“She had thrown out so much information it didn’t occur to me to question what she meant by hyperactive.  To me it just meant that Mark had a lot of energy, a normal state of affairs for a little boy. That was no problem because I was always on the go. Fine, I thought, my son will just go with me.”                     

Maze Crawler (page 20)          

               I first met my son on a chilly March morning. His foster mother suggested we get together at Verona Park because Mark needed a place to run. He showed no signs of shyness although we were strangers and, when my husband took his hand, he came with us willingly. For the next hour, he flew from sandbox to slide to swings, taking off without warning whenever the mood struck him.  When my husband grew tired, I took my turn, trailing after him as he ran across the open expanses of the park, his little legs churning faster and faster as he picked up speed.  When I asked his foster mother if he was always this active, she said, “One thing you’ll learn about Mark. He never gets tired. And he’s fearless. He gets into everything with no thought of the consequences.”   

 Most parents experience days when their pre-schoolers dance like whirling dervishes. No matter what toys you give them to play with or what activities you arrange for them to do, their energy spirals and both you and your child end up going to bed exhausted and in tears. That’s why ADHD and similar disorders are so difficult to diagnose in pre-school age children. Toddlers, in the course of their normal development, display inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity – the core behaviors that later form the diagnosis of ADHD disorders when the child fails to outgrow these disruptive actions.  By no means are all young children hyperactive, but some children, even as toddlers, appear to be running on full throttle all day, every day and even late into the night.

  If you are concerned that your child’s behavior might be outside the activity level of other children you observe, or if you notice behaviors that just don’t seem right, you are certainly not alone. Discovering ADHD disorders in young children is often a matter of degree, not kind. When observing your child, ask yourself how many times you have observed the distressing activity over the course of a week. Is it happening every day or many times in the course of a day? Have you said to yourself or others, “He always seems like he’s somewhere else. I have to speak to him ten times and even then I’m not sure he’s heard me,” or “I ask her so many times to go upstairs and get dressed and when I follow up, she’s either jumping on her bed or running wildly from the bathroom to the bedroom and back again,” or “He’s so reckless and always getting hurt. This is the second trip to the emergency room this week. I’ve been there so often they don’t ask for my information any more. They just look up the last visit on the computer.” If so, then it’s time to talk to your pediatrician.

 When discussing your concerns with your doctor, there are a number of signs you will want to bring to her/his attention. Be as clear as you can about the number of times you have observed these behaviors over a period of time.

• Difficulty paying attention. These behaviors may include inability to understand instructions, running away when you are speaking directly to your child, inability to focus on an activity, severe distractibility.
• Impulsivity. Constantly interrupting others when they are speaking, refusing to wait their turn, frequent emotional outbursts, throwing or breaking toys when they are frustrated, grabbing other children’s toys.
• Fidgeting. Squirming or fidgeting when seated, tapping their fingers continually or banging things on the table, picking up and playing with objects such as utensils or salt shakers during meals, talking constantly, running from toy to toy but unable to settle on one, non-stop motion.
• Recklessness. Aggressive behavior, no fear of strangers, endangering self and others, lack of proper caution.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your pediatrician or other professional about your concerns. Many parents are reluctant to bring up problems in their toddler’s behavior because they blame themselves.  Some feel that inexperience in bringing up children is the reason they are having parenting difficulties while others worry that they are not setting appropriate boundaries. The truth is that you might be doing everything right and still experiencing problems because of a condition outside of your control.  Speaking with your doctor is the first step in providing a better parenting experience for yourself and a better childhood for your preschooler.