ADHD toddler

[Iggymummy]

My little boy has just been diagnosed with ADHD. I'm new to the Illawarra and wondering if there's anyone near me who also has an ADHD child. I need some practical strategies and support!!

[meatpie]

Not in your area but who gave the diagnosis?

[Just Add Water]

Honestly, I'd take him for a second opinion. Toddlers are generally very active kids. We've had ongoing problems with our seven year old and even now the pead we have seen (who specialises in kids with behavioural disorders) does not want to diagnose her without a lot of evidence from school / family / etc.

He did, however, provide us with some really good information in order to give us strategies to deal with her behaviour (regardless of what it's caused by).

There is "Understanding ADHD" by Christopher Green
ADHD.net - a US site, to be honest I didn't find it that useful but the checklists are interesting.
Also, Melbourne Children's hospital has some really good information available through their website - whatever is available to doctors is available for viewing.
1.2.3 Magic is also really worth looking at. It didn't work for us, but I know many, many people that it has worked for.

[Emi]

not in your area either.... but exactly how old is your child??? you say toddler... are they younger than 3 yrs?

i didnt think they diagnosed that young? i must be mistaken....
there are a few websites you can visit... also there should be some playgroups that you can attend... maybe have a look at your local councils website or give them a call and ask...

[Iggymummy]

Hi, thanks for all your advice. He's 3.5. We've had 2 psychologists & 2 Paeds assess him. We're doing some sessions with a psychologist about how to deal with his behavior starting soon. The prob with Playgroup is that when we go, his behaviour leads me to do the walk of shame out of there & not go back! I have a 1 year old as well and chasing the 3 year old about & stopping him doing stuff is embarrassing & exhausting. He is really impulsive, taking lots of risks. Ah, the joys if parenting hey!


Honestly, I'd take him for a second opinion. Toddlers are generally very active kids. We've had ongoing problems with our seven year old and even now the pead we have seen (who specialises in kids with behavioural disorders) does not want to diagnose her without a lot of evidence from school / family / etc.

He did, however, provide us with some really good information in order to give us strategies to deal with her behaviour (regardless of what it's caused by).

There is "Understanding ADHD" by Christopher Green
ADHD.net - a US site, to be honest I didn't find it that useful but the checklists are interesting.
Also, Melbourne Children's hospital has some really good information available through their website - whatever is available to doctors is available for viewing.
1.2.3 Magic is also really worth looking at. It didn't work for us, but I know many, many people that it has worked for.

[southcoastmum]

Hi there,

I am in the illawarra, and have 2 girls - a 4.5 and 1 year old. My eldest does not have a diagnosis as such but has behavioural and sensorary issues, and is very 'energetic'. She is seeing a psyc and an OT to help. She finds it very hard to sit still and to concentrate especially in stimulating environments. We have changed her diet to a modified (not so strict) failsafe diet which has seen improvements. We basicly cut out preservatives, articial colours and artificial flavours. It is not a 'cure' but does seem to help. Some days are better than others.

I can empathise with your walk of shame. It's hard because it is not the child's fault that they can't cope in a situation, yet I feel like a failure when I can't 'control' her.

Good luck and I will follow your thread. Let me know if you want to chat :)

[mum of 3]

i have a 3 1/2yo dd whom her peid is positive has adhd but can not diagnose because of age. she takes load or risks ie touching oven gettin burnt then doubble checking to make sure it was hot,purposly running out in front of cars and escaping from the house at every opportuinty:o
there are behavior modification specialists that can be a help. diet helps for some if there is other things going on (it doesnt for us) .
at that age it is really hard they are also at the age were they want to explore and take risks any way and with things like add and adhd added it makes it so much harder.
dose he sleep well? i know with my dd she does NOT sleep she sleeps 4hrs on a realy good night her average is usually 3hrs broken sleep her mind just does not wind down.

[Iggymummy]

I am just saying "yes!" to all the things mum of 3 and south coast mum are saying! No, my boy doesn't sleep. His mind is always rolling. He wakes up a couple of times during the night. He does all the risk taking stuff as well- running away, onto the road, once he fell through our window and got glass stuck in his head. Another time he was jumping on his bed at 4am and fell, smashing his nose requiring a hospital visit in our pj's with blood everwhere. Ahhhh!!! Today I picked him up from daycare & again did the walk of shame out of there. His carer said today was another "busy" day. She just gives me this look of pain. We have cut out preservatives and additives and think it has helped.

[Iggymummy]

Would love to chat and share horror stories! I know all too well the "I feel like a failure" feeling! Horrible isn't it? Where abouts in the Illawarra are you?


Hi there,

I am in the illawarra, and have 2 girls - a 4.5 and 1 year old. My eldest does not have a diagnosis as such but has behavioural and sensorary issues, and is very 'energetic'. She is seeing a psyc and an OT to help. She finds it very hard to sit still and to concentrate especially in stimulating environments. We have changed her diet to a modified (not so strict) failsafe diet which has seen improvements. We basicly cut out preservatives, articial colours and artificial flavours. It is not a 'cure' but does seem to help. Some days are better than others.

I can empathise with your walk of shame. It's hard because it is not the child's fault that they can't cope in a situation, yet I feel like a failure when I can't 'control' her.

Good luck and I will follow your thread. Let me know if you want to chat :)

[mum of 3]

i know drugs are not always the answer but have you asked your peid about melatonin for his sleep it is a natural chemical our brain produces to help us sleep some kids with add ahdd asd ect do not produce enough to get them to sleep, this is our next step she is already booked in to a sleep clinic but we are trying that in the mean time

[Iggymummy]

Sounds like a good idea. We've got a sleep study too booked on for september- the paed says he hopes they ate able to get all the wires on him!!

[mum of 3]

yeh thats the bit that worries me she hates doctors touching her and wont even wear a necklace dont know how they are going to keep all that stuff on her but i suppose they are used to it. the peid told me the melatonin can take up to 3weeks to start working but if it does work it does not harm them in any way like other seditives ie phrenergan and vallergan which do not work for her anyways....

[Iggymummy]

Yes...vallergan. Did not work at all! Does your daughter hate having her hair touched, dislike crowds- becomes unmanageable in new environments? Mine has this thing for water.

[Bel1978]

My 2yr old had similar but was diagnosed with autism.. We have paperwork for a biomedical doctor

[mum of 3]

no my dd thrives off crowds the more people to show off to the better in her opinion. she loves water she has absolutly no fear of it which is a bad thing. she also loves loud music ...
i also have a ds that is in the process of being acessed for asd he on the other hand hates crouds and loud noises .