my 2 year old is so hyperactive could she have adhd?

Question

i know alot of people say its just the terrible twos but this is different she is always on the go her attention span is zero, i have tried everything from the naughty step to taking her favourite toys off her and nothing seems to work. She doesnt go to sleep until nearly 12 maybe later every night doesnt have a sleep during the day. She finds it hard to get along with other kids after 5 minutes she is arguing or hitting them her speech is well above average and she can count upto 10 and knows her shapes well. she also walks on her tip toes alot i am at my wits end and dont know where to turn Please help Thank you

She has a good healthy diet doesnt really eat many sugary foods and mainly drinks very diluted no added sugar juice when she was a baby she was diagnosed as been lactose intolerant which means she cant have dairy products. This is my second child and totally different from the first i have tried the walking out the bedroom routine at night time and that doesnt work 4 hours i was at it the other night. she does settle down when in a quite room with nobody else around, i do interact with her alot, she isnt really a sweet person doesnt each chocolate so i know its not too much sugar that is making her so hyper

Answer 1

Try cutting out the caffience, chocolates, sodas, and refined sugars first.

Answer 2

This is perfectly normal...all 2 year olds are hard to controll,that's why it's called the "terrible two's"so don't worry so much!!All of my kids were the same way,after she turns about 4 this behavior will slow and she will mellow out.She is learning how to be a kid right now,at 2 they fight with other kids more than ever and will push all of your buttons.Really,it's okay!Two year olds don't have attention spans!!If you are that worried then you should take her to the doctor to get her evaluated for a.d.d. or a.d.h.d.I think she's fine,just a normal two year old!When my son was 2,someone told me he needed to be on medication!!He is a fine healthy 11year old now!!She will grow out of this,it's just a phaze!!You need to get her to bed every night at the same time-9:00pm.At first there will be tantrums,but if you stick with it and don't give in you will see results.One of the hardest times to raise a child is when they are 2,so as long as you be consistaint with punishments and don't give in ,you can gain some controll.There has been many studies to the fact that sugar doesn't effect a child like most people have once thought,sorry,the "sugar buzz"is a myth.Caffeene effects a child differently than adults so I'm not sure giving it to her will give you the results you are looking for.Talk to her doctor,that's the only person who can really help you.

Answer 3

I would look for a Developmental Pediatrician in your area. At 2 years old, your daughter should not still be walking on her tip toes that much. Not to scare you, but that is one of the biggest signs of Cerebral Palsy, and may also be a sign for other Neurological Disorders.

You should contact your Early Intervention Office and ask them to come do an evaluation. The evaluation is free, as long as the services, should your child qualify for any. At least with an evaluation, they might be able to give you an idea of where to go.

It certainly sounds like she has some sort of difficulty. I have to say, the first thought that popped into my head when you mentioned her difficulty getting along with her peers, was Autism. Given that her speech is well above average, she may have a milder, higher functioning form of Autism known as Asperger's. Those behaviors could fit that.

It might not hurt to see a Behavior Specialist as well. They might be able to determine why she has a disturbance in her sleep pattern. She's certainly not getting enough sleep, which definitely can cause aggressive behavior and lack of attention span.


I hope that you are able to find answers for your daughter. The earlier you find something out, the better it is. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 4

Hi,
After reading what you have written, I thought I would reply as I have been through exactly the same with my youngest child(also a girl) and we also knew from a very young age that she was very different from our other children.
We also knew that this was not just "the terrible twos" and, thanks to having a great Health Visitor whom we were able to talk with, our daughter is now being assessed for Aspergers.(ASD,This is also on the autistic spectrum).
I am not saying that this is definitely what your daughter has but, if you look it up on the net and have a read, you may find this helpful. It took us a while to get the help needed as it`s much more common in boys than girls apparently.

I hope this is of use to you.
Whatever the outcome, you are obviously a very good parent as you are seeking help for both yourself and your daughter even though I know at times, because of lack of sleep etc,times can be hard, please follow your heart.....I would go by "mothers instincts" every time and, if ever you have a concern regarding your children, tell your doctor or health visitor-they are there for you both.

Best wishes.

Answer 5

I believe that ADHD is way over diagnosed. Being hyper is a normal part of being a kid, which can be annoying. Why do you think lions sometimes eat their young? If they are still hyper at 20, they can just use that as a valuable skill in the workplace. If the kid is so hyper that if you let him off a leash he will run randomly and end up falling of a cliff, then you have a problem. Otherwise, he is normal. Try getting some drugs for calming that YOU can take. At age 2, that is all nature and very little nurture so you if you try to change him that is akin to genetically modifying organisms, which is playing god.

Answer 6

The term "ADHD" is simply a label used to categorise a list of psychosocial traits that Psychiatry considers to be improper or abnormal in society. Psychiatry defines these traits as a "mental illness", and promotes it as a "disease" that requires "treatment".

It is not a "disease", despite claims or implications made by certain psychiatric or pharmaceutical organisations. There is NO credible scientific evidence that shows the existence of what constitutes "ADHD" as a biological/neurological disorder, brain abnormality or "chemical imbalance".

"For a disease to exist there must be a tangible, objective physical abnormality that can be determined by a test such as, but not limited to, blood or urine test, X-Ray, brain scan or biopsy. All reputable doctors would agree: No physical abnormality, no disease. In psychiatry, no test or brain scan exists to prove that a 'mental disorder' is a physical disease. Disingenuous comparisons between physical and mental illness and medicine are simply part of psychiatry's orchestrated but fraudulent public relations and marketing campaign." Fred Baughman, MD., Neurologist & Pediatric Neurologist.

"Chemical imbalance…it’s a shorthand term really, it’s probably drug industry derived… We don’t have tests because to do it, you’d probably have to take a chunk of brain out of someone - not a good idea." Dr. Mark Graff, Chair of the Committee of Public Affairs for the American Psychiatric Association. July, 2005.

Such behavioural characteristics that Psychiatry created this unscientific "disease" from are, and always have been, generally considered "normal". Now, it seems, inattention or "hyperactivity" (Hyperactivity means 'excessively active'* -- what is excessive? On whose authority?? It's ridiculous!!) is abnormal, a "mental illness".

For a rundown of the exact diagnostic criteria of "attention deficit disorder" visit: http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters/diagnosticcriteria.msnw

For information on the junkscience behind psychiatric "testing" for "ADHD" visit: http://adhdtesting.org/

For a list of what inattention COULD be attributed to (rather than some fraudulent "mental illness") visit: http://adhdparentssupportgroup.homestead.com/50conditionsmimicingADHD.html

For more information, see:

http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters/addadhd.msnw
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters/adhdfacts.msnw
http://www.adhdfraud.org/
http://www.ritalindeath.com/
http://cchr.org/files/7515/child_drug_EN.pdf
http://www.ablechild.org/

"We are not "overdrugging" or misdiagnosing" ADHD. ADHD is a total, 100 percent fraud. The many millions of schoolchildren around the world who are being drugged have no disease." Fred Baughman, Jr., M.D. Child Neurologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Parents are seldom told that Ritalin is ‘speed’—that it is pharmacologically classified with amphetamines, has the same effects, side effects, and risks. Yet this is well-known in the profession...." Dr. Peter R. Breggin & Ginger Ross Breggin, The War Against Children, P. 84.

"...But because ADD is so vaguely defined, even for a psychiatric disorder, it is tailor-made for bogus claims. There are, as the American Psychiatric Association’s latest diagnostic manual concedes, "no laboratory tests that have been established as diagnostic" for "Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder." Richard E. Vatz, Professor, Towson State University, "Attention Deficit Delirium," The Wall Street Journal, July 27, 1994

"The diagnosis of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is entirely subjective… There is no test. It is just down to interpretation… The lines between an ADD sufferer and a healthy exuberant kid can be very blurred." Dr. Joe Kosterich. Chairman of the Australian Medical Association. Sydney Morning Herald.

--

Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters

Answer 7

I agree that it could be more to do with additives in foods/ stimulation from TV etc.

ADHD kids will settle in a silent room - as it is over stimulation from things going on around them. This is why they are ok in exams... one of my tutor group dealt with ADHD by going fishing a lot.

Don't be quick to label - schools will do that too readily and it may not be best for your daughter socially. Try taking out all the stimulants - not only from food but TV and video games too - an hour of quiet time might have wonderous effects, though I am in no way an expert!

Answer 8

Look at her diet. Artificial colours and monosodium glutamate are not suitable for toddlers i am convinced.

There is another not generally known intolerance to something called salicylates. They are chemically related to aspirin and aspirin have been known to make me buzz. I was told it is an oversensitivity if anything rather than an intolerance and my brain just gets too excited when it gets those chemicals.
They are found in high quantities in some food and are negligable in other foods. Check out the links. The food list is on the first link.

Answer 9

please don't try to look for a label for your child, go to your GP and ask for a referral to your local Child Development Centre, where all the required professional staff are on hand to help, usually after a referral is made an initial visit will be done by the Nursery Nurse who will be very experianced , she will take down all relevant details,(be honest with her),then she would go back to the centre where a set of 'Play sessions' in a small group setting with you and other parents takes place you will meet other professionals who will then convene with you after 4 weeks, (at 1-1 1/2hr sessions,)at this review meeting will be all the people who has assessed your child, then on their recommendations you should make progress, If you find you can't talk to your GP try your Health Visitor, she too can refer you, or even do a self referral to the CDC you are entitled too, have you called into your local Children's Centre to see what they can offer, Don't be ashamed of asking for help off the people who are trained in this area, It's not your fault either, Good luck,

Answer 10

Sounds like she needs much more sleep, at two, she should be in bed by 6pm. I would try the Quick Return technique - which is you put her to bed, without much talking and no bright lights. If she gets out of bed, you bring her back right away, saying that it's time for bed, again without much talking. For the first few nights, you may need to return her quite a few times, but it will get better, and she should be much more relaxed during the day as a result.

Hope this helps!

Answer 11

Beforee you go making the mistake of trying to get the kid classified and given really powerful narcotics (for life by the way), you may want to switch to an all natural diet, with fewer processed foods and very little sugar, as they have found that is helpful. Interact with the kid to direct creative play better. Limit TV.