Advise on 4yr old son

[giggles5]

I have a Very active 4yr old (can't sit still) who toe walks (he has day & night time afo's --both feet/ankle) he is smart & has a great sense of humor.  He seems to lack focus if it isn't self initiated.  Has a hard time "living in the moment" & constantly thinking about what he will do next instead of focusing on what he's doing now. (a lot of the times). Easily distracted & doesn't concentrate too long.Repeats things over & over (verbally)-- does not have temper tantrums.  He disrupts class (he attends a pre-school w/3-5yrs olds in class) talks out of turn & talks too much; as soon as he wakes up. Goes to bed at 7:30pm - 7am & takes a nap from 1p - 2:30.  falls asleep w/in 20-30mins of going to bed.  Eats Very good (Veg's, Fruit, Milk, Water, Meats) doesn't like:  Eggs, Potatoes, Lunchmeat or some cheeses). He throws up in his mouth after eating, even hours after--he eats VERY fast.  He had refux as a baby & took zantac (stopped at 10months) He loves to play w/anybody, but not buy himself.  He is an only child.  Could he have ADHD or could this activity be because he stomach (reflux) bothers him & he trying (4 lack of a better word) to escape from the relux.??  Please send some advise.
Thank you!!

[Sandman2]

   Well, that's the problem with pediatricians.  They won't diagnose till 6 because they need to send out a questionable to the school.  Essentially they don't have the training (not their fault) to diagnose earlier.  A pediatric psychiatrist does.  I have seen numerous posts on this forum by parents whose kids have been diagnosed earlier.  Yes, your son does sound a bit hyper.  But that can be pretty common at this age.  Go over to the child forum behavior forum and look at all the posts titled "out of control 4 year old."    The fact that he sleeps well and is not impulsive is a very good sign.
   I don't necessarily think that he is trying to escape from his reflex by his actions.  I DO think that his reflux is something that should be addressed.  Acid blockers should be avoided if possible because they stop the stomach acids that kill intestinal bacteria, etc.  However, there are less potent ones (like Zantac) that are sold over the counter, that are very effective and can be taken as needed.
  The point being is that this is something that should be solvable.  If he were older, they would do an endoscopy to see what is going on in his stomach.  Something is causing the problem, and you need to figure out what it is.  I kind of doubt that a pediatrician has that expertise.  An Internist should.  I also would look at his diet and figure out what is causing the problem.  Many times it is a reaction to certain foods (spicy, etc.)  Google acid reflux and you will find lists that tell your which foods are more problematic.  And its always possible that he has an allergy to certain foods.  Things like Maalox can be very helpful after eating.  Anyway, this is something that should be checked out.  The fact he was on Zantac at such an early age is definitely a signal that this should be explored more - probably by a specialist.
   My final thought is that lack of sleep can cause ADHD symptoms.  You say he falls to sleep easily and also takes a long nap.  That long a nap is a bit unusual at this age.  I am wondering if the acid reflux wakes him up during the night so he can't get a good nights sleep.  It might be worthwhile to invest in putting a camera in his room to see how well he is sleeping at night.  You could also try a zantac before dinner for a week or so, and see if that changes his behavior.  If it does - don't just keep giving the zantac, but figure out what is going on with him and why it is needed.  Best Wishes!!

[win3]

Hey, thanks for the input.  No he's not impulsive or dangerous...I was also told by my pediatrician that you really shouldn't get diagnosed til 6yrs old w/ADD/ADHD.

& as far as autism.. not at all; yeah, we make him play by himself, but he doesn't like it-- he is VERY social (maybe too much).

Thanks again!!

[ilovemybritspaniel]

I would not, at all, suspect autism- just for the fact that he does have good eating habits/will eat variety of foods and that he likes to play with other children. Autistic children generally play by themselves and only eat 2 or 3 types of food regularly.

[ilovemybritspaniel]

Just sounds like "only child syndrome" to me... kidding, I'm an only child too. Is he impulsive? Jumping out of trees, trying dangerous stunts, almost like he can feel no pain? If so- I'd say have him evaluated. I am under the impression that a child cannot be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD until age 7 though.