Is ADHD meds for 3 year old too young?

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)

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potatoes

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 2:23 am

Perhaps you can try to get him ABA , either through the district or insurance.
The benefit of getting a diagnosis by a psycologist or neurologist, is that it is a tool to get him more services.

He sounds similar to one of my children. I have ABA going for years because of the hyperactivity/focus/sensory cocktail that creates one very difficult and almost impossible child to deal with.

Gluten free and dairy free diet can help tremendously. Sugar free as well, which I find more difficult.

STMommy

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 8:11 am

I would recommend you push to get a behavior therapist involved as one of his services.

amother

Fuchsia

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 9:20 am

My heart breaks reading your post. Why? Because he is only 3 and you already wNt him to be a zambi. It's his job to be active and guess what. There is reason public schools don't start educating kids until they are 5. In our Jewish culture we expect a child to be born knowing their alef bait. It's wrong. If he can't focus and doesn't like learning that's because he still too young. My son was like that I didn't force him I left him behind in school until he was ready to go up the grade. He was in nursery for 2 years and in kindergarten for 2 years. Now bhashem he is top student and has no focus issues. Let the child machure. Poor kids who get medicated and ruin their lives just because adults want to condition them according to their societies requirements

And yes therapy is tops. You need find him good therapist according to his needs they do wonders. Like play therapy and early intervention type of thing

Ruchel

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 10:19 am

Many kids can't sit still much older.
In many schools it is EXPECTED until 5 or often 6.
Please get off the internet and talk to a mechanech. OLDER mechanech.
Also while with me my 3 year old often doesn't have the sitzfleish for more than a few pages, at school she sits very well.

amother

Pewter

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 10:23 am

First do diet--eliminate gluten, sugar, chemicals. Add fruits, veggies, healthy grains, water.
Make sure she has some vigorous physical activity every day.
Put her in OT asap, even twice a week.
Get an ADD coach.
Switch to a montessori school.
No medication.

amother

Azure

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 2:05 pm

Quote:

Why? Because he is only 3 and you already wNt him to be a zambi.

this is absolutely wrong
my dh and a few kids are on ritalin - they are not a zombi - it helps them acheive their potential
if a child is a zombi then it's the wrong medicine

medicine can be a life savor but I think together with coaching it has it's full affects (speaking from my own experience)

no mother wants a zombie - but it hurts a mother very much to see a child with a potential and not using it -- sometimes some intervention can help the child acheive their potential.

amother

Babypink

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 3:36 pm

amother wrote:

I personally love the idea of a young child repeating nursery and kindergarten until they are more mature and ready for first grade. I have already decided that I would do this! I would never ever want to change my child’s personality or turn into a zombie ch”v. I am only inquiring, doing research, asking questions to those with more experience mothering children with these kinds of behaviors. I am looking for advice to help me be a better mother to my amazing miraculous little boy who fought for his life in the NICU for months before he was able to come home. I am so grateful and truly impressed by him. He amazes me everyday while also driving me crazy:)

How old was your child when he/she started 1st grade?

amother

Bronze

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 5:11 pm

amother wrote:

My 3 and a half year old shows many signs of ADHD Sad

breaks my heart that I’m asking about medication as I’d never in a million years thought I’d possibly think about medicating a 3 year old. My son has a very hard time focusing, paying attention, sitting still. Can’t sit long enough for us to finish reading him even a short book. It’s becoming a problem at school. Please help.

ADHD is usually linked to trauma. Maybe try some craniosacral sessions to help calm his nervous system. Way less toxic than drugs , imho.

amother

Fuchsia

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 6:12 pm

amother wrote:

He was almost 7 when he started 1rst grade.

cnc

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 6:27 pm

amother wrote:

ADHD is usually linked to trauma. Maybe try some craniosacral sessions to help calm his nervous system. Way less toxic than drugs , imho.

ADHD is linked to trauma? Do you have any supporting evidence or literature for that?

Mommyg8

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 6:28 pm

amother wrote:

ADHD is usually linked to trauma. Maybe try some craniosacral sessions to help calm his nervous system. Way less toxic than drugs , imho.

ADHD is commonly assumed to be at least partially hereditary, at least in all the books about ADHD that I have read.

amother

Bronze

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 7:43 pm

cnc wrote:

ADHD is linked to trauma? Do you have any supporting evidence or literature for that?

I will ask my professor for supporting literature. I'll post when I have it. Gimme a few weeks. To help me remember, bump this thread in December. That's when I have class with this professor.

amother

Bronze

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 7:47 pm

Mommyg8 wrote:

ADHD is commonly assumed to be at least partially hereditary, at least in all the books about ADHD that I have read.

That's likely because trauma is hereditary via entrainment of the nervous system of the infant with its caregivers.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 7:50 pm

It is linked to trauma in that if a child with ADHD has gone or is going through a trauma (anything from parents divorce, moving houses, financial difficulty etc.) it may worsen or exacerbate traits in some children. To me this makes sense....

amother

Bronze

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 8:32 pm

ADHD is a problem of a dysregulated nervous system . The dysregulation can occur in utero, at birth, or later on.
Have you considered a trial of craniosacral?

Mommyg8

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 9:22 pm

I just checked mayoclinic.org - They say: Risk factors for ADHD may include: 1) Genetics 2) Exposure to toxins, such as lead, 3) maternal drug or alcohol use, and 4) premature birth.

So there you go.

In any case, it doesn't really matter at this point why the child has ADHD, what matters is what can be done about it, now.

I think that those posters who say that there is no such thing as ADHD in a three year old have just never encountered it. Even three year olds can be evaluated as to the normal range, and some children do fall out of that range. In other words, there is a certain minimum standard for attention, even for a three year old, and when a specific child acts in a way that is less than that minimum, it can be a symptom of ADHD. I don't know if they will diagnose it at that age, though.

I also don't know if medication can help at this young age - this would be a question for a professional. However, I would probably try sensory therapy such as deep pressure and brushing before putting a three year old child on medication.

cnc

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 10:00 pm

Mommyg8 wrote:

I've encountered it, but doctors will not give a formal diagnosis or prescribe medication at that age.

amother

Babyblue

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 6:26 pm

ADHD usually can't be diagnosed until age 4 at the earliest, even if you try earlier. No harm in tryign now, but be prepared for that. And even if you do go now, make an appointment now for his 4th birthday.

Please do have him evaluated for sensory issues, and OT can help with that.

Also, if he is having trouble payng attention in preschool, two suggestions:
- Get his eyesight checked. It's probably not the issue (and definitely not the only issue even if there is a problem), but if it is a contributing factor, this can make a difference.
- If the preschool he's in has him sitting so much that it is a problem, you need to find a different preschool that has more time at free play. No 3 year old is designed to sit for long, but some preschool programs have more sitting than others. Changing to a different framework could do wonders.

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