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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

Active or Hyperactive?

19 replies

tortoiseshell · 09/01/2006 15:55

Would you describe your child as active or hyperactive? My ds is 4, at school, and NEVER stops. He is always on the go, climbing, jumping, running - even when the TV is on, he watches it whilst running round the room, constantly. He eats very little, and seems to need no sleep - he should be tired at the end of a school day, and although I usually try and make sure he is in bed by 8, he is always awake past 10 o clock. Sometimes he jumps in and out of bed (which is infuriating for us, because we want our evening!), but sometimes he is really good and just lies quietly trying to get to sleep, for upwards of two hours!

However, he has pretty good concentration when engaged in something, he's a very sweet natured child, no aggression, just LOTS of energy. Hyperactive or active? Is there a term for someone with this amount of excess energy that just can't be used up?

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tortoiseshell · 09/01/2006 16:10

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sandyballs · 09/01/2006 16:13

Hmm, I initially thought hyperactive from the start of your post, but I don't think he'd be able to lie quietly in bed for a couple of hours awake if he was hyperactive.

Must be very stressful for you. You say he doesn't eat much, but what does he eat? My DDs are manic if they have too much sugar, or particular e-numbers. What is he like at school when he has to sit down quietly?

tortoiseshell · 09/01/2006 16:19

He eats cereal (Shreddies, cornflakes, rice krispies, not sugar coated cereals), lemon curd sandwiches, shepherds pie, fish and chips, mashed potato, pasta, peas. That tends to be his core diet.

I don't actually think he is 'clinically hyperactive' iyswim - looking it up on the internet, he doesn't have the inattention type symptoms, but am at a loss as to why he has SO much energy, and how to channel it - the more activity he has, the more energetic he gets, and the bedtime is really wearing me out!

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NotQuiteCockney · 09/01/2006 16:25

Does he get any long sustained periods of exercise? I find my DS1 is a bit like this, if he doesn't get enough exercise in the day. Normally, we have two 15-minute walks to and from school, which he normally does on his likeabike. As well, he gets a lot of running about at school. You don't want him having the exercise just before bed, though.

Although, DS1's excess energy seems to be coming out this holiday as arguing and dramatic behaviour, instead of running about. I'd rather cope with running about.

tortoiseshell · 09/01/2006 16:27

He walks to and from school which is 3/4 mile each way, runs around loads at school, and at the weekends usually goes out for a decent length bike ride with dh. In the summer he lives in the garden on the climbing frame. Interesting about your ds getting angry/dramatic!

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Pfer · 09/01/2006 16:35

DS1 (4) is watching lzy town whilst running in circles around the living room! I'd just say he's active. He doesn't stop all day and it's exhausting when he's not at playschool. DS2 (15m) is shaping up much the same way. I am haggard to say the least.

Pfer · 09/01/2006 16:36

sandyballs - interesting chat name. any reason? (my mind racing back to drunken bank holidays at the seaside)...

rummum · 09/01/2006 16:37

My son aged 7 is like this...

as a child he was always on the go..
never really played with anything.. he didn't even watch the telly... He walked at 9 months. We used to let him walk everywhere to tire him out. He was and still is an excellent sleeper.. although he even fidgets in his sleep!

He is doing really well at school, and can sit and concentrate there but at home he doesn't stop...

No advice really .. just sympathy!!
How is he at school..??

Have you tried fish oils.. I found that helped

nannyme · 09/01/2006 18:35

How much physical exercise does he actually get?

My friend's daughter, aged 6, goes on fell runs and cycles 3 miles to school each day and she still has a problem going to sleep/winding down.

She is super-bright too. I know a few adults like this - high achieving ones, I might add!

unicorn · 09/01/2006 18:42

how about Highly active as a term?

Both my 2 are like this.. I thought they were hyper (they often behave it in my eyes) but I don't think it is strictly correct.

A truly hyper child may be diagnosed with adhd, and I doubt would be able to lie in bed quietly for 2 hours!

nannyme · 09/01/2006 18:51

Sorry, missed the post re. exercise.

That sounds like a fair amount in Summer but not a huge amount in winter.

Our kids lived on a farm and in winter would do about 5 miles every couple of nights if we took the dog for a walk, otherwise they would ride bikes around the farm for a couple of hours and do ballet or football once a week at least.

Not everybody can do this as easily if not in the countryside. if you are in a town then I guess, as we do now, you have to look for more organised activities. But two or three evenings of constructive activity during the week might help, I reckon.

tortoiseshell · 10/01/2006 14:22

nannyme, you might be right that he needs more organised exercise - I think he gets quite a lot, because he literally doesn't stop running around, so even if he is not 'at an exercise activity' he is on the go.

I think highly active is a good term - it does describe ds! Haven't tried fish oils, it is very difficult getting anything into his mouth tbh! He does eat salmon once a week, but maybe I should try them.

Thanks for replies.

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singersgirl · 10/01/2006 14:38

Sounds just like DS1, who is now 7. Yesterday DH compared him to Dizzy from Bob the Builder because he is never still. He did sleep better than your DS at 4, but he really has never embraced sleep. The only time he has ever said that he's tired is when he's been sick or majorly jet-lagged.
I think Unicorn's 'highly active' is a good term. Some people do describe DS1 as hyper, but I don't think he really is. Saying that, he is on an additive free, low food chemical diet which has really helped a lot of behavioural and physical stuff.
A lot of children are very active at 4, but I know how frustrating it can be to have the one who is always dashing on to the next thing.

tortoiseshell · 10/01/2006 14:44

It's the never being still that sums it up for me, singersgirl - dd is much more placid, and will sit and be involved, ds will concentrate on what he's doing, but be constantly fidgeting, jumping, climbing while he does it!

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PeachyClair · 10/01/2006 14:56

I think there is a term for this- four year old boy . DS1 was like this but has calmed down A LOT. DS2 (5 in a few weeks) fots your description exactly. He even watches TV either upside down with his legs on the sofa back (being a bat apparently) or constantly throwing himself over the sofas (we have huge, high backed sofas). From time to time I want yto hiss 'get me ritalin! now!' at my DH, but in reality I'm sure he's just normal. Excess sugar (eg the lemon curd) will do it, as will excitement or being couped up in the house.

Can't wait until ds3 starts doing it too.

PeachyClair · 10/01/2006 14:57

(I think Haribo, or one of the major companies now do chewable fish oils and my kids always loved the Boots strawberry milkshake flavoured EFA medicine, if that helps?)

Bink · 10/01/2006 15:14

I described my two (who are highly highly active) on a recent thread - think it was yours, PeachyClair, no? - and there are some very distinct factors that I use to think mine are not hyperactive:

their whizzing around is interactive & purposeful - they've got a plan and they're pursuing it - it's not crashing about because of not knowing what else to do;
they have an on-off switch. Both operate at top speed through the day, then get into bed and flop. Dd is usually asleep within a couple of minutes, ds might take 40, but he lies quiet and thinks - never a problem;
give them a book, or something else that demands all their concentration (ds does puzzles) & they switch almost spookily into silent intent mode. Dd was (could be) a bit exhausting before she could read.

PeachyClair · 10/01/2006 16:57

I think it was mine, and it was helpful thanks

singersgirl · 11/01/2006 11:54

Tortoiseshell, that is exactly the difference between DS1 and DS2. DS2 doesn't have to be constantly moving, though he is a lively boy (he's 4, BTW) and when it's time to go to bed he lies still and tries to go to sleep. DS1 can't even read without fiddling with something - I find him reading in bizarre positions sprawled across the furniture.

He's 0-60 in less than 5 seconds, but also 60-0 in about the same time; there's no calming down time.

His activity is mostly purposeful, but his movement is not always purposeful, if that makes sense.

He can also concentrate really well, but he's rarely still even for that.

His teachers don't think he is ADHD, though I have wondered (and have asked). I think he is just up at the active part of the activity spectrum.

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