3 1/2yr old out of control and i dont know what to do

[hlchancey]

I am a mom of 6 children, 2 of which have ADHD and I myself take medication for ADHD. Up until the last 4 months or so he has been pretty normal in his development and milestones and all. He is an affectionate child and usually happy. Over the last couple months his behavior has changed, he is very defiant, very short temper, throws very huge fits when he is told no or something he doesnt like, including things like yelling, screaming, stomping his feet. When he is put in timeout he will not stay no matter what we try. If we try and gently hold him in the corner he fights and screams. If i put him in his room he wont stay, he will throw things at the door, or kick or hit the door. On top of all of this he gets hysterical if I am 5 feet from him even in our own home unless he has decided to walk away. When he is in trouble he is hysterical about wanting to be by me, when he isnt in trouble he almost always has to be right by me, when it is bedtime he will scream and cry for an hr or more because I am not in the room or allowing him in my room. I have not allowed him to be in my room/bed since he was a baby and do not allow any of my other children to sleep in my bed. He is not in a room alone, there is a night light, and my room is 10 feet down the hall and has no door (family room turned into a bedroom). If i even try to inch away closer to the door he starts freaking out and crying.
Also he doesnt sleep much, he will stay up late into the night, we start bedtime routines at our house around 6:45 and give the kids transition time for each thing, we also give him melatonin before bed which does not help. When all the other kids are asleep we are still battling with him.
When he is dropped off at daycare he freaks out but after awhile is ok for the rest of the day. I feel like I have tried everything i know.
HELP!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

I should have added that it would be wise to stop giving him melatonin. It might actually be promoting a sort of depressive reaction in your son.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It is time you arrange an evalaution ith a child psychiatrist. It's important to rule out any underlying emotional disorder, such as a juvenile-onset mood disorder or (particularly in light of the family history) a neurointegrative disorder such as ADHD.