If you predicted ADHD in your 3 year old, what ultimately happened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3yo runner was diagnosed with ADHD combined type at age 6. She did OK in preschool but struggled some in K, particularly at home. As she matured we noticed increasing problems with emotional regulation, but a stimulant + guanfacine have done wonders.

OP. Wonderful that it seems to be more under control. Are you seeing the benefits at home, or mainly at school? Emotional regulation has been awful for my DD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because he was so bright, elementary school didn't think there was an issue (just that we would need to wait until he grew a little and gained some impulse control). Then we hit MS. Got diagnosis, got meds, got a new life (for him, for his classmates and most importantly, for our family). Wish we had gotten the diagnosis earlier, but we didn't know (just thought he was a high energy kid) and ES said we needed to wait.

My advise: don't wait to do something about it.

Thank you. Can you elaborate more on what worked? Meds mainly? Therapy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With speech like that, I’d be concerned about being on the spectrum as well. The two often go together.

OP here and I have wondered about autism. She has always been pretty serious and doesn’t have a particularly wide range of emotions, especially compared to one year old DD. She has never been flagged for autism by the pediatrician, and of course I have filled out the screeners. The other thing is that she is highly aware of emotions. Even at age two, if my mind drifted for a moment she would immediately say “Why are you worried?” She always reads facial expressions of characters in picture books too. She says things like “Why is that character surprised/worried/upset/frustrated/etc.” I don’t think a child on the spectrum could do that?

That said, she definitely does not consider outcomes for herself/others before she acts. Ever.

[Anonymous]

DC became a very good athlete and hard exercise helped keep symptoms under control in elementary. DC is smart and got by under the radar for elementary. However, like the PP above, MS was a disaster. Now in a rigorous private HS and medicated, things are much better, but I too wish I hadn't listened to the (public) school saying DC was fine. DC was not fine.

[Anonymous]

You may want to consider a school she can go to 5 mornings a week. My DD is 4 and exactly like yours. Her first year of school she only went 3 days and it was really hard for her not to be on a consistent schedule.

[Anonymous]

Pp again and wow our daughters are so similar. Don’t trust your ped. Mine kept dismissing my concerns and in year two of school when my daughters class sized doubled all the issues we had at home rolled into school. I had no choice but to seek help. DD just had a checkup and her ped said no way it’s ASD I think she has ADHD. Who knows what it is but my point is don’t trust the ped. She always said my daughter was difficult or strong willed. We are now in OT. We’ve done home studies and I met a neuropsychologist who says we should do testing eventually but since OT is helping a bit it’s ok to wait for now.