Could my 31/2 year old have adhd that is distingiishable from regular behavior? Can anyone tell?
He will not look you in the eyes when you talk to him and he barely listens if at all. He is very smart and cunning. Always on the move;; has trouble sleeping and always wants to do things that are dangerous to him even after being told no. His behavior can become very irritable and he screams and carries on about most anything.
Hi Glyn,
Thanks for your question.
Almost all pre-schoolers tend to look like they have ADHD. Most are on the go, impulsive, curious about their world and often are extremely active. This is an age where children will "test the waters" to see how parents will react to various behaviors.
That said, it's still possible that your son might have ADHD, though it may be hard to know at this young age. One way to explore this possibility, if he is in pre-school, is to talk to his teachers and ask if they feel his behavior is similar to other students in the class. If he's not yet in school, it would be wise to talk to his pediatrician about your concerns. Many will refuse to consider ADHD in a child this young, so if you're still worried, consider contacting your local Children's Hospital and ask for the psychology or psychiatry department. Ask for the names of clinicians who assess very young children and have your son evaluated.
You might find our article, "ADHD in Young Children" helpful, too.
Good luck!
Terry
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