should i have DD evaluated for ADHD?

[majormajor]

my daughter is 5.5. she's always been very, very active and for the most part had a shorter attention span than other kids her age (she wouldn't even watch TV until she was almost 3), but it wasn't until we had our second daughter than i really began to understand how different she is from other kids.

physically, she's just always moving. she squirms when she sits (she constantly falls out of her chair), she runs all the time... it never stops. even gestating her was honestly a nightmare. my grandmother saw her going one day in my belly and said she reminded her of her 4th son (who was hyperactive as a kid too. hyperactivity certainly runs in the family, my grandfather was actually put on medication in his late 70s or early 80s. he didn't stay on it though). even though she was my first, i could tell it wasn't normal.

anyway, i know she's very very active. i know hyperactivity and giftedness run in the family, and googling ADD/ADHD and giftedness brings up all kinds of information on gifted, ADHD adults, which fits me to a T. so, it's certainly a possibility, but it leaves me wondering how to proceed.

do i get her evaluated? i've read some of the theory on high IQ and prefrontal cortex development, but i am not getting whether this is supposed to explain distractability or hyperactivity or both. regardless, seeing how well the descriptions of adult giftedness and ADHD fit me, i wonder if there's a way to mitigate the negative effects for her, even if it is her normal. are there really good books that discuss things i can do at home, without bringing in a therapist?

[OTMomma]

I think first you have to decide how this is affecting your daughter's life- and what you would want to gain from a diagnosis.  You could certainly see a child psychologist who could do testing for both ADHD and for her IQ, if you ask around and find a good professional to work with, you should get a lot of useful information out of it- to use in planning her education and home needs.   However, if you don't feel ready for that step just now- I think it more important to look at how your dd is handling her life right now-  does she do well at school/preschool?  Has her teacher said anything to you?  Or do you plan to homeschool?  Does she function well during her day i.e. can she sit and eat a meal, dress herself, play a game with you without a problem?   Does she have sensory seeking behaviors? 

I would start with reading more about ADHD and gifted children, it sounds like you are well on your way to educating yourself to figure all this out.  Its great that you are starting now.