Can a 9 month old have ADD?

I am going to need to start screening my calls because lately all my mother does is upset me. Here's the latest...she told me I should have him evaluated because she thinks he has ADD. I will admit it, his attention span is short. He doesnt just sit and play with a toy...he gets bored. He will not sit and let me read a book to him. This is not the first time she has brought this up to me but I did mention it to ped at his 8 month appt (with my mom present because I figured she'd shut up) and the ped kinda rolled her eyes, but now I dont know. Is DS's behavior out of the ordinary? Does everyone else's DC sit still? Andy hates being confined. Jumperoo, exersaucer, etc. are all done. I bought a playard with the extra added panel and the minute I go to put him in it he starts screaming and climinb the gate. He is not happy unless he is crawling around and pulling himself up on things. Toys do not hold his interest. But ADD? My mother told me to "go ask some mothers..." Any insight would be greatly appreciated because if I hear "Both of my children were NEVER like him" one more time, I am quitting my job and disconnecting my phone

ETA: I cant believe I spelled bored as board...I had to fix it

Message edited 7/14/2010 9:08:11 PM.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG...my boys are total opposites. TJ would sit and play, has always been calm and laid back. Derek TOTAL opposite...can't sit still for a second, not even for diaper changes. Wants to constantly be on the go.

I think you need to tell her to keep her thoughts to herself

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

My DD is 9 months also and very active. She would much rather be crawling or cruising, playing with different toys and engaging in play with people. I think it's totally normal.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

My mom had 2 girls.

She always says oh how DS is so active, more than any baby she's ever seen, she said she thinks he'll had ADD. I was a little confused, he was 2 months old at the time.

I came on here and asked, everyone assured me, you can't really tell anything till much much later.

I'd just blow her off and say, "boys will be boys" as I do.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

you described my 10 month old... of course they dont have along attention span..their brain development is rapidly growing and learning...through exploring and getting anything in their hands... totally normal...

Message edited 7/14/2010 9:10:08 PM.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

The simple answer to your question, is no- a 9 month old cannot have ADD. Typically it is not diagnosed until age 4 or 5.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Your mother is crazy. That behavior is completely normal!

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

DS is almost 9 mo. he just started cruising and standing. wants nothing to do with crawling. now that he knows he can stand..he is all over the freaking place and just wants to GO GO GO!!

We can get him to sit with us and read for a little while, or chill when he's starting to get tired or whiney. He will play on his own a bit in the PNP with his dolls, but now he's also starting the "im going to cry when mom walks out of my view" phase...ughhh!!

We did buy a jumperoo that he uses at daycare and loves. He even fell asleep in it at daycare. at home..different story. stays in it for like 10-15 min..LOL

I do not think your son has ADD. they're kids..supposed to be active. I'd actually be a little worried if all my kid did is want to sit around and not be active.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

I think about this all the time. DS is 8.5 months and is very active, too. He is always on the move and does not sit still. The only thing that chills him out is Nick Jr. We can not strap him into anything. He hates his stroller,highchair, jumperoo, walker, carseat. He's such a happy baby though, so I don't really worry about it, but I do wonder if he will continue to be like this as a toddler. Doesn't help that my friends infants are all sooooo mellow and laid back, so I can not help but compare.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

lol i thought you were writing about MY 9 month old. so because of this, i believe your child to be completely normal .

my DS jumps from toy to toy...literally! he jumps all over the place, hates being confined (screams if we try to put him in the jumperoo, exersaucer, or walker) and screams at the top of his lungs just to see how loud he can get and then giggles.

i always believed his behavior to be normal. because, after all, they're still learning and growing. i know if all of a sudden one day i woke up and could see things clearly and was suddenly mobile, i wouldnt be able to sit still either! i'd wanna see and touch everything i could get my hands on!

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

If your DS has ADD, so does my little guy and a lot of the other babies I know. Honestly though, as a Special Ed EI teacher, they do not diagnose ADD at that young of an age. They usually wait until at least 3 years old and that is even pretty early.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Jeeez! This is my 8 month, he doesn't sit still for a second. It's exhausting now. The only time he will sit still is when I read One Fish, Two Fish. . .

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

My son started going nuts at that age - it5 is normal development - NOT ADD. I would tell your mom to stop diagnosing your baby!!!!

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

I remember thinking my dd had ADD at that same age... She went through a phase where she would not sit and play with a toy for anything... The playing with a toy thing has gotten a LITTLE better by 11 months, but she still won't be contained in anything, or sit to be read a book to (unless it has flaps or fuzzy things for her to touch!) I looked it up and saw that they don't diagnose it till much later, because those behaviors are SO typical of many at a younger age

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

If your son has ADD then so does mine...You described my son to a "T"..He will not sit still & does not watch TV. He only watches the beginning & ending of Mickey. When it comes to toys, he is constantly going from one to the other. He hates to be confined to anything including the carseat. After about 15-20 minutes he is looking to get out & has even tried to unbuckle himself

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Nope he sounds like a very healthy active normal little boy to me! I don't know very few young children that sit for that sort of things.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Dawn, seriously? SERIOUSLY??? You and that family of yours make you crazy. Both DH's and yours.

He is NINE MONTHS OLD. He has discovered independence. Let him embrace it. There is NOTHING wrong with him. In fact, there is everything right with him. He is curious and he is active.

When I was a baby, my mom brought me to the doctor (I was sick). I think I was about a year. I was very active also, climbing, etc. The doctor my mom saw said he thought I had ADD (or whatever they called it at the time) and that I needed to be evaluated.

My mom took me, they put me up on a table to see if I would try to get down to get to my mom. I tried to figure out how to get down and couldn't, so I sat there and cried. They said kids with ADHD that try to get down, and figure out that they can't get down w/o hurting themselves, don't care and still jump down, those kids have ADHD. Now, think about that. THAT'S what they thought about doing in those days. Your mom is from that generation. Just remember that.

Lots and lots of hugs for my twin bday mama

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

My DD was like that from day one. now at 13 months, she is a wild one. I dont think they can be diagnosed with ADD until they are older. they are supposed to have short attention spans when they are younger.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Honestly, ADD doesn't come out of nowhere - you either have it or you don't no matter what age you are. How and when it manifests itself is much later on in child development.

That being said, I don't think he has ADD - every baby that age demonstrates those types of behaviors.

AND

There is no way in hell that any EI evaluator, psychologist or pediatrician would EVER diagnose a 9 month old with ADD. That is sheer insanity and you can tell your Mom that I said that - give her my phone number and I'll give her a stern talking to with a shoe up her butt. (No disrespect )

(Pssst - FM me for my number )

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

My DS is like your DS. He is a little over 1 year old and cannot be contained. He wants to walk all over, plays with a toy for maybe 5 minutes then moves on. It is hard to keep him entertained for long periods of time in one spot, so we do a lot of moving: play in the living room, play in his room, out for a walk, out to run an errand. I just keep him moving and it makes him happy. I will say that I think it is normal, but it's simply MY normal. He walked before 1 and I really think it's because he was so active. Just take what your mom says with a grain of salt. And a glass of wine!

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

My brother has ADHD and was not diagnosed until he was about 4-5 years old. I would NEVER classify a 9 month old child as ADD nor would any doctor. That's ridiculous. Don't get upset, I am sure your LO is just fine!!

Message edited 7/15/2010 11:01:00 AM.

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

I had no idea that any 9 month old would/could sit still for a book, or anything for more than a few seconds. Short attention span is completely normal!!

Re: Can a 9 month old have ADD?

Maybe your mother needs to be evaluated!!

The twins are 10 months old and maniacs!!! We had the exact same situation with the play yard. I set it all up in the backyard, put them in it and MASS HYSTERICS!!! The neighbors probably thought I was beating them or something with the screams. I took the play yard down and they were fine.

I actually just said to someone today that I miss my cuddlebug Nicolas. He used to love to be held. Now, he wants no part of me!!! He just wants to roll, crawl, stand and explore!

My older son was like this too. It's their age. They are suppose to be like this. There is nothing wrong with your son! All three of my children were/are like him!!!