Hyperactivity in toddlers

[Ceinwen]

My youngest dd will be three in December.

She has ADHD (which I hate as a label, btw).

Our pediatrician, who I love and adore and is very open to trying anything I want to, has said that she's never seen a child quite as wired as Rue. If you try to get her to stand still for thirty seconds, she visibly vibrates.

She's over the top defiant (and not in a toddler way) - I mean this kid will literally starve, die, freeze (whatever the case may be) before giving in to something.

I'm at a loss. She's a nightmare to live with. Doesn't sleep. Won't eat anything but carbs. Won't drink enough. I'm managing to get her to choke down some fish oil, but who knows if it's helping.

Screams constantly.

She has a severe speech delay, and is the roughest child I've ever met. She literally does not stop moving one minute of the day.

I'm about at my limit with her. This morning I lost it and yelled at her to just 'sit still for one god damned minute' - to which she didn't even bat an eye. Just kept spinning and jumping, climbing over things.

She hurts our pets, her older sister, she is constantly in motion. Jumping, spinning, falling. She doesn't play, won't/can't sit long enough to play. She'll occasionally sit for a five minute story.

I really need help. Do we approach this from a nutritional POV? Behavioural? All I know is that my home has become a war zone. No one wants to be here, to be around her. And it's breaking my heart.

[mbbinsc]

I'd look at her diet first. What kind of carbs is she eating? You may want to look on the allergy board for threads about allergies and behavior.

[tanyalynn]

We've been talking about hyperactivity in young kids in the last few pages of the big Chat thread in the Allergies forum. Mostly from a dietary standpoint--food intolerances, diets like Feingold, vit/min supplementation, methylation cycle. You're welcome to join, or just skim.

[Ceinwen]

Awesome, thanks for the direction. I'm going to go and check it out.

[tanyalynn]

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...267511&page=40

I was just on my way back here, I realized the Chat thread had gotten a bit long. This page is in the range where we're discussing it.

[mamafish9]

Hugs mama! Definitely join us in the allergy forum, but there are lots of potential culprits for the behaviors you list. Here's my list of things to try/rule out, in the order I think they're best tested:

1) mag deficiency (this is always the first one I suggest trying to fix because it's easy) - what happens if you put her in an Epsom salts bath?

2) salicylates sensitivity

4) food reactions

4) methylation under-supported or imbalanced

5) high ammonia or glutamates

I've seen every single one of those make my kiddo (3.5yo and autistic) NUTSO. And every single one can be solved, and make for a totally different kid. There are things you can do, and some of them can work very quickly. Others take time, but make a lasting difference.

Mag is first, and sometimes all that is needed. Try Epsom salts, and as much oral mag as you can get into her (any form except for mag oxide is fine, I like glycinate & citrate).

[ASusan]

But just a note about Epsom salt baths. If the child is VERY deficient in Mg, then an Epsom salt bath will overstimulate their pathways, and they will be even MORE nutso until the deficiency is addressed. This is because the receptors for Mg have been "ramped up" to take advantage of ANY mg in the system. When a large amount is introduced, the receptors become hyperstimulated. In cases like these, Epsom salts must be added to the bath in very small (1 Tbls per bath) amounts, increasing very gradually over time.

[mamafish9]

That can definitely happen with some kids, although I've heard it related to high oxalates rather than mag deficiency. My son was extremely mag deficient, and Epsom salts baths were just mildly calming for him (oral mag was far more effective).

[Ceinwen]

There is way too much info in that thread.

I don't even know where to start...

Thank you for the list though, I'm going to start browsing through it!

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by ASusan

But just a note about Epsom salt baths. If the child is VERY deficient in Mg, then an Epsom salt bath will overstimulate their pathways, and they will be even MORE nutso until the deficiency is addressed. This is because the receptors for Mg have been "ramped up" to take advantage of ANY mg in the system. When a large amount is introduced, the receptors become hyperstimulated. In cases like these, Epsom salts must be added to the bath in very small (1 Tbls per bath) amounts, increasing very gradually over time.

This was our experience, he wasn't eating high oxalates so I'm not quite sure the reason why. We were able to work up pretty quickly.

[Naturopath Mom]

You might want to try some rescue remedy just to get a grip on things, you can even rub it on her temples, or if she'll take it just under the tongue. There is a deeper root cause for sure, but the Rescue Remedy will help until you can figure that out.

[Aridel]

Where did she get the ADHD diagnosis? Has she had a full assessment with a developmental pediatrician or neurpsych? If not, that may be worthwhile. Kids are notoriously difficult to diagnose, not only because other factors (sleep, food, sensitivities, delays in other areas) can interfere, but because the behaviors a young child shows may not look much like the behaviors that same child shows when older - even if they result from the same issue. I truly think a good, in-depth eval (or second opinion if your first eval was bad) can be a great place to start, and if the doctor is any good they should also have suggestions of resources for you. Their suggestions will be more mainstream, of course, but it could be good to get a range of info.

Has she been checked for sensory processing issues? They are very common in kids with ADHD and can present with lots of movement and difficulty staying still.