Living With ADHD Like Behavior
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on
April 3rd, 2008
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A historic event just took place in the AdventureDad household. On the 24th of March, only a few days ago, our 19-month old daughter sat down on the couch and watched TV for the very first time. She actually sat still for about two minutes. Most parents are trying to move their kids away from television, we're practically begging Annika to sit down and watch something, anything except porn, for a little while. Her behavior reminds me a little of ADHD even though I don't think she fits the whole profile. But more and more kids are diagnosed with this disorder so I've asked myself, how would I react if she was diagnosed with ADHD?
ADHD is a common buzzword today, but what exactly is it? What are the signs?
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is a neurobehavioural developmental disorder affecting about 3-5% of the world's population under the age of 19. It typically presents itself during childhood, and is characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity, as well as forgetfulness, poor impulse control or impulsivity, and distractibility.
ADHD is currently considered to be a persistent and chronic condition for which no medical cure is available. ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in children and, over the past decade, has been increasingly diagnosed in adults. About 60% of children diagnosed with ADHD retain the condition as adults.
No one has suggested our daughter has ADHD but I've thought about it since she's so active and impatient. She doesn't like to sit still and makes the Energizer Bunny seem lazy. Her energy levels impresses everyone. Twins can be tough to handle, I've had several fathers of twins tell me "Ohh, your daughter looks like lots of work…..". She doesn't walk, she runs. Everywhere. She's also been climbing like a monkey for what seems like forever.
What's the difference between hyper active with a disorder and just very active? I don't really know. Our daughter is very impatient but I think that has much to do with her age of only 19 months. I can tell she's becoming calmer less active although people hardly believe me. She's coming around and today we even consider her calm at times. But calm to us means super active for most other parents.
Being extremely active is hard work on us parents but we've handled it alright so far. I've found one key ingredient essential for a parent with a demanding child. Physical fitness. This may sound strange but without it I would have collapsed and died long ago. Both me and Foxy Wife are ultra fit and this helps more than anyone can imagine. Her active style does curiously also have many advantages. She learns new things very quickly, much faster than her calmer older brother.
Disorders are one thing, but how to handle it is another. What would my reaction be if a doctor told me she had ADHD or something else? BRING IT ON! I would see it as a challenge and not be depressed or feel sorry for myself or my child. I've seen this behavior in my family and I think it's counter productive. Especially when the problems are minor, think about parents with "real" problems for a minute. Being a victim is not my style, working through it seem like a better solution.
If my kids ever are diagnosed as "handicapped" my approach would be that of Team Hoyt. They are an amazing father and son team who has turned a handicap into something incredibly great.
Most toddlers and super active and full of energy. Rather than saying hyperactive i prefer the words full of energy. Its just some toddlers are way too curious to sit still so want to explore everything. I just read somewhere that if mothers workout a lot during pregnancy their kids are super active. Do you think thats true for your daughter and not for your son? Just curious!
It can be exhausting. My son is 3 1/2 and its now he has slowed down a little. Good Luck!
I agree with you about being productive with any diagnosis. It’s rough and emotional, yes, but you can’t focus on what’s “wrong” just what you can do.
My son had a lapse of oxygen a day before he was born and he is a little behind development-wise. However, we take it day by day, do therapy sessions once to twice a week, and just do the best we can. We try never to dwell on things and if we ever do we remember the two weeks he was away from us and unsure of if we’d even be able to take him home. Everyday with him is a blessing.
Hi from an RF car seat buddy
What a FINE site you have here. Lots of info. You know, we got Sarah the B Regent for one more reason than those already mentioned.
She might be autistic and is currently going through the examinations for it. We do have a no-back booster for her, but it is not a pretty sight. the shoulder part of the seatbelt is everywhere she can put it. She is in a kindergarden for children with special needs. She is not affected in a bad way. But some things take a lot of “no, nos” before she pays attention to it.
Our son Mathias is normal.
Keep up the good work
Lena