How do you deal with hyperactivity?

Let me preface this by saying I don't think my daughter has ADD or ADHD - at least, I don't think so. She is only 3 years + 1 month old, so too early to be diagnosed properly if she does have it. These days everyone is very quick to blame food additives etc for hyperactivity, but her diet is very very clean. No junk, and very little processed food. She eats whole foods like fruit, veg and meat which I make myself with simple whole ingredients.

Her hyperactivity is doing my head in. She has always been very squirmy - even as a baby. She gets very "rampant" as we call it - if you hold her (not every time, but if she is in a rampant mood) she squirms, kicks, arches her back, yells, punches the air, grits and grinds her teeth, holds onto my hair and pulls it, moves her arm up and down to hit my face etc. None of this is done to actually cause harm. It's just that I'm in the way.
If I'm sitting on the couch, she'll climb on me and behave in this way - it's not much fun being assaulted.

Most of the time she doesn't walk, she runs. Several times a day, sometimes when she's excited but often for no apparent reason, she does this weird "tense shaking" thing where she'll tense up and shake - almost vibrate, really, and either grind her teeth or make an "urrrr" kind of noise... This entire process lasts only a few seconds - maybe 2 or 3 seconds.
She's not like this *all* the time - in fact most people would probably be surprised if I mentioned her hyperactivity. I guess she is most hyper around myself and my partner.

I knew children could be hyperactive but honestly, I wish I'd known about this very odd behaviour before deciding to have children!
How on earth do I deal with it?? At the moment, when she climbs on me etc, I get up and walk away telling her I will come back if she can sit nicely with me. It works in the short term, but then she goes straight back to it.
She is starting pre-kindy next year, so it will be interesting to see how she behaves there and what the teachers there think....
In the meantime, I am losing my mind. Perhaps if I went to work I could get a break from it and it wouldn't be so bad, but being a SAHM without any time off, it is getting to me. I don't expect her to sit quietly like a mouse, not at all. I get that kids are active. If she could be active without inflicting pain, that would be good :)

Phew, that sounds exhausting!

I may be waaay off, but the teeth clenching and body shaking made me wonder whether she's seeking sensory input above and beyond what might be typical. I just wonder whether any of this rings true for her?


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2. Hyposensitivity To Movement (Under-Responsive):

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__ in constant motion, can't seem to sit still

__ craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences

__ loves being tossed in the air

__ could spin for hours and never appear to be dizzy

__ loves the fast, intense, and/or scary rides at amusement parks

__ always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions

__ loves to swing as high as possible and for long periods of time

__ is a "thrill-seeker"; dangerous at times

__ always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking

__ rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting

__ likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike


Signs Of Proprioceptive Dysfunction:

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1. Sensory Seeking Behaviors:

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__ seeks out jumping, bumping, and crashing activities

__ stomps feet when walking

__ kicks his/her feet on floor or chair while sitting at desk/table

__ bites or sucks on fingers and/or frequently cracks his/her knuckles

__ loves to be tightly wrapped in many or weighted blankets, especially at bedtime

__ prefers clothes (and belts, hoods, shoelaces) to be as tight as possible

__ loves/seeks out "squishing" activities

__ enjoys bear hugs

__ excessive banging on/with toys and objects

__ loves "roughhousing" and tackling/wrestling games

__ frequently falls on floor intentionally

__ would jump on a trampoline for hours on end

__ grinds his/her teeth throughout the day

__ loves pushing/pulling/dragging objects

__ loves jumping off furniture or from high places

__ frequently hits, bumps or pushes other children

__ chews on pens, straws, shirt sleeves etc.

Full ref at:
http://www.sensory-processing-disord...checklist.html

Have you read failsafe/fed up? Some parents whose kids are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (and I've no idea if your daughter has that of course) found their kids responded well to the diet. It's additives, but also lowers the intake of natural food chemicals (which are abundant in fruit and veg, for eg). I don't know if you're of a mind to try something else like that? It certainly sounds like you're having a hard time. :hug:

TBH, she sounds quite normal to me.

Both of mine have done the tense vibrating thing. And I was told it is fairly normal at that age too.

She sounds like she is a very active kid. What activities do you have her doing? Perhaps it is time to find her some extra curricular activity - like gymnastics or dance classes - that she can attend once or twice a week.
Take her to the park and run laps of the oval - my DDs use the driveway that goes the length of the block... There is nothing wrong with them, they are just active kids who enjoy physical activity.

There are cool climbing frame things you can get from Bunnings - one of the best investments we ever made, it is used every day, for hours. You can also get little toy trampolines with a handle bar thing on it so they can jump. A play gym or swing set for your backyard sounds like a good idea too.

Failing all that, get out and run around with her - engage her physical interests with some guided play - a soccer ball would work well. Cut a figure 8 in your back grass (drop the mower a couple of notches lower than the rest of the grass) and do races with her.

Most of all, you may just have to get used to have a very active child. Some are like that, some aren't. Some days is totally sucks. Mostly though it will be about you finding ways to accommodate that need of hers. :hug:

Thank you all.

Santosha, Thanks for the checklist. I had seen it before, several months ago, when her her behaviour wasn't so bad.
Out of the first list I would tick 4 out of 11 behaviours and in the second list I'd tick 10 out of 17.
Luckily she is always very gentle with other children. Phew!
I guess I could see an Occupational Therapist.... Does anyone know if you need a doctor's referral for them?? I am in W.A.

MadB thank you, I have heard of Failsafe & Fed Up and am happy to try anything. Will investigate.

Thanks LimeSlice for your suggestions. That is what I am hoping for - that she is normal, just active! Maybe I find it hard to deal with because I am the exact opposite! I'm a quiet person and I was a very, very quiet and inactive child. My mum was overly protective so I didn't really go outside or to parks, or even run around outside! (Luckily I was naturally stick-thin, but still not good to be so inactive!) The first time I ever ran was in year 1 at school :)
When we visit my parents, they have absolutely NO idea what to do with her. This is partly because they are old-fashioned (they are in their 70s but are extremely old-fashioned). My mum constantly comments that she "acts like a boy" (whatever that means). Luckily for them, all of their kids had sedate temperaments and spent their childhoods sitting around the house :) Anyway, I am getting off topic.

She does have a trampoline but only uses it sporadically - she prefers the couch! We have a small backyard but we use it as much as we can.
She did go to a dance class but we stopped... I should look into something for next year. I think she will benefit a lot from pre-kindy next year.

I think you need a referral for a public one (and there'd be a waitlist). Private I'm pretty sure you can refer yourself.

Hi goddess, my DS was the same - generally ok but would go crazy and couldn't seem to control himself when he was in a hyper mood. He has largely grown out of it now (he is 5yrs). He still gets the hyperactivity but can generally control himself to stop games that are starting to hurt us etc. He is sensitive to certain foods but they are probably additives (I have only isolated the whole food so far and not the individual ingredient). But I would second what mad said in looking at other foods. It is a myth that food sensitivities are all from additives etc. Some kids are sensitive to other foods that are healthy such as particular fruit. I agree that checking out failsafe might be a good option to rule it out. Hope this helps. I do understand how frustrating it can be as that is exactly what DS was like (and is still after eating certain foods!).