Your child is not considered hyperactive if he is full
of energy and is sometimes disobedient, defiant or naughty.
He is not to be considered hyperactive if he gets fidgety
while you are engaged, refuses to sit down for long
or is restless on a long journey. Most children get
aggressive from time to time; get cranky out of boredom;
is noisy and uninhibited. Finally a child who is having
behavior problems due to some stress should not be labeled
hyperactive. There are some distinctive differences
between what is normal and hyperactive behavior. A hyperactive
child is more likely to have had the following tendencies
as a baby: screaming and crying constantly, needed very
little sleep or had irregular sleep patterns, had colic,
was irritable, disliked being cuddled, jumped at every
sound, had excessive dribbling and was very thirsty,
head banged, difficult to settle, difficult to feed.
Much of the following behavior is typical for two year
olds, but an older toddler who has had many of the symptoms
below for at least six months may be hyperactive.
Symptoms:
• Is clumsy or accident prone
• Constantly fidgets and dislikes sitting still
or for even short periods.
• Is frequently aggressive
• Flits from one thing to another, lacks concentration
and never finishes what he is doing
• Overreacts to minor things and is difficult
to pacify
• Has continual sleep problems
• Has difficulty learning to dress himself
• Has poor self-esteem
• Has difficulty taking turns
• Touches and meddles with everything
• Has speech delay or talks continually
• Has a poor appetite and is always thirsty
• Does dangerous things without any sense of danger
or sign of fear
• Dislikes change
• Has health problems such as ear or chest infections,
asthma, eczema and tummy aches
Causes:
There is no clear cause for hyperactivity but several
theories surround it.
1. Genetic. It is thought that hyperactivity
may have a hereditary component since hyperactive children
have at least one close relative who share the same
condition. However no specific gene has been identified.
It is more prevalent in boys than girls (about 1 girl
to 5 boys).
2. Maternal health. A high proportion
of hyperactive children are born to mothers who have
a history of allergy such as eczema, asthma or migraine.
3. Pregnancy and birth problems. Birth
complications and pregnancy problems such as stress
and allergy may contribute to hyperactivity.
4. Essential fatty acid deficiency.
Some studies have found hyperactive children lack in
EFA. Symptoms pointing to this lack include severe thirst,
dry skin and hair, frequent urination and a history
of allergies such as eczema and asthma.
To
tackle the EFA deficiency issue, the use of omega 3
and 6 have been encouraged for quite some time now and
can be included in your child's diet either in the form
of supplements (check with your GP/dietitian) or food.
5. Nutritional deficiencies. Some hyperactive
children may be low in zinc, magnesium and Vitamin B12.
6. Foods containing additives, colorings and preservatives should be avoided as they have been implicated as possible triggers for hyperactive behavior. In fact it helps to maintain a food diary to record daily food and behavior patterns, more so when certain foods are a suspect. Any doubts pertaining to the food your child is having, please consult with your GP/dietitian for further advice.
