming church music. When things get hyper I put that on.

Wendy L is right on the mark about Allopathic (MD) doctors. Most of them don't know anything about diet or nutrition. They are mainly there to administer shots and hand out drugs. Naturopaths are into preventative medicine and will NEVER tell a patient who feels horrible that it's all in their head. If it weren't for Naturopaths my daughter would be brain dead by now and I wouldn't be alive either - it was because of my Naturopath that my daughter was diagnosed with wheat allergy which an MD would NEVER look for. The minute I took the wheat out of her diet, the brain started functioning again and she changed dramatically in one month! I swear she would be non-functioning autistic by now if we hadn't taken the wheat out of the diet. The MDs still say she's not allergic to wheat!

However, if I were you I would check diet first, and if that doesn't solve the problem, take him to a naturopath.

I know some great ones in the Seattle area. They work with children too.

By the way, the mind/body connection is missing when the child doens't have enough exercise and can contribute to ADD/ADHD. There are people such as the Handle Institue now that get the child to recite the alphabet in time to jumping on a trampoline or bouncing on a ball, to put the mind/body connection together.

I go to an indoor playground coop which provides my son with hundreds of toys to play with and lots of children to interact with. I chat w/moms, he plays w/kids. It's because of the freeplay with other kids that he prefers it to all the classes, parks and programs we've done. He'll even turn down ice cream at the mall to go to "Tiny Tots". Coops are great b/c it costs us $90 a year -minus summer - and we get 6 day a week access 9-4!

Diet: of course reduce sugar and coloring. But if you can't eliminate sugar just have him eat protein first -- it should help even him out and prevent that big spike in his blood sugar. (This is a good tip for adults too!)

Beyond that, I am no expert. I sometimes wonder about my two year old son's hyperactivity too.

I have a high energy boy as well, and he just turned 3. We are already doing preschool and I think it really does help him. The structure, and being around other children, seems to get him to focus a bit more.
A few things we've done with our son is really try to curb the amount of sugar he eats. Even milk and juice has so much sugar. We try to push water and grains and fruit as much as possible. He also really likes puzzles, which get him to sit still for a while. And I've started having him help me with cooking, doing simple things like stirring or cracking eggs (which he loves). And of course whenever you can, get him outdoors! But try to keep structure or have an activity, like go looking for bugs, or collect twigs and rocks, or listen for birds...just keep that mind working, and then let him blow off some energy however he wishes. He has a trunk of costumes that he gets to try on and off and then play pretend. Maybe your husband would also want to get some children close to his age over to the house to play. That always makes my son so happy. Good luck, and enjoy him!

At four he should be able to follow directions and be attentive most of the time. I would try giving him Omegalicious (found in the health food section of Fred Meyers). They are Omega-3's for kids and help with ADHD and asthma among other things. My son was not attentive until we put him on these (which look like fruit snacks and don't taste like fish). My son wasn't quite as bad as you describe (but he is 7 not 4) so I can't say it will cure it but it won't hurt him either.

Yes, he should be able to follow directions, but he is four..so follow the years..steps rule...for instance..."Go upstairs and get your shoes..bring them to me." Putting them on should happen after he's shown that he has the shoes...etc. Throw the banana peel away should come after you peel the banana not after you eat it for instance. He isn't going to be able to follow much more than his years allow..four steps at a time or less should be the goal I would think. But, if things are frustrating, start small, and praise the positive, but make sure you correct the negative by making him carry out the task...even if it means leading him to his shoes and putting them in his hands.

I would have him checked out for ADHD and other types of disorders. Yes at his age, he should be able to follow directions, focus and listen. If he does have a problem it is much better to get him help then to just ignore the issue.

I would also get him into preschool as well as other types of activities such as swim lessons, soccer, a gym class or whatever he may like. He could just be bored if he is just home all day with your husband. Good luck!

My daughter is also 4 and is very high energy. We keep her very busy. Since she was 20 months I have had her in gymnastics once a week to help. This helped her develop her listening skills and following directions. We have done swimming lessons a few times. She started pre-school in Sept and this was the best thing for her. It keeps her mind active, her body active and really has helped.

If you feel like your son is outside the norm, it is worth talking to your doctor about. Your doctor may have additional ideas for you, or may be able to help you figure out factors that contribute to your son's high energy state.

I took my son swimming once a week at the Mountlake Terrace pool. It was the only activity that could compete with my son's energy levels. Perhaps they could swim in the morning and have a more focused afternoon. Good luck!

Hi there,
A good friend of mine has a very high energy boy. He's 2 1/2 and is NON stop. She's been working on a very structured routine. It really seems to work. He knows exactly what he is going to do and what is expected of him every day. Of course, there are times when his schedule needs to vary, but once she got him on a routine, swaying from it now and then didn't affect him too much. All his activities are structured and even though he doesn't seem to be paying attention, she always gets down on his level and tells him what he will be doing and what is expected of him. He may not seem like it, but he listens. For disiclpline, she uses timeouts. It took a lot of persistence to get him to stay in one spot, but it didn't take too long before he realized that mom meant business. I really hope this helps. I have a 7 month old, so I'm not quite there, but she tells me that structure and routines really help. GOOD LUCK!