New: preschool aged child adhd/odd | ADHD Information

I get what your feeling, it's so hard.

The doctors refused to say Ethan was ADHD, I knew he was from early on.  I started getting him tested at 2 years old. We saw a doctor in December (at the end of the day) He was climbing all over, talking none stop. (In my head I was so happy)   Nobody believed me, and now the doctor could clearly see what I had been saying all these years.

I hope you find a doctor to help you.

 

Doctor's don't like to diagnose very young children but it absolutely can be done.  And in my opinion it must be done with some children because they are so severe that their self esteem starts to suffer! Like my son!

I am like most of you. I knew something was different about my son from the time he was about 16 months old but he was my only child and we didn't have any experience with ADHD so I had no idea what was going on!  He was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder at 2 and started occupational therapy.  Everyone suspected he was  also AHDH but didn't want to say it because he was so young.

By the time he was 3 he was coming home from pre-school saying "I'm bad" "I'm a jerk" "No one likes me because I'm always in trouble" "Nicholas said I can't come to his house because I'm always in time out!"  It was so sad!  He was 3!

When I finally went to the doc for this I was sooooo scared they would say "awww he's just an active kid!" I was at my wits end and just couldn't handle it if they told me that!   But when I told the pediatrician about him being down on himself she reacted with lightening speed!  We went to a psychologist for the actual diagnosis and he also acted with lightening speed.  Once they knew his self esteem was suffering they knew that permanent damage was being done. It was like I had said the "magic" words without knowing what they were!

If you don't get satisfaction keep trying!  There IS help out there.  If one doctor won't help you go to another.  I know it's especially hard if you don't have insurance! I would recommend calling the doctor's office before you choose to use them and flat out ask if they have ever treated a child as young as yours. If not, would they be open to diagnosing a child so young.  Tell them your situation and why you're asking. I think it's a fair question if you're paying out of pocket and if the doc is worth a damn they shouldn't have a problem aswering the question.  If they don't answer it or they say "no" then don't waste your money and call the next one.

Good luck and I hope you get some help soon!

bkrusen,
Thank you for your response. I am so thankful to find this
site with so much real information, instead of "experts" I
think parents are much better experts than the Dr.'s. Well
we started the intuniv last night and today she is super
sleepy. from what i am reading the sleepiness seems to wear
off eventually, I hope so, because she fell asleep on the
toy box today. This is totally not like her, she fights
sleep. i hope this works for her.I'm not sure I understand ... our pediatrician diagnosed our 6 yr old
daughter. Is it that your pediatrician doesn't diagnose ADHD or that she
won't diagnose someone so young? There might be a non-profit in your
area that could help you out, perhaps a children's hospital in your area
would have information about who could help you out.I can completely understand and sympathize with you! My son was a wild child from about 3 up and the pedi's would look at me like I was Brittney Spears. Um, yeah. Thanks people but I understand my child and what he  can and cannot do! We went all over town, going to specialists and child psychiatrists, therapists, etc. and paying out of pocket for just about everything. I have an arsenal of ADHD books lining my shelves b/c I could turn to nothing else for help. Finally, my son saw a pedi who's wife was a child behavioral specialist.... and then the magic began! Just keep fighting! For me, when I am at my wits end and have gone to the school to pick up my son for the second or sometimes THIRD time of the week, I can come to this site and read other stories and know I am not alone. It makes  all the difference. My son is now 6 and just began taking Intuniv and I am very hopeful *finger's crossed* that it will help him where other things have failed. I am hoping it will help your daughter out! KUP!!

My DS has been on Tenex for a month now and the school complains every day that he is tired and needs to take a nap at school.  We aren't seeing this at home which is bizarre.  He's in bed by 9:30pm and up by 6:00am.  He doesn't complain at all about being tired.  We've been changing his dose constantly over the last month so I'm not sure if he's gotten used to it or not yet.

Good luck, I hope it works out for your DD!

I don't have any insight ... sorry!  But I do have a similar story.  I've always said my DS hit the terrible two's and never came out.  When he went to 3 year old preschool, which was a nightmare, I kept saying he's ADHD and everyone said NO... you don't want to label him so young.  Yes I did...that way we could get some help.  If you have a gut feeling no one takes you serioulsy and helps you but if you have a label or diagnosis they all take you serioulsy.  Thankfully my pediatrican took me serioulsy.  At his advice I made an appointment with Children's Hospital of Phila. for an evaluation but had to wait 4 months.  After waiting a month I sat in his office and cried one night that I just couldn't take this anymore.  He had enough confidence in me as a parent that he agreed to let us start Ritalin as long as we promised to keep the developmental pediatrican appointment.  This changed everything!  At first our insurance wouldn't pay for the medication because they said he was too young, yeah you try and live with him and then tell me if he's too young or not.  After we finally saw the dev. ped. and she diagnosed ADHD and Asperger's we got a medical access card and all meds. are now fully covered.  My son has been on Ritalin, Ritalin LA, Focalin, Focalin XR all with great success until this year.  Something in his brain chemistry has changed and he doesn't react to the stimulants like he used to.  So we're trying other things.

I hope this helps some what.  Know you aren't along and stick to your gut feelings.  I know how hard it is to think of spending all that money for a diagnosis and get nothing.  We just went through that with a psychologist who doesn't take any insurance.

Hi everyone,
I am new, and have been at the end of my rope for a
while. I have an almost 13 yr old son who is adhd and on Ritalin. He is doing well, and after his first 3 yrs of
school being a nightmare, he is now in all advanced
classes and is making 80's or above. But now our baby
girl is showing ALL the symptoms. I have known for about
a year now that she would be diagnosed wit it, but her
behaviour is just getting worse. Our pediatrician has
told us he feels she is adhd/odd, and after much research
I completely agree. Now the problem is in order to treat
her she needs to be diagnosed. Well, it seems finding
"experts" who believe a young child can be diagnosed is
very difficult. I wish they could see her for any length
of time. I am so tired of being questioned as to my
ability as a parent to "control" my child. I wish people understood life with such an oppositional child,
EVERYTHING is a fight. I am so worn out and just need to
help my child, she is a good girl and so smart, she truly
can not help all the things she does, and I hate that
people do not see the true magic that she has.
Our pediatrician gave us a sample of intuniv, and says we
can try and see, and then as soon as we can have her
tested we must do it. My other problem is we do not have insurance, and the testing is sooooo expensive, and I
will not waste money for a Dr. to say "well maybe, but
she is too young" I wish people took parents more
seriously, after all we know our children better than
anyone. sorry this is so long, I was just hoping for some
insight and help.
Thank you.