Too early for ADD/ADHD?

[Lulu]

Pfft to her - what kind of medical professional thinks you can make a diagnosis like that in 2 mins. And the appt wasn't even about DD? She's a freakin MIDWIFE and should stick to that.

Grrrr sorry, these things really crap me off.

[Glamourcide]

*Relief*
Thanks heaps girls, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there with a rambunctious kid!! I totally agree with the comments about needing more stimulation, she's starting daycare for one day a week tomorrow to try and give her a chance to do some more socialising and more activities, I find it hard to keep her entertained constantly because I'm a SAHM with a few complications atm (since Emily's birthday last year when her grandma was killed, actually) so I'm usually very, very busy handling not only the day-to-day errands and chores, and dealing with an orphaned 16-year-old (DH's brother), as well as issues like FiL being in prison awaiting trial and all the legal stuff that goes with sorting out a will, an inheritance, frozen bank accounts (gah I could tear my hair out some days! I wish it would all just go away!), and being pregnant goes nowhere as far as helping my energy supplies... so yeah, I'd be very much inclined to think that the majority of her problem is simply being bored and understimulated. I'll see how she goes at daycare over the next few weeks and consider putting her in for an extra day or two after a while as her needs dictate.

The only reason this would worry me is a) when it comes time for her to start school, I have heard some absolute horror stories about kids who are very smart and are super-bored who become disruptive or are just generally energetic kids, their teachers can't/won't deal with them and demand that they be diagnosed as ADD and medicated, even if they're not... as MissyMoo84 said, I have no worries in my ability as a parent so if she were to be diagnosed as ADD in the future it wouldn't change anything at all, I've done it for this long!! But yeah it just bothers me that my bright little spark might be disadvantaged by an overworked, frustrated teacher who refuses to look at any options other than doping my kid into silence - it would hurt her learning opportunities and like any parent I just want to see her reach her full potential.
And b), as absolutely shameful as this is to admit... I worry about how others would judge me. The town I live in isn't *that* small, but it's still small enough (or maybe the residents just have that small-town mentality) for people to judge others, even over things that are out of their control - I know a lot of people who, if it were revealed DD was ADD or whatever, would have endless hours of fun b***ing behing my back, blaming me somehow and 'pitying' everybody who has to interact with DD because, obviously, it's not *their* fault my kid's a 'freak' (so it must be mine, right?). I'm really ashamed to admit that, but I know it happens and I know I'm sad for being so concerned about what other people think or say about me, but I do. Of course everybody's greatest wish is just for a normal, healthy child, for the child's sake as well as their own... well I'm one of those pathetic people who gets judged for every other tiny insignificant little thing that goes on in my life, all I want is one area where people have nothing to complain or pick at!

I agree that a midwife would have very little idea of what she's on about after a whole three minutes of watching DD climbing on chairs and pilfering latex gloves, I just panicked because, as DH said at lunch, 'It all makes sense - she has zero impulse control, you smack her for the same thing ten times and she STILL does it, and look at every other kid we know - she won't play with them because they're just a total waste of her time... maybe she's *too* bleeding smart?'.

I'm very relieved to get your opinions on the subject, from the sounds of it DD is just like a lot of other kids out there (why, oh why can't she meet any IRL?? Most of my friends had babies *and* drug habits so their kids are pretty backward, I was the only one who quit *before* I went off the Pill!!), you've definitely helped put my mind at ease. I'll try to make a better effort to keep her stimulated, she does love reading and so do I, maybe a trip to the library tomorrow while she's at daycare will be in order I've been wanting to start teaching her her ABC's etc but wasn't sure when is a good time to start, so thanks for the advice on that, too, girls

[Lulu]

The only reason this would worry me is a) when it comes time for her to start school, I have heard some absolute horror stories about kids who are very smart and are super-bored who become disruptive or are just generally energetic kids, their teachers can't/won't deal with them and demand that they be diagnosed as ADD and medicated, even if they're not...

Cross that bridge when you come to it (and you prolly wont), you have plenty of things to stress about at present. Don't stress.

But darl, you can't expect an energetic toddler to listen to NO. You have to remove them from the situation or remove the problem. The ain't gonna listen when you tell them not to do something fun!