Child Who Is VERY Active.

Sounds exactly like my 6 year old. She was just diagnosed about a month ago with ADHD. It is exhausting being a parent to her. I love her dearly, but it's non-stop!! I finally took her to a child psychiatrist and he saw her several times, got info from me and her school and tried other things he thought it could be before diagnosing her. I will say this, if you think something is going on, it probably is. I knew when my daughter was young that something just wasn't quite right but I just kept putting it off. I wish I hadn't waited until her first year of school was over. Kindergarten would have been so much better for both of us had we found out and began treatment earlier. Also, my daughter is on meds but we still haven't gotten her on the right dosage so be prepared for that. It's trial and error and you have keep that in mind.

One of the "readiness for kinder signs", is, able to sit in one place without talking or touching anyone else for a story.
Can she do this?

Even if she picks out the book?

We used to go to the library for their story times.. also to the book store for story time.. It is good practice.

If not, start working on it.. explain that is school, she will need to sit in her chair. or on the floor, with her hands to herself. We used to go to the library for their story times.. also to the book store for story time.. It is good practice

She will need to walk in a line and not talk and not touch anyone.

Have you all ever played the quiet game? See who can be quiet the longest..

Also the freeze game. everyone runs and then you yell freeze, and everyone has to be still.. the person that can be still the longest wins.

Maybe with practice, this will be a skill she can learn..

Be positive, each time you see her being still. Being quiet, not touching everything.

Try, "we look with our eyes, not with our hands."

"Walk with your hands behind your back.. "

You have one laid back kid and one active. A big difference. Does she go
to nursery school? If so, how does she do there. Send her to school and
let the teacher come to her own conclusions about her. She may be the
model child in school. I am sure early on you will have the opportunity to
speak to her teacher; see what she has to say. Send you daughter with a
clean slate.

I would wait and see how she does at school.
Like you, I HATE jumping to conclusions and I DON'T want to make you worry but my third child was the same, couldn't sit still or focus on anything. Couldn't stand the stroller or the highchair, chatted and interrupted CONSTANTLY, couldn't take her to the movies until she was six or so (and even then she had to go to the bathroom at least once during the film.)
I pretty much thought she was just overly active/physical but by fifth grade we had her tested because it was clear there was something else going on, and yes, she's ADHD.
She's now in seventh grade and doing okay without meds, but she still needs a LOT of support at school.
So, yes, keep an eye on the signs that seem to be there, but give her a few years to mature. I DO think that some kids are misdiagnosed too early, and that's not good for anyone, especially the kids.

I have a nephew that was diagnosed around 5 yr old. The boy would just take ouff , could not sit still at all. My 4 yr old is so active, what an understatement!! I have to constantly go after her and hate taking her out to the store. Also constantly telling her to stay with me and hold on to the cart etc. She just discovered that a girl from preschool lives on the next street, one block over. Another place to check when I am busy with the baby and she takes off AGAIN. However, she acts totally fine with other people. At school, she was fine. She had a few times she would not listen but she would sit when told to etc. I had one of my older girls checked when she was 4 and again at 7 because she was also energetic, but not as much as my a4 yr old is now. One thing I was told is with ADHD, there is usually no difference between places and behavior. So at school she behaved really well but at home, oy. She stll clashes at home sometimes but she is a very emotional person but also very smart and incredibly creative and artistic. Sometimes I wonder if that energy turns itself into art later. I plan to have my 4 yr old checked next yr if things don't improve.

Just to give a little background, I have a 7 year-old nephew who has been diagnosed with ADHD in the last year and an adult sister who has been diagnosed with ADHD in the last two years. I am also a student in a Master's program in Education and have worked in many schools, and I have two children under 5. I don't want to jump to any conclusions based on the small window of information I have from your post, but I can offer some recommendations and questions based on my past experiences. Have you done any classes/programs with your daughter that in some way mirror a school setting, such as a cooking class, a gymnastics class or a story time at the library? I ask because settings or routines like this (even when done at home) are often similar to school routines and activities. If you have done activities like these, how has your daughter interacted, responded, and felt about them? If not, it might be worth exploring over the summer just to help prepare your daughter for school, to observe how she engages in these settings and to discuss her thoughts and feelings about them. I think it is very reasonable for you to communicate your concerns to her teacher. It is also reasonable to share inside knowledge that you have, such as topics that interest your daughter, styles of learning that she seems to enjoy and things you have observed that might be helpful for the teacher to know as she/he works with your child. It may also be helpful to hear a medical perspective about your concerns. Diet was something my sister considered as she thought through my nephew's diagnosis. There are a number of books on ADHD, many written specifically for parents that may offer helpful insights. As far as sitting still to learn, in my experiences teachers have become increasingly aware of multiple learning styles and providing multiple pathways to learning and a variety of modes of learning in the classroom, especially for young children.
I hope this is in some way helpful. All the best to you!
~C.

I have an EXTREMELY (x10000) active child. She has never sat still in her life. When we are at home, and there is nothing going on she runs from one side of the house to the other, back and forth, over and over, for hours. I don't believe she has ADHD. I have a son who is ADD, and there is a big difference between them. My son has less activity, but it is his behaviors that set him apart, the unthinking, impulsive behavior. The sudden shouts, and outbursts, the problems with making friends, the major problems he has behaving and fitting in at school. There is a survey which you can find online, called the Vanderbilt survey, it is what the doctors use. My son scored 100% on the top half (you will know what I mean when you see it) My daughter would have only scored a couple of positives, mainly the "driven by a motor" one lol. You can do your own Vanderbilt at home, score it, then if it looks problematic, take her to the doc then.

Your dd sounds like mine...she's 8 going on 9 and I still don't bring her to the store. When she was 3-5 I would have to bring grandma with me to watch her because she would run off.

My dd is not ADHD, just very energetic and I don't let her watch TV so she's always into something else which is good that her brain isn't mush. She's very smart and her teacher tells me that she's a class leader intellectually...but she still has some problems being still and quiet. Just her nature, but she's getting more self control as she gets older. I have her in a lot of ACTIVE sports like gymnastics and she really excels. At one time she was practicing 3.5 hours a day 4 days a week. It didn't phase her. We finally cut back when the homework got heavy.

I think your kid is fine...some kids are just more energetic than others.

My youngest who is 3 is very active. We reward him for good behavior and try to keep him entertain, which can be hard and keeps you on your toes. The best thing which he love and also wears him out is an inflatable bounce house. You can rent one from Lil Bouncers and the best part they deliver, setup and take it down. It would be good to let the teacher know. Wish you and your family the best this is the fun times.
S.

I think you should definitely mention it to your pediatrician at her school physical this summer, and it wouldn't hurt to let the teacher know that she is very energetic. Teachers are pretty quick to determine if a child has special needs, and she will let you know if your daughter isn't able to sit still in class.

On the flipside, kids often behave differently at school than they do at home. She might surprise you by sitting still at school. I have a very energetic 10 yr old who was an active child (always jumping on the furniture, climbing the banisters, doing gymnastics in the house) I thought she'd never settle down, but she has. She is active outside and excels at sports but she's calmer indoors and is able to sit and relax.

Best wishes!

My oldest has ADHD and youngest doesn't, so I know the difference you're talking about.

If you remotely suspect ADHD -- and you have very good reason to, based on what you've shared -- ask the pediatrician for a referral to a specialist, like a child psychiatrist or neuropsychologist. A specialist can tell you for sure whether it's normal active child or a condition like ADHD. We've been working with medical professionals on trying to help our son since he was three (didn't start medication until four and it made a huge difference) and he's nine now. There is no easy fix for ADHD, but medical specialists can help you give your child a fairly normal life, if it's ADHD.

Kids with ADHD can't control their behavior. Tell her not to do something will be forgotten two seconds later. I've been there and know what you're talking about. I also understand the 24/7 energy. You can't parent away ADHD. There are strategies that can help, but you won't eliminate it on your own.

You might check out the websites for CHADD and ADDitude magazine. Both are great resources. I suspect you'll feel like you're "home" when you visit those sites.

if shes in preschool ask her teacher what she thinks... teachers will be able to help some. but like you i knew my daughter was adhd when she was 2 yes 2 they wouldnt diagnose her until 5 but being her momma i knew. her dad is very adhd and im add so i knew what to look for. your daughter sounds JUST like mine... we cal her spider monkey bc it seems like shes climbing the walls half the time! im not sure what kind of insurance you have but i see you are n louisville, try calling the bingham child guidance center its at the down town nortons... they are all wonderful and the ladies at the desk will be able to point you in the right direction. feel free to message me with any questions :)

i have ADD and i have been medicated in the past.
the medication made a big difference, but it came with serious side effects.
this is a last resort!
by last resort, i mean "outside structure, diet and exercise are not working and her grades are dropping and i am not sure if she is thriving".
not - "well the teacher says she's a pain and she is allways hyper."

ADHD kids can be more challanging in a class room, but that doesnt mean the first option is to drug them.

please don't worry that it is something more than just active, and even if she might be a little hyper-active don't rely on the medications, instead teach her how to deal with it. tell her that she HAS to sit there and learn. if she doesn't too bad, its the same thing over and over. My best friend has ADHD and her mother insisted on her being medicated, she took herself off medications without her mom knowing in the second semester of high school, her grades increased as did her concentration, she went back on for grade 10 nearly failed, and took herself off in grade 11 and hasn't been back on since.