how do i deal with my 5 year olds hyperness?without drugs?
553732
EXERCISE. Run him until he DROPS at least 3 days a week...he'll calm down. \n\nGood Luck
1153161
I would have him evaluated by a pediatric specialty team at your nearest children's hospital or rehab center. My daughter was dx'd with ADD/ADHD/PDD-NOS and then High-functioning Autism by her ped and later by state funded physical and occupational therapists through early intervention. She was medicated at the school's insistence for ADHD. When that made things worse instead of better, we had her evaluated at our local pediatric rehabilitation center and learned that she was actually a perfect match for the symptoms/actions of Aspergers Syndrome and early onset bi-polar disorder. The reason the meds made things worse was that with bi-polar, you can't give just the anti-depressant, you have to do a mood stabilizer as well, or the manic symptoms will intensify and often times go out of control. Hope you find the help you need to help your child
704186
I have ADHD and as long as you have seen your doctor and gotton the medicine he advised things should improve. Read a book or two if you haven't already on ADHD and learn as much as you can. Remember to spend as much time as possible with your child do fun activities that will match his hyper actions. I don't know where support groups are. You can get through it. It is harder for the child then the parent, think about the frustration they indure not being able to come down and always being in trouble and having no way of controling it.
740872
my son was promoted to the second grade barely knowing his alphabet and numbers. i also decided not to medicated during second grade. towards the end of the school year it would break my heart to hear my son say that he was stupid because he didn't know what his classmates did. i finally put him on ritalin. OMG!! what a change. he went from getting 20's and 30's (even with 501 modifications) to getting 70's and 80's. he has been taking the meds ever since. he is now a sophomore in hs taking regular classes and thinking of going to college. i highly recommend medicating IF the need is there. you need to take your child to a child psychologist who specializes in add/adhd. they cannot prescribe meds but can recommend. best of luck and tell your daughter to hang in there.
59783
From what you are describing I'm not so sure this is something that you can 'cure'.  What you may be able to do is find ways to help your son with gaining social skills and improving sensory tolerances.  Your son may benefit from behavioral or cognitive therapy targeting social skill development and understanding.  He may need help with learning ways of coping with an overload of sensory input.  He may not be able to provide his own structure but may need to have his environment and routines structured for him.  \n\nA good place to start is by writing down a list or description of symptoms/behaviors/concerns that you feel need to be addressed.  Take a copy of this list to the school ask his teacher if any of these apply to your son in the school environment.  If they do then you can seek a school evaluation to find out what supports may be beneficial to your son in school.  School is not just about academics.  It is also supposed to be about learning how to get along in the world and being able to go on to college, tech school and work.  If you can't socialize or provide self structure then this is a problem.  Your pediatrician is also a good resource for directing you to additional sources of evaluation of his current needs and performance levels.  Once those are fully discerned then you can more appropriately target means of addressing his difficulties.
345359
I have heard that herbs, vitamins work but don't know for sure.  I would suggest at looking at a product called Serenity.  I have known some people to take this and they have said that even their doctors told them it would be ok.  Bipolar is a serious disease and anything you can do to help your child be at a more normal lifestyle, please do it.  I have relatives who have it and in fact some have taken their own lives.  Please know that thi is a disease, but can be treated.
44327
Pray for him while you are alone. Do not over-react. Five years old is pretty young. Best to ask him why. It may be that he likes their toys or they have more fun in some ways. Reassure him that God made him a boy for a very important reason. Ask him what that purpose may be? Ask him in such a way as, "Oh really?" or "I see." If he gets a highly emotional reaction from you, he will continue to use it to push your buttons and get the attention he craves.\nI'd walk out the door and yell out...\n"Son, I'm going to an automobile/train museum, want to come along?"
464113
Why is it these days that people seem to think that kids are hyper-active? It is NORMAL for children to be energetic. You worry when they are NOT energetic. This is when they are learning the most and need to have things to do that will help them learn. Sometimes, you need to get them out and let them just run and jump and climb, so they can develop their muscles, as well as wearing them out enough so they will pay attention when you are trying to teach them things that require them to sit still.\nLittle boys are usually far more interested in the physical exercise than the other things, and this is also normal. Don't try to push them into doing things they are not ready to do. Don't let other people tell you that there is something wrong with your child, because he is different from others. We are ALL different. DON'T let the doctors give him drugs to "calm him down."
1002157
My 13yo was clingy at 4yo.  I too didn't much mind.  A theory I read said he would outgrow me when he was ready, and he did! (Just not as soon as *others* thought he *should*)  I encouraged his independence, didn't speak for him with others, occassionally left him with friends, but I did not push him or leave him bawling.  About 5yo he started "loosening up," became more interested in his dad than before, took gymnastics and soccer.  By 6yo, NO clinginess was left!  It was a natural process that we were both comfortable with.\n\nClinical anxiety disorder can occur in children; I have a friend for whom this runs in her family (adults too), but she continues to homeschool AND stretch the comfort zone of the affected children through outlets besides school (along with medication and counseling), and her kids are doing great  That is pretty RARE, though, and I would not seek professional help unless he exhibits unusual fear at 6-7yo.   \n\nIn other words, most kids develop mature social lives without school/daycare, even the "late bloomers". ;-)  Feel free to email me.
370654
i guess it depends. how did you arrive at the conclusion that this little one has ADHD? is this only one doctor's opinion? and have you come to this only after pursuing a new diet for her? (lots of parents say that diet can help quite a bit--you'll have to google ADHD and Diet.) \n\nand why does this doctor think she has ADHD? has he/she done a battery of tests on her, or is this based on a simple visit? what has gotten you to this point? most children aren't diagnosed with ADHD until they become a disruptive presence in a classroom, so what are this little girl's symptoms? did you get to this because you were fed up with her behavior and the doctor is trying to make things better for you? \n\nhere's my take on it: i have taught in schools with kids diagnosed ADHD. some of them i believe truly had a chemical imbalance, and the drug worked on them. but most of them were having a range of behaviors that were disruptive, but mostly because of the environment. one study i read about said that ADHD symptoms might disappear for boys who take a 40-minute walk with their fathers in the woods before school. so it it really that this girl is in an environment that doesn't suit her temperament, or is being expected to behave contrary to her nature because of the adults around her? \n\nif you are having doubts about medicating your child, then you obviously have reservations. and thus, perhaps you shouldn't. i would certainly say that if it were my 3-yr old, i would be pursuing all kinds of research on alternatives to try first. because drugs should only be because nothing else works. if i've tried a few different diets suggested by researchers and given it a good long time to work, if i've tried hard to be more patient, and i've worked on adjusting her environment, if i've asked her what she thinks about it, and i've experimented with behavior management--then i'd consider pills. but not before.
514791
Make sure to find out what it is.  In NH 1 out of 4 students are medicated and don't need it.  You say it is not ADHD, do you know what it is.  research more in to it.  worst come worst.  Take your kid for walks before school.  Teach him responsibility.  Get him a puppy.  tell him to walk it and brush it be for school ever day.  A puppy has the energy to keep up with a five year old.\nYour right with choosing medication free.  Your son can't get in the army if you are on Ritalin be for the age of 12.  They are also now finding the cause depression that can lead to suicide.  My brother is on some thing now, do your research.
1110986
I just emailed you! Lol! I have a 7 year old with autism who is on a gluten free/casein free diet. He is EXTREMELY hyperactive. Before I put him on the diet (he was almost 3) he would be even MORE hyper after eating foods with milk, and would have these crazy laughing spells. He already bounces off the walls, but it was obviously more so with the milk products, not to mention the stools he would have after eating them. I was changing like 10 pull ups a day. He would not even touch milk after I took him off of the bottle but he was addicted to cheese, and cereals/crackers with wheat in them.  AFTER I put him on the diet, within a matter of only a couple of weeks, he just stopped peeing on himself. Period, including at night. So to me I related that directly to the diet. I have wanted to give up on the diet sometimes, but you know, every time I let him have some foods which he normally doesn't have, he acts even more hyper than usual, and if you knew my son you would find that hard to believe! Lol! I have considered Feingold as well as vitamin therapy(B6 and Magnesium), but with my financial situation and stress level, any more changes would just be really hard for me to enforce right now. I also had completely takem him off of sugar for a long time, but I have caved and so he has it every now and then. I can't really tell if it affects his behavior or not. I am still looking for a solution that works, I am just kind of burned out by the trial and error of it all!
74202
Please keep pressing for solutions other than psychological! Go to as many doctors as it takes and make a nuisance of yourself if your concerns are brushed aside or put under the "mental illness" umbrella. \n\nMy 5-year-old nephew was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease (a severe allergy to gluten). This disease is commonly screened for in parts of Europe, but only now catching physician's attention in the US. It was once thought to be rare in the US and most well-meaning physicians simply don't think of this as a possibility. My nephew was extremely lucky to get a correct diagnosis so quickly as this disease has symptoms (including those you described) that can mimic many other diseases. Making it even more complicated is that the symptoms, severity, and age onset vary from individual to individual. At any rate, this will give you something to be ruled out if it has not been explored as a possibility.\n\nFor more information go to www.celiac.org. I hope you quickly find a solution. If doctors are leading to dead end diagnoses, I can see where you would post on forums like this for any ideas that think "outside the box" for a possible cause/solution.\n\nGOOD LUCK!
381513
You might define ADHD partially as a behavior of valuing many things at one time.  The result of such behavior is continual movement, esp. to and from different tasks.\n\nThe advice I'd provide for you in dealing with ADHD kids without medication is taking time to learn their interests, setting forth for them what you need from them, and experimenting with various ways of giving them what they want/value while also getting what you need/value from them.\n\nAs a behavior, ADHD could then be defined as choices a child is making unconsciously, namely the choice to spread attention on different objects of value than to focus on a small set of objects of value.  When you reduce valued stimuli, you reduce the potential for distraction from a primary task.\n\nTeaching a child to focus by reducing distractions I should think is a highly effective approach for dealing with their behavior without medication.  They thus learn to manage their own interests.
1149961
Talk to a developmental pediatrician about this.  My son has mild CP also, and saw a psychologist at age 2.  There are lots of "tests" they can do, even on a young child that can't verbalize as well as an older child.  \n\nAlso, make the visits fun.  Most doctors have stickers they will let the kids pick from or treasure chests.  Tell the nurses and doctors about his fear and see what they are willing to do to make the visits more cheerful.  I can understand if he's gotten lots of poking and prodding from the docs, then he will be anxious.  Maybe take him for a treat afterward, ice cream, a small toy, etc.  \n\nWhen my son has an especially difficult Physical Therapy session, I let him pick out a new Hot Wheel.  It's something they can look forward to and it may ease his anxiety.  \n\nI definitely wouldn't put a child that young on meds, even if the docs say it's ok.  Those can have long-lasting effects on a child much worse than the untreated anxiety would.  \n\nGood luck!
127310
My son has high functioning austism as well. He is 5 now and became verbal last year. His still likes to play by himself some of the time but he interacts with his siblings and some of the kids from his school. Find something that he really enjoys. For my son it is letters and numbers. I bought flash cards for him and invited a couple of the neighbor kids over. We had races to see who could find certain numbers. He loved it. Don't try too many kids though or he could feel overwhelmed. A lot of his interaction came from watching the other kids do things. He wouldn't go down the slide until he watched the other kids do it over and over again. Make a structured "game" of the play at first and then slowly let it become more spontanious. Good Luck you can email me at sbirch5@yahoo.com if you would like to discuss this further
667196
Gifted children often do have an obsessive, perfectionistic element to their giftedness. Some do have full-blown OCD. Your daughter is not alone in her current difficulties, and neither are you. This is not a reflection on your parenting... the fact that you are asking for more information and want to help her, and have been trying to help her, shows what a wonderful parent you are. \n\nYour child needs counseling, and you need to connect with other parents of gifted and of OCD and/or Anxiety kids to have regular support for both stress relief (nothing like hearing "yeah, me too" to make you feel better) and to get parenting ideas.\n\nIf she is having difficulty concentrating, and it just started recently, she may be also experiencing Generalized Anxiety, which given her obsessive streak may be a more likely cause for distractibility than ADHD (which doesn't really "pop out of nowhere"). A quick test is to give her a little caffiene (1/2 cup medium-strength coffee, or a can of Mountain Dew). Does she get agitated? Then she does not have ADHD. If she calms completely down and suddenly "finds her focus," she has ADHD. In any case, you should see your doctor and get a referral to a pediatric psychiatrist. This is NOT an automatic "lets go get meds," but the tapping of a specialist to help coordinate your counseling care and to monitor her symptoms. But don't close the door on the idea of meds, either. OCD and Generalized Anxiety are chemical imbalances, not a matter of willpower. Medication is a tool to help alleviate symptoms so that she can learn adequate coping skills. You wouldn't deny her insulin for diabetes, would you? The difference is that, IF the doctors suggest medicine, it often does not have to be a lifelong committment. As she builds coping skills, she may be able to go off them, too. If they do not suggest medication right away, they certainly will be able to provide you with specialized guidance in helping your daughter overcome her stress and find her productivity again.\n\nDoes your state have funding for gifted programming?  In my state, New Mexico, Gifted children are served under Special Education. This means that we also have excellent programs for children who are gifted who are also experiencing challenges ("twice exceptional" or 2x). \n\nThere are some professors at the University of New Mexico who are leaders in the field of gifted education, and 2x programs (I was lucky enough to have some instruction from them at the last education conference I attended).\n\nYour daughter should be receiving extra services of some kind. Is she or has she been in a gifted program? Is she currently receiving counseling, either privately and/or through the schools?