adhd and inheritance | ADHD Information

Mariaven,

I have one child, so can't compare amongst siblings, but this is our experience regarding sleep habits in relation to having ADHD:

Spencer was a fabulous sleeper as a baby/toddler.  Once he was past the bassinette and nighttime feedings stage, he loved his crib and would sleep from early evening, all night, right through the morning and almost til noon.  He wanted to nap for hours.  We were fortunate in this respect.

Currently, as a 6 year old, he sleeps very heavily (once he slows down enough to let himself actually go to sleep).

My thought is that because he is very active and super-hyper all day and evening, and uses so much energy, he just gives out at sleep time.  He talks and moves around absolutely non-stop every second and then he crashes.

Leslie

squirrelgirl39110.8044212963My daughter was a terrible sleeper however out in public as a infant was the best baby in town.  She loved smiling at strangers and when they gave her attention she hammed it up.  It was when she turned 3 is when taking her out was harder.  Once she got into the explore and touching everything stage and had to chased around it never stopped and everything went into the mouth until the age of 5.

I am can say from first had experience tyler slept fairly well for a baby all night long after abour 4-6 months and would even entertain himself while playing.  However when he hit about 2 and 1/2 to 3 years thats when the trouble started. And to some matters up it just went down from there.  Now I am wondering if there is also an anxiety issue or something going on along with the ADHD, but am not sure if I should take him to a pediatrician or what.  I don't want him to feel real different from other kids and if I keep dragging him to dr's won't that do that?  Kadee has never really had any problems except being hard headed.  It is like day and night.  What makes me the maddest though is people always call for her to come and stay and they either never mention Tyler or just as an afterthoought.  I have gotten to where I just have company for them here so I don't have to listen to people tell me all about my son's problems.  As if I didn't know already.  But know what, he is sooooo much more loveable than Kadee in that he includes everyone in his prayers even for little things and always tells me he loves me.

This is an interesting topic and I wonder if anyone has anyother information about "that 80% of girls have less chance to get it from father."   Hmm

I have three kids and from the moment they were born the two nonadhders were frightenly similar (calm, attentive easy going, son and daughter six years apart in age) and my adhder son was active from the moment he was born.  Swaddled in a blanket, with just one arm available to hold him they placed him on my chest and he wiggled his way up to my face started sucking on my nose!    I needed to call out for help!   he nursed like a little animal whereas the other two tickled when they nursed.  He was active from the moment he was born. 

He never got sleepy or slowed down as most toddlers would when they are tired.  Instead his activity level would increase.

At bedtime he was stimulated by rocking, soft singing and light.  He needed a quiet dark room  and would promptly go to sleep. Then he slept like a rock and barely moved all night.

 

 

jfla239111.4820023148My ADHD dd was a great sleeper. She slept through the night at 6 weeks! She generally was a pretty good baby. Once she started walking, though, she got to be a real handful....but I still consider that normal toddler behavior. She was put in a bed at 18 months because her sister was born and needed the crib. We had a TERRIBLE time keeping her in her bed at night. We had gates everywhere. Every night was such drudgery, I cannot tell you. The screaming almost put me over the edge. I wish I had heard of melatonin back then!

My ds was active in vetro!!LOL a fussy baby and always had a hard tme to get him to sleep but once asleep he was out!! it was hard to wake him up! he was a very enerjetic kid. from the infant stages with practically skipping crawling so he could walk the furniture at 8 mos. he was the kind of toddler that you had to chase all over. He would climb on everything!! He was impossible to take any where! ADHD Very Hyper! He is 8 now!

My dd is 3 and was the calmest and easiest baby! only cried when she needed to be feed or sleep! she is getting a little more difficult now thats she is 3 but for the most part its her attitude LOL GIRLS!! LOL No focus issues here yet!

My third son is only 8mos but is calmer than my daughter was!! Best baby I could ever ask for. But dose love to make faces to get our reaction! he is on cue with every development. My first was always early!

anyway, I think the Hyper active part was noticed before school started. Than the focuas issues started when he went to Kindergarden!

 

Once I got my youngest diagnosed with adhd I looked back at what he was like as a baby and a toddler.  I saw it in him then too.  Hindsight.  He would wake up for bottles in the middle of the night and not go back to sleep. Not crying just awake.  Could only take him to one or two places in car before he got upset.  As a toddler I would constantly have to chase him or follow him when we went visiting never stopped.  Called him my energizer bunny kept going and going. Then at 2 and 3 I knew something was going on and found out for sure when he was 4 with a evaluation from social worker.  The social worker observed him several times over a year for the diagnosis and worked with me until he reached school age.

In my case, Chase was my most difficult baby, but Jonna, my oldest, was pretty good even for a first baby....but my 2 have primarily inattentive.  Chase may have some hyperactive tendencies, but Jonna had none at all...just focus issues...

Don't worry too much Mariaven, if she does have it, you will handle it!  You are at least aware and will be able to attend to it more quickly with her, before she possibly has too many difficulties...

Last week I was a docs appointment with ds. My ds has adhd. As we were talking, the inheritance topic came into the conversation. The doc told me that there is a very high probability for adhd to be transmitted from father to son. I already knew this. Then I asked him about my daughter, I have a 15 month old daughter. He  told me that there is less probability, that 80% of girls have less chance to get it from father; however it was also possible.

He added that if my daughter had inherited she would have started to show signs since being an infant.  If I start to think about both of my babies I can conclude that they have been very different. My ds always had terrible difficulties to sleep. It got to the point that I had to take him to sleep with me so I could sleep at least a little. His daytime naps only lasted about 20 minutes, he was never able to keep quiet in his stroller. He kept crying in his car seat because he always wanted to be in somebody's arms or jumping around. My dd has been different, she sleeps better, although I can't say perfect, but  at least I can go to a shopping mall with her in her stroller and enjoy the day, if she starts getting upset, all she needs is a cookie to keep going on.

I was just curious to hear about some of you who have more than one kid, that have adhdrs and non adhdrs, and to know what differences can you make from when they were babies.

I was very emotional after this docs appointment, I felt helpless, sad and upset about many things the doc said. I am starting to observe my dd very intensely, even if she is still a toddler, and I want to stop this feeling. Last night she started night waking again, so this is why today I decided to post and try to get some peace of mind. "If I can get it"

I only have one child - 5 1/2 y.o. son - and he has always been a great sleeper! Actually, it almost seemed like he needed more sleep that his peers - he was still napping at 5! But, we always encouraged it cuz we would get some peace and quiet and then if he didn't nap we could blame his bad behavior on the lack of sleep!

I do have to say that I don't think my son is overly active - yes, he has his moments where he gets "wound up", but for us it's more the not being able to stop once he gets started and the defiance. Even as a toddler - just would not/will not listen. You would think that we never disipline him or that he's hard of hearing!

Ok, now I can see there is no accurate connection between baby sleeping habits and adhd. I see everybody has a different personal experience. I guess it is just a matter of time to see how behavior progresses. We just try to do the best we can; there is no reason to start worrying right now. Just live life as it comes everyday.

I know we, mothers, are better than doctors sometimes.

Thanks for your replies.