Hi. I read your message and it took me back. My 9 year old son was diagnosed ith severe ADHD when he was in Kindergarten (5yrs old). Before that and before medication he was just as you describe your son. He is an only child so I did not have younger children to worry about. Until your son gets a little older and he can be diagnosed yes or no with ADHD what you need to do is think about his strengths. What is he good at? What does he love to do? What can he focus on? Once you figure this out, nurture it.. Let him do what he loves to do and what he can focus on. Even if that is all he does. Also, praise and recognition is very very important. Building his self esteem and self confidence will help him and you tremendously. Another important thing to remember is to pick your battles wisely. Don't sweat the small stuff. You cannot care for him and your other children if you are all stressed out. I had very few rules, I still don't have very many. As long as my son isn't hurting anyone, inconveniencing anyone and playing safe I'm good with that. A schedule on the wall listing what is expoected of him has always been very helpful. You could use pictures right now until he learns to read. I could go on for hours about techniques that I have used and still use. Hope this is helpful. My thoughts are with you. Good luck.. Remember, YOU are the most important person in his eyes and he needs you to help him deal with the challenges that life is throwing at him.

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You might be interested in this article about diagnosing ADHD in 3-5 year olds.

You might need to see a special doctor to get an ADHD diagnosis for a young child. Also, preschoolers tend to me more susceptible to the side effects of ADHD medication than older children.

I hope this information helps, Dena

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