ADD ADHD question - probably a stupid one

When do you see start to see signs of ADD or ADHD and what are the signs?

The reason I'm asking is because, DS is 11m, my mom watches him one day a week and when DH is working she insists he spends the whole weekend, so so I get a call, from my mom "I think he has ADD, and I think he gets more hyper when you give him cows milk" - which makes no sense because he's been on cows milk based formula forever prior...

But This is not unusual of her, she's had the theory that DS has ADHD since he was 2m. And almost every week, while she is watching him, will call me when he's napping and tell me something a long the lines of what I'm doing wrong and why I shouldn't do it because he has ADHD.

My dad has ADHD, so I know what it is, I've taught college students with it. I know it very well, from an adult standpoint. I don't see it in DS.

Do I chalk it up to the fact that he's a boy, and that she's only ever raised girls, and girls are different? What kind of behavior am I looking for with a baby with ADHD?

Re: ADD ADHD question - probably a stupid one

I worried about this with my DS, and I was told that you can't make an accurate diagnosis till around 4 years old, I think. This is because so much of what seems like short attention span, hyperactivity, or impulsivity goes away with time and maturity.

Re: ADD ADHD question - probably a stupid one

11months is WAY too young.

I noticed differences in my DS's attention span as he got closer to 2. He is not always hyper, but can be impulsive. He will be 4 in April and currently he is considered "at risk" because he is too young to diagnose. Even at 3 and 4 most kids, especially boys, attention spans are limited.

Re: ADD ADHD question - probably a stupid one

By 3 years old, we were pretty sure. By 4 years old, we definitely knew. By 6 years old, it was an official diagnosis.

As a parent of a child with ADD, I think I'm very in tune to a child that may have a problem with it but I think 2 years old is way too young to come to any conclusions.

By the way, if he's been sick recently - particularly if he was an a steroid (Albuterol) - he will be showing signs of irritablity & hyperactivity.

Re: ADD ADHD question - probably a stupid one

Re: ADD ADHD question - probably a stupid one

Not an expert, but some experience... I would say 2-3 you would start to notice if something was "off", and honestly, thatmight even be a bit young...