All toddlers and preschoolers are active, some are extremely active, so it's sometimes difficult for parents to distinguish whether there is an issue with their child.
"Compare your child to other toddlers the same age," says L. Eugene Arnold, M.D., M.Ed., Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University. "If the child fits right in, it's probably just the normal high activity level of toddlers. If he or she sticks out as more active, disorganized, impulsive and inattentive -- can't attend to a story or puzzle appropriate for the age -- professional evaluation is indicated. Generally, the activity level of toddlers calms down with the development of speech." |
"Thirty percent of 3-year-olds look hyperactive, while only five percent of 4-year-olds look hyperactive. So the first time most people can really diagnose ADHD is about 4 years old," says Daniel G. Amen, M.D. "If you have an extremely hyperactive child at 3, he or she needs to see a child psychiatrist or psychologist to get a proper diagnosis."
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