Hello Moms!
A long story short. My three year godchild hasn't been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD; but its obvious that all the signs are there (unable to keep still for a short period of time; short attention span, and etc.). Her parents are aware of her behavior/symptoms and have a doctors appt scheduled; but are afraid that her doctor is going to advised them to try Ritalin or something similiar..As any other parent, they are terrified of the side effects.. This is all new for all of us..Have you (or someone that you may know) ever had to deal with this before? If so, how did you/they handle it??...Any feedback would be helpful. They are willing to try almost anything other than Ritalin or anything like it...
As always, thanks for your help!
SA
unless the child is harming herself or other, i wouldn't even BEGIN to FATHOM meds! i would suggest getting a full evaluation, exploring the possibilities that the child is ADD/ADHD, possibly somewhere on the autism spectrum(asperger's can closely mimic ADD/ADHD), sensory integration disorders, or possibly just a perfectly normal yet rowdy three year old. i would explore things like intensive occupational therapy before meds. good luck!
As others have said 3 is WAY too young for that diagnosis and I would be puzzled honestly as to what behaviors cause the parents concern. The problem they might have is a child that has food intolerances and sensitivities to all the chemicals and preservatives in foods, as well as sensitivities to environmental toxins, so their behavior may be very inconsistent. If the body is agitated on the inside, then you will see some reflection of that on the outside. In particular since a 3 year old isn't even close to having the communication skills to indicate when these reactions are triggered, their only outlet is behavior. Gluten and dairy are the top food culprits. They can get tested for those (and soy, yeast and eggs) on their own at enterolab: www.enterolab.com
Or, really, taking that child to the Block Center now may be the best approach:
www.blockcenter.com
Also, if the child has been vaccinated, this behavior can be due to reactions to the toxins in the vaccines - while they've removed mercury, there is still aluminum ( a potent neurotoxin) and things like formaldehyde. And, while they may be in small amounts some people are extra sensitive and have bodies that just don't detox these things.
I don't know any dr. that would prescribe a medication for a 3 year old unless it is so severe that is is enabling his progress. Usually meds are not started until about 5 or 6 yo. She has lots of time to experiment with all the natural treatments. If they don't work then once he is in school they may want to consider medication as a possibilty, but first rule everything else out. It could me as minor as a food allergy.
wow, whatever happened to just being a kid? give the child a few years to grow up then reevaluate. if meds are needed, then surely they can find one that they are comfortable with.
I agree if the doctor decides to put a 3 year old on meds. then I would get a second and third opinion. My almost 4 year old was and still is way hyper. I thought maybe she had it as well, but she started preschool this past year and is doing great. Is she in daycare or preschool? If not I would suggest putting her in for at least one day in the fall she how she does. The true test will be once she starts school. Tell them not to worry sounds like every 3 year old I know.
I would definitely look at food reactions and overall nutrition. Sugar is a big culprit and is found in EVERYTHING! Not just the sweet treats we think about, but fruit snacks, yogurt, crackers, etc. Just about everything we think would be healthy for our children. Start reading labels if you don't already - you'll be shocked. If sugar or high fructose corn syrup is on the ingredients label, my kids don't get it.
In my experience (15 yrs. preschool teacher and mom) try more sleep (they need 10 to 12 hours), consistent routines and discipline, and turn off the tv and movies.
Honestly, it sounds like your godchild is just 3! ADD/ADHD isn't usually even discussed until 1st grade, mabye at the end of Kindergarten.
It definitely wouldn't hurt to take her to the doc if the parents are concerned, but I bet the doc says the same.
Google - Dr. Walker + Biofeedback.
It worked with my teenager in regards to anxiety and depression. In the waiting room I seen small children, children with autism, (excuse my spelling) waiting for their treatment and elderly folks.
This was actually covered with my insurance plan.
This is definetly alternative - but no rx. You start giving a child at any age an rx for this and your training their body to need those chemicals.
Another site - that talks about brain "and scans" is the clement clinics (he was trained with the AMEN clinic in CA. This is for 10 yrs & up.
Hope this gives you an other option to explore. Dee at Dr. Walkers office was my daughters favorite.
