I have a grandson whos 4 in january. Hes very very hyper and sometimes aggressive. Then he will be mellow and loving the next. He told me the other day after really acting out with in 10 min. or so that it was ok he was my good james now and it was ok. Which really concernes me. have any ideas? He has some mood swings it seems too. His father was very agressive ad may have had bypolier but we are not sure.
Q: My 3 in a half year old grandson is very hiper and sometimes a little agressive.with mood swings.
Answers (2)
8/10/10 7:04pm
Pam
Thank you for your question and welcome to ADHDCentral.com.
I am not a medical professional and would not be able to give you medical advice. However, I can share some of what I have learned from speaking with parents of children with ADHD, having raised a son with ADHD and bipolar and speaking with medical professionals.
You don't mention whether your grandson has been diagnosed with ADHD. You also don't mention whether the parents are involved with your grandson and if so, whether they are also concerned with some of his behaviors.
ADHD has been diagnosed in children as young as 3, however, many doctors are reluctant to diagnose in a child that young because each child develops at a different rate and many of the symptoms of ADHD can be similar to those behaviors seen in children this age.
Preschool children with ADHD can be very hyperactive and may be more aggressive than children without ADHD. According to an article, "What is ADHD?" ["What is ADHD?", 2002, Jim Chandler, M.D., Attention Deficit Disorder Resources], states that preschool children with ADHD::
Have poor social skills
Are more aggressive than peers without ADHD
Disobey twice as often
Display inappropriate behavior 5 times as often
You can read more at: ADHD in Preschool Age Children
I would suggest speaking with the parents and giving specific examples of behaviors you are concerned about.
Please let me know how it is going.
Eileen
8/12/10 3:45pm
Hi Pam
I will just add a bit to the excellent advice given by Eileen.
I can understand your worry...I am sure you are wondering if what you are seeing is the precursor to a diagnosis of some sort or maybe you are worried about your grandson's future.
My advice is to maybe take some notes now about his behaviors. Perhaps there is a pattern there that may not be readily seen until you look at things over time.
Try to write down what happens before he has an outburst....describe the behavior you are seeing...and what happens following his episodes. By describing himself as "good James now" shows he has a lot of understanding that whatever behavior he had been engaging in...was inappropriate.
You can then take this "data" with you when he sees his pediatrician and ask...is this something which needs to be looked at...and if so perhaps a referral to a specialist is in order. The earlier you catch things the better...in my opinion.
Let us know what happens. We are here for you.
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By Pam Jimerson— Last Modified: 12/26/10, First Published: 08/10/10
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