He's a boy and he's 2 1/2, but is he too hyper?

Question

Overall my son is very sweet, loving and has good manners(says please, thank you and excuse me appropriately) but he doesnt stop moving and talking, and he doesn't listen so well. Temper tantrums have become rare unless he's tired. I enrolled him in parent-tot gymnastics but he does not follow directions, if they are suppose to be doing rolls he runs off and plays with something else, it's almost like he gets bored, plus he's very curious. I take him to the library for storytime and crafts and he's the disruptive child (can't sit still on the mat not even for a minute, runs around the room, etc). He's very smart, talks very well for his age, but he's the child that Bill Cosby describes in "Bill Cosby Himself". I have to tell him things 5/6 times sometimes I have to raise my voice to get his attention. I thought he was just a normal 2 year old but seeing him around other kids his age, I'm not sure. I don't think he's adhd or anything but just don't know how to get him to calm down

Answer 1

I think the gymnastics is a great idea for a kid such as yours. I hear that karate also helps hyperactive kids concentrate.

He may naturally have trouble concentrating or listening to directions. But you can help him attend to you by being consistent with discipline. He needs to have consistent expectations from you on his behavior. His consequences also must be consistent. Warn him that if he continues doing something he isn't supposed to he'll lose tv time or lose a favorite toy for the day. Then stick to it! Don't back down. Never go back on your word. When you do "punish" him for a behavior, remind him of what he did to get himself in that situation. Keep reasonable expectations of him too, since he does have trouble. But don't make excuses to yourself either for him.

I think the diet and sleep thing is very helpful too. Take note of what he eats and drinks a lot and try to go without certain things and see if there's a behavior change. Often little things like artificial dyes or a certain ingredient bring out these behavioral issues. I wish you luck. If you have continuing problems, have him evaluated by a child psychologist.

Answer 2

I wouldn't be too concerned if I were you. Provided everything is normal around the house (consistant bedtime, proper nutrition, etc) I think he's just an active 2 1/2 year old. My son was the same way at 2 1/2, constantly running around playing everything he could think of, always busy, intelligent, spoke very well, etc. He has calmed down quite a lot in the past year, he's still very active and has a hard time in group things, but that's because he prefers to do things his own way, and loves to ask questions (so many questions). 2 1/2 is far too young to be diagnosed with ADHD, even if he has "symptoms" of it.

I agree with thisxlifexisntxrealx2006 completely.

Answer 3

I have noticed that people are quick to bring the whole ADD, ADHD subject up. I have mostly boys in my family, and I have a son who is three. Let me tell you, from my experience.. boys are hyper. Some are worse than others.. and there are boys who are calm and with that, people will quickly go, "He's too calm. He hs autism." Not everything is a medical condition.

2 1/2 year olds are naturally very curious and get bored very easily. I mean, yea, you have the ones who can sit and play for hours when they're doing something that they find interesting, but they also like to explore. It's how they learn.

I wouldnt compare my child to any other children because I know from experience that children tend to act differently in different situations. My son acts like a wild little boy at home..always on the go, likes to jump off furniture and just.. have fun. But when he was at daycare, they would tell me how well behaved he was and how he liked to sit through story time and do the movements. I can't get him to sit through story time at home. So he was totally different there than he was with me. So I figured, I have NO clue how these children act in their homes, so I wont even bother.

Children also like to test people. They like to see how far they can go without getting in trouble. I love when my son does that. I laugh at him..

But yea- I don;t know how to calm them down. I just let him be who he is. If he's not doing anything bad, I let him explore and be a crazy lil one. Hell, sometimes I even chase him too and run around acting crazy.. it's fun.

If you're that concerned, take him to his PED and have him evaluated. But watch out for some,... they're quick to say, "He has this.. here's ritalin." It's nuts.

Good luck with your little boy. Arent they great? Lol and I hope you find the information that you need. Also, sorry if this is all over the place. Im kind of blah today, lol.

Answer 4

Sounds like you should definitely check into ADHD and also autism. There's a child at my son's sitter and he's the same way, doesn't listen, disruptive, etc. Maybe he truly is bored and needs more stimulation, or maybe he needs punishment for not listening. It's hard to say exactly what the issue is behind his acting like "Jeffrey". lol Even though he's not of school age, you can contact your local school. They usually have an occupational therapist that is specificially for young kids such as your son.

Lots of luck to you.

Answer 5

Is his bedtime consistent and good for his age, say 8 or 8:30 latest? Also watch the sugar intake, even from juices, as well as too many excess carbs. Good nutrition and sleep can do wonders for a child.

You also have to make sure when he acts up discipline is there, consistant, and age appropriate. Timeouts really do work, especially if sleep and diet are in check.

Answer 6

Do you feed him any sugar in foods? That could be why or he may be allergic to something. My cousin was the same and it turned out he was allergic to cow's milk. I've heard of others from bleach. Take him to an allergist maybe.
OTherwise he is just a young boy who has lots of energy.
Try watching those Nanny 911 and Super Nanny shows - they seem to know how to help with kids out of control.
Good luck.

Answer 7

My son is 2 years old and he is the EXACT same way. I am like you. I thought it was normal but other kids at his daycare are not quite as hyper as he is. I think some kids are just a little more active than others.

Answer 8

How well do you set boundries? I mean, what do you do when he engages in such behavior? Do you have him sit apart for a minute. Do you work on such things as consequences for his behavior? I would suggest you consider reading Systematic Training for Effective Parenting, the version for young children. It provides some great tips to deal with such issues and strategies for the future.

Answer 9

No worries, like you said he is 2 1/2 just a normal active boy. My son hit his terrible 2's at 18 months until he was 5 (when he started kindergarden) I couldnt take him anywhere. Just like you he did everything your son does. He will grow out of it.

Answer 10

NO do not suppress him or suffocate him. (Figuratively of course) Let him run and play. He is not too active. It is imperative you know this is probably a phase, and if not, you need to always give him the estra space he needs. Until he gets older, he will have a very slim attention span.