Hyperactive toddler without attention problems?

Question

I know my son is way more hyper than any kid I've ever seen. Even the teachers at his preschool see it. I don't think he has any attention problems so I'm wondering if being just hyper is a disorder of some kind or is he just extremely active? He has always been this way (well since he could crawl) and he is just turning 3 now. If you have any thoughts I can follow up with some online research thanks-

Just wanted to add that he's not obedient, is strong willed and is always getting into things he shouldn't. It's not like he's just running around playing with toys- he's usually just running away:)

-As his teacher says, he ok if he's constantly engaged in an activity and that's what I do (have to do) at home.

Answer 1

well it may be him being himself right now.
but it may be a sine of wot you think it is a.d.d. thair are difrent dagress of savarity in this.
I wood waight till he is older to do eney kind of medacating.
hes still growing ceap him moving and acktive.
not that your gona have a problume with this.
but mabey try to trane his brain to pay atenchion to somthing for as long as you can.
if you have the pashionce for it of corce.

Answer 2

Hi, I have a four year old boy, a three year old boy, and a one year old little girl. My oldest is a dream child. He has always been down to earth, never got in trouble in school. He is just a wonderful, calm, down to earth child. On the other hand my three year old is the exact opposite. He has always been very outspoken and very, very hyper. He gets at least two red lights a week at school. And thats a good week. As a matter of fact he got one today. The only thing I have found to help is when he gets home from school if he has gotten in trouble I automatically ask him why he behaved that way and put him in time out. I do the same thing at home. It has improved his behavior alot, and he is more calm. I hope I have been some help to you. Good luck, and keep lovin' that baby!!!

Answer 3

ADHD is a bunch of bull for parents that can't handle their children. Toddlers are generally high energy I know my 2 year old could power a whole city.
The best calmer for my son is just being outside taking a walk etc..for whatever reason when he is indoors he goes squirrelly but as soon as his feet hit the pavement he is mellow yellow.
You may want to suggest to his teacher he needs 75% outdoor time to 25% indoor time.

Answer 4

Without having seen your child it would be hard for anyone to tell you if his behavior is abnormal. At the same time you must understand that, yes, your child could have one of many mental disorders. However he could also just be a naturally energetic and curios child.

My best advice for you is to consult his teachers and monitor his behavior if he continues to worsen or cause distress or impairment then you should seek out and consult a child/developmental psychologist.

sorry I could not be of more help

Answer 5

Inattention
Children who are inattentive have a hard time keeping their minds on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. If they are doing something they really enjoy, they have no trouble paying attention. But focusing deliberate, conscious attention to organizing and completing a task or learning something new is difficult.

Homework is particularly hard for these children. They will forget to write down an assignment, or leave it at school. They will forget to bring a book home, or bring the wrong one. The homework, if finally finished, is full of errors and erasures. Homework is often accompanied by frustration for both parent and child.

The DSM-IV-TR gives these signs of inattention:

Often becoming easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds
Often failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes
Rarely following instructions carefully and completely losing or forgetting things like toys, or pencils, books, and tools needed for a task
Often skipping from one uncompleted activity to another.
Children diagnosed with the Predominantly Inattentive Type of ADHD are seldom impulsive or hyperactive, yet they have significant problems paying attention. They appear to be daydreaming, "spacey," easily confused, slow moving, and lethargic. They may have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as other children. When the teacher gives oral or even written instructions, this child has a hard time understanding what he or she is supposed to do and makes frequent mistakes. Yet the child may sit quietly, unobtrusively, and even appear to be working but not fully attending to or understanding the task and the instructions.

These children don't show significant problems with impulsivity and overactivity in the classroom, on the school ground, or at home. They may get along better with other children than the more impulsive and hyperactive types of ADHD, and they may not have the same sorts of social problems so common with the combined type of ADHD. So often their problems with inattention are overlooked. But they need help just as much as children with other types of ADHD, who cause more obvious problems in the classroom.

Is It Really ADHD?
Not everyone who is overly hyperactive, inattentive, or impulsive has ADHD. Since most people sometimes blurt out things they didn't mean to say, or jump from one task to another, or become disorganized and forgetful, how can specialists tell if the problem is ADHD?

Because everyone shows some of these behaviors at times, the diagnosis requires that such behavior be demonstrated to a degree that is inappropriate for the person's age. The diagnostic guidelines also contain specific requirements for determining when the symptoms indicate ADHD. The behaviors must appear early in life, before age 7, and continue for at least 6 months. Above all, the behaviors must create a real handicap in at least two areas of a person's life such as in the schoolroom, on the playground, at home, in the community, or in social settings. So someone who shows some symptoms but whose schoolwork or friendships are not impaired by these behaviors would not be diagnosed with ADHD. Nor would a child who seems overly active on the playground but functions well elsewhere receive an ADHD diagnosis.

To assess whether a child has ADHD, specialists consider several critical questions: Are these behaviors excessive, long-term, and pervasive? That is, do they occur more often than in other children the same age? Are they a continuous problem, not just a response to a temporary situation? Do the behaviors occur in several settings or only in one specific place like the playground or in the schoolroom? The person's pattern of behavior is compared against a set of criteria and characteristics of the disorder as listed in the DSM-IV-TR.

Diagnosis
Some parents see signs of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in their toddler long before the child enters school. The child may lose interest in playing a game or watching a TV show, or may run around completely out of control. But because children mature at different rates and are very different in personality, temperament, and energy levels, it's useful to get an expert's opinion of whether the behavior is appropriate for the child's age. Parents can ask their child's pediatrician, or a child psychologist or psychiatrist, to assess whether their toddler has an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or is, more likely at this age, just immature or unusually exuberant.

ADHD may be suspected by a parent or caretaker or may go unnoticed until the child runs into problems at school. Given that ADHD tends to affect functioning most strongly in school, sometimes the teacher is the first to recognize that a child is hyperactive or inattentive and may point it out to the parents and/or consult with the school psychologist. Because teachers work with many children, they come to know how "average" children behave in learning situations that require attention and self-control. However, teachers sometimes fail to notice the needs of children who may be more inattentive and passive yet who are quiet and cooperative, such as those with the predominantly inattentive form of ADHD.

Answer 6

eh, if hes paying attention and being obedient, that and he isnt too hyper and moving around to a point where he;s losing weight, Id just say he's the typical 3 yr old.... some much to do, see and explore!!! :)