When did you know your child was ADHD?

[Indymama94]

My daughter is 3 and has all the clear signs of ADHD. When in groups with her peers it's even more obvious that something is going on. Her aunt, uncle, and father all have ADHD so there is also a close family history of it. I feel like I'm going crazy trying to get her some help and into therapy of some sort. We all need to learn skills to help her including her. I have an appointment on Tuesday to hopefully get her a referral but I'm afraid we won't be taken seriously due to her age. I'd love to have some anecdotal evidence that other kiddos were noticeably ADHD at a young age. If I'm way off base please let me know but she definitely exhibits all the signs.

[Gxcccc]

I highly recommend finding a Paediatrician who specialises in ADHD. Age is not an issue. Finding the right person is key. We went through years of various specialises and therapies with our eldest. He was only diagnosed at 10 after years of pain and suffering at school. His brother was diagnosed at 5 and is benefiting immensely from that earlier diagnosis. Both were responsive to Ritalin. I don’t like giving my kids drugs of any kind ... but Ritalin has been miraculous for both.

[Birdwatcher19]

I knew my younger daughter had ADHD when she was in preschool (we also have a strong family history), though she wasn’t formally diagnosed until age 12. I wouldn’t worry too much about not being taken seriously. We started seeing a therapist with my older daughter when she was 4 because of her anxiety. At that age, the therapy should really focus on working with you as parents to create structure and routines that will help everyone, and teaching self-regulation skills that you can reinforce at home. I would focus more on the symptoms you need help with and less on the diagnosis at this age. If you decide at some point that medication is needed, or if she’s struggling at school and requires accommodations, then you’ll need a diagnosis (sometimes the school accommodations can be done informally, without a diagnosis, but if the ADHD is interfering at school, you’ll generally want to pursue an evaluation, either through the school or privately).

[ADHD_DAD]

3 is pretty young, but I definitely support your decision to seek out those with expertise and not ignore it. I think part of the issue with getting much energy behind diagnosing that young (although you are probably right; moms know their kids) is that meds are not typically recommended for children at age 3 and much of the extra support that a child with ADHD may require is the "normal" support needed by and provided to a 3 year old. For us, the "magic" of the medical diagnosis was to get my child the support he needed. The diagnosis itself is less important, in my opinion, if it's not going to change the recommended course or lead to treatment or intervention. So, do follow up with specialist, but don't be discouraged if they are hesitant to diagnose or treat at 3. There is value in establishing the relationships with the medical experts now even if no intervention is recommended. What I was told early on though is that a child with parents so on the ball to be seeking treatment, intervention, etc. so early is on the path to success and is certain not to slip through the cracks miss early opportunities for support. With you as his mom, your child will get the help she needs as soon as she needs it. Be well and good luck.

[Klmamma]

In hindsight, we knew by 2.5. Behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills classes are VERY helpful at this age

[Jemnifer]

I knew something was up with our adopted son the day we met him. He couldn’t sit still. Ever. Everyone said this was normal but I knew. Every year his teachers would say it was fine. I was doing school work at home so my son not paying attention in school wasn’t noticed. Then 4th grade came and I didn’t have the content at home to teach it. All of a sudden, his teacher (who taught him the year prior) said he clearly had ADHD. It

[Jemnifer in reply to Jemnifer]

Oops. Hit send too soon. It was always clear to me he had it and now I have a busy, stubborn toddler and he is totally different. He’s busy and has a short attention span but he can sit still. My son with ADHD is 14 now and it’s still an issue. He has to move constantly. Sadly he also has depression and anxiety and meds have never worked for him but we keep trying. Good luck and trust your instincts.

[brasileboa1 in reply to Jemnifer]

I am in similar boat- my 10 yr old daughter has ADHD but now I feel like she is getting some depression and anxiety. I am hoping this ADHD med she will start can help .

[Onthemove1971]

Have you considered contact your local school district. Most schools have an "infant-3" program or your regular school might have a preschool program. They might be able to provide you with services that can help prior to starting any preschool type program. We did not realize it until 2nd grade. We would have started services younger if we knew.

[MNmom99]

Hi there, my son was officially diagnosed when he was just about 4, we had suspicion of it when he was much younger probably 3 or even younger than that. He was a restless baby it would take hours to get him to sleep up until he was about 4.5 years old. He couldn't sit still or remain seated, never able to watch a movie or tv, couldn't sit for books had no interest at all in anything that he had to be seated for really. We asked his pediatrician for the test which was somewhat of a questionnaire, my son was right on the edge of age and slightly on the younger side of when they are comfortable i guess diagnosing because of course toddler age and preschoolers are very active and can have similar behaviors but of course as a mom I had this feeling for a long time, shortly after he was diagnosed and we learned more about it and other behaviors they relate with ADHD my husband was diagnosed, I know its common for it to be hereditary, so if either parent has been diagnosed it may be likely your child has it as well. Its great you are aware and being proactive at such a young age, it will definitely help your daughter if it starts to be addressed sooner than later as in being diagnosed young as opposed to years more of her struggling untreated. Hang in there and I hope you and your daughter can find what you are looking for. Take care.🙂