Hyperactivity.... - how to tell...?

Farelle wrote: I think my son may be hyperactive? From what I've read he doesn't seem to fit into the ADHD category, but he does match quite a few of the hyper active signs. He's definitely an active boy, and very imaginative. But he's very repetitive when he speaks asking or saying the same things over and over and over. Sometimes when I try to talk to him about something, like being fresh for example, he just looks the other way and tunes me out (although I can't blame him for that ha!) I also have to tell him NOT to do the same things over and over and over and over...etc! and then he'll still do the same "bad" thing again and again. It just doesn't seem to matter how many times I tell him or how many times I put him in a time out or yell, he'll just do it again the next day like we never went through the whoel episode the day before.
My friends all tell me it's normal behavior but I worry that it's more. He does whine a lot and will even whine or cry if I say take a left turn out of the street instead of taking a right....?? Those are the things that worry me, is that normal behavior??

MyBabeMaddie replied: I don't remember how old your son is but I think it may be circumstantial is there something stressful going on or something changing in your lives? Sometimes thats just the way boys are (my brother was just like that but never diagnosed with ADD or ADHD) Have you called to make an appt with a psychiatrist?

Farelle replied: He's 3. And he's not ALWAYS hyper but I when I look around at other people's kids I do see a difference in him. I know I shouldn't compare but I can't help it. I expect tantrums from time to time and some out of control behavior but I just feel that more than not we're in a constant power struggle and I don't know how to deal with them The hard part it trying to make the consequence for what he does make an impact on him, sometimes it seems like time-outs mean nothing.
I am worn out from the whining... and crying I try so hard to be patient but it is SO hard to listen to it anymore........
I have not called a psychiatrist. I was planning on talking to his pedi at my younger sons nest visit.

CantWait replied: Well I don't know if it's normal or not, but from what you're saying your son sounds very much like mine who is turning 4 in a few weeks. It's only been the last couple weeks where he is calming down a bit in terms of temper tantrums. He still is very active though, even when he's watching tv he's doing headstands on the couch. I personally don't believe in ADHD etc.....further more I certainly don't believe in diagnosing it in a child so young.

luvmykids replied: Personally, I think he just sounds like a typical three year old boy, maybe a touch of boredom but I don't know enough to say that with conviction:lol:

StephanieM replied: I would say that it all sounds pretty normal to me. Just let all the worries about possible disorders go....at least until school. I thought that my girls might have ADHD too, but all the doctors told me that I should not worry about it until they got to school. The teachers would be able to tell a lot more then because there is a lot more structure in school routines (starting about 1st grade). Try not to stress too much and just let him be a kid! good luck

Boo&BugsMom replied: IMO, I would NEVER refer any parent to see a doctor for ADHD at this age. Around here, and many other areas, they do not test for ADHD until a child is 6 years old because all of the behaviors in ADHD are typical until this age. He's only 3, it's all normal. Do not compare him to others either. That only makes things worse and nothing good comes from it. JMO. What you need is just some strategies for his behavior type. You can get help in that area from any early childhood expert or his ped. I most certainly would not try to label him at this age though.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Oh....two things right off the bat...instead of telling him what "not" to do, tell him "what to do". Example: saying "feet on the floor please" instead of "dont' put your feet on the table". Also, make him look at you when you are talking to him and then have him repeat what you just told him.

moped replied: Sounds truly like a normal boy to me - how old is he?

I think he is 100% normal!

tammyhopkins replied: He sounds very normal to me. My son is 3 and i thoguht the same and looked up all the informaiton and took him to the health nurse who did a test and said he is normal. sometimes i think they put the act on for mom and dad cause they can.

moped replied:
True - very true!

Farelle replied: Thanks!! I certainly don't want to label him at this age. I thought the same thing about seeing how he does once he's in a more structured environment like preschool. He can be so good at times but then so bad too
I guess that's what a 3 year old is supposed to be like. I just wish they came with a handbook

Boo&BugsMom replied:
You know, I think the 3 year old stage is one of the hardest. Tanner never went through a terrible twos, but once he hit three the "you know what" hit the fan. He is calming down now at almost 5 and is much better, but that 3 year old stage, I tell ya. I think he was in a time out most of his 3 year old year!

StephanieM replied:
Like I said before, structure in school doesn't really appear until 1st grade. Most dr's will refuse to test until that time. Preschool is still all about moving around and doing a lot of things all day. They are still really young to test at that age because, even in preschool, aren't required to sit still for that long of a time. Just wanted to share my experience with that. We tried to get the twins tested in pre-k too....but they wouldn't do it and even their teachers kept telling us it was just too hard to tell. So we waited until Kindergarten, their teacher told us there that it still wasn't that structured of an environment because of the different activities they do all day. I don't want to come across the wrong way, just letting you know what happened to us! Hopefully nothing is wrong and he's a normal boy!

Boo&BugsMom replied: I beg to differ about the structure in K. Our district, and a lot of districts these days, are VERY structured. They sit a lot and do different work all day long. They might not sit for as long of periods like 1st grade, maybe that is what you are referring to instead? The structure is just "different", but there is a lot of structure in K still.

StephanieM replied:
Yes, that was basically what I meant. There are many things for the children to do should they get bored or have trouble with one project. That was all I meant. It's still too hard for the teachers to be able to pinpoint ADHD though. This is just from all of my talks with teachers and dr's that I've had. I'm sure every place is different, but that's how it was here.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Oh no don't get me wrong, I totally agree with you. I don't labeling kids to begin with, esp. at such a young age no matter what the school.