I think my 3yr old has adhd | ADHD Information

Thank you for the website to child brain I just got done reading all about autisim and I took a questionaire and printed it out to give it to my physician......this has been the most helpful productive thing anyone has done for me soooo i dont feel like I am loosing my mind. Its weird though I took a adhd questionaire and an autism questionaire and printed them both out and both came out moderate to high autism and adhd results...I know they are not diagnosis but is it possible to have both? I am sooo confused...and i also would like to say I think that this community of members is wonderful how open and brutally honest you are with each other it seems like a great support system ...something I need right now....I feel like i can relate to alot of what these parents are talking about....any other input would be great...today has been horrible and i think I have just cried myself out to where I am at the end of my rope. Sounds like autism to me as well -- though no one can diagnos your child over the internet. You may want to do some research (via a websearch) on autism and get yourself familiar with it first. After that, you might check out local resources in your area that could point you in teh right direction to someone who can be more helpful. Pediatricians don't specialize in childhood disorders so, though you love him, he is probably not your best resource in this situation. Good luck!

Hyperlexia (early reading) is another symptom of autism. Check out this website:

http://www.childbrain.com/pdd.shtml

This is very hard for me to do but I honestly believe my 3yr old had adhd and no one is listening to me. It has been a struggle and a challenge for 2 years. My daughter is wonderful and I love her vey much but she is out of control socially and is just mean!!! She has been banging her head since she could sit on her own and the harder the better, fire mantles, hardwood floors anything. She hits bites pinches and most of all screams about anything and everything ...I dont think she can talk without yelling. Also she has a severe stuttering problem in the beginning of her sentences its like she is thinking faster than she can say it, and to sit still is impossible...the only time she is still is when she is sleeping. I hate to sound like this but I am desperate for some help and guidance. I have spoken to her doctor and he keeps telling me its typical 3 year old stuff, shell outgrow it or even better that she is looking for attention!!!!! I am so sick of hearing that I am a stay at home mom so attention I dont think so. Out grow it , I have been telling him this since she was about 9 months old outgrow it when and its not 3 year old stuff...all of the other children I see dont act like this. I feel like I have done something wrong or its my fault and no one is telling me that!!! Can someone please give me some info on how to get her tested at least her doctor dosent think its a big deal
Amy Amy, welcome. Head banging and speech problems are more indicative of high-functioning autism, not ADHD. Do you have an early intervention program though the public schools that will help identify your child's issues and give her proper interventions (in my state, it is called Child Find)? I also suggest you contact a neuropsychologist (found at children's and university hospitals) to test and diagnose your daughter. Early intervention is key to helping your daughter. Good luck.Im not quite sure what autisim is? And she will be starting 1/2 day pre k this fall so I am not sure. All I know is I do love my girls physician my oldest is 12 and she is fine....but it seems to me that he just isnt listening to me at all.....also when I took her to the school (its right down the street) thank god. They asked me what she was doing at the black board and she was actually writing her 1-10 numbers and they were amazed I didnt think it was a big deal I just figured she started early or something....this sounds horrible but sometimes I am soooo embarrassed by her behavior and today has just been horrible. Does this sound weird to you that a 3 year old knows all of her abc's can count to 25 and write her numbers 1-10 and is staring to read full sentances? These people where looking at me like I was crazy last week. Do you have any suggestions on testing ...maybe I should call the public school system to see what they say the headquarters or something. I appreciate any help or suggestions....also I forgot to add earlier that my fiancee has been banging his head his whole life and he is now 32 and still rocks on the couch...I thought this was adhd?

There is NO standard age for dx. of ASD. Many kids (check the site below) are caught even before two, and lucky kids they are as they can get very early help. I agree with the ASD idea. That doesn't sound like ADHD. I would take her to a NeuroPsych, although it's very hard to get an accurate diagnosis at 3. I also am going to refer you to another site where kids are more like your own child. This site is for parents of PDD/autistic kids. No, autism doesn't mean "The Rainman" nor do most autistic kids rock back and forth all day, unable to speak. Your child is more the norm for ASD and if you don't check it out, you're doing him a disservice. Early Intervention is paramount for ASD and if he has it you want him to start early childhood intervetions NOW to give him the best possible life. Skip the psycologists with then neuro (they don't know), the other talk therapists and even psychiatrists. ASD is something NeuroPsychs know how to test for the best. You can find them in univeristy of children's hospitals. Here are links where you can talk to other parents and give your child an online PDD assessment test too (I'm told it's very accurate). Take the test and answer accurately and you'll see where your child stands. This sounds way beyond ADHD. My child's first dx. was ADHD, but he has PDD-NOS. All kids with ASD also have ADHD symptoms, so it's no surprise he tested for both. However, ADHD kids shouldn't test for ASD. That's the difference. Don't even bother with the pediatrician. They really aren't taught much about autism. They do sore throats. Oh, yeah. Autistic kids tend to be fascinated with numbers and letters and learn them really early--they have great memory skills. My son taught himself to read at two. It is notable that, at age 13, he is behind other kids in his grade. He can't do abstract thinking. Good luck!

www.autism-pdd.net/forum/default.asp

www.childbrain.com/pddassess.html

MomWI38925.5788425926Yikes. I just read about your fiance! Is he this child's father??? If so, he likely has high functioning autism too! That is NOT what normal adults do! He may want to also be tested.

I dont think adhd cannot be diagnosed till there 7yrs old. This is the standard age, I live in the UK, not sure in other countries. My son was 8 and that was a long battle to have him diagnosed. I am not a health professional and I cannot offer advice but good luck.

Orangegiraffe x

I'd speak to an expert such as a psychiatrist. One that specializes in ad/hd, autism etc... Explain your observations and let them guide you in the right direction. If you find a well respected specialist their practice will be able to help you. It may take the preschool to make some of the observations too. My son had some agressive issues and we worked with a qualified doctor. His school input was very helpful as well.

My advice is to take it one day at a time. I overdid it when I first suspected somehting wasn't quite right with my son. I let people tell me what they thought and it truely scared me. I'd just work with the doctor and go in trying to rule out worse case scenarios. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. My son is doing great with the help of nutritional diet, medicine, and play therapy. And to some degree I'd like to say that my keeping calm about everything was of benefit to his change of ways too. I truely think kids can feel our anxiety and they feed off this. Especially if they might have a diagnosis such as ad/hd or autism or whatever else deemed by the doctor.

I would get him tested simply because if he has anything beyond ADHD, and you don't know that he doesn't, early intervention is the key to a good prognosis. There IS no time to waste. I'd, in particular, see a NeuroPsych. Since they have long waiting lists, I'd try to get him in ASAP. Autism requires help as early as possible or the child can have problems forever. They still can, but you can bring him to his highest potential. On the ASD board they'd tell you to do it right now, not later. It's not worth the risk. (((Hugs))) Don't be scared; just accept that whatever is wrong with him, you will do all you can for him, and hold your head up high. Her child may have ADHD; yours has big red flags for high functiolning autism. It's not the end of the world. if SO, HE needs daily speech therapy (even if he can talk, he'd have odd speech patterns or be unable to hold a give and take conversation), OT, PT, social skills in school, life skills, and early education. These are not needed for ADHD. Stimulants/Straterra won't do enough for ASD. Check the other website to see. Do take care!!! And be brave :) MomWI38925.6382291667your child sounds just like our son who is 10 and still looking for the correct dx also. Asd is a developmental disability. Not 1 asd looks the same. Therapies are what help out. Get a allergie check also. Some here have food allergens also. Our son does. Abstract problems Daniel/mom both have issues with that. You can get asd help for home also. I find all kinds of help for iteams for asd kids. Mainly keep it easy. This works with our son. Teach to earn will help with behavior also. MOMWI you are hularious

Thank you everyone for all of your advice
Amy

I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 3 so i dont think you have to be a certain
age. And then i retook the test 7 other times and they all said i had ADHD.
So you can have her tested but it sounds like autism to me.

it does sound like autism.

you can be diagnosed at 4 in the uk,jude was diagnosed at 3 and3/4.but i was told they usually don't like diagnosing at such a young age.my understanding is that he will be retested again at 6