To wonder if there are signs of ADHD in infants

DS1 is autistic and will be assessed for ADHD next year at 6. I will be surprised if we don’t get a diagnosis but who knows.

He was an extremely alert, high needs baby who cried excessively and slept in half hour chunks until well over 1. Didn’t take well to weaning. Very early talker, delayed gross and fine motor skills, but once moving didn’t stop and still doesn’t now. As a baby/toddler/pre schooler he couldn’t stand boredom but equally had no idea how to entertain himself. I used to be amazed at MN posts where people said their baby would happily watch them fold washing - DS1 wanted varying, exciting stimulation from weeks old. Found and still finds frustration completely intolerable. Has special interests now he will hyper focus on and did this as a toddler. Since being able to speak, will interrupt adult conversation without any thought.

Those are the primary things I can think of prior to age 2.

Wow thanks for this . Going through the ASD / ADHD assessment with my DD as she is like your DS

Can you point me to the Parkinson’s research? Have both in the family

That's what I thought, @Littlefish

I've never heard of the low birth weight, early talker early walker characteristics. One out of 3 in our case.

One of our ADHD kids talks a lot - like really a lot - in their sleep. To the extent that as a young infant they would cry in their sleep and be very annoyed when you picked them up and tried to feed them. It took us about 6 months to work out what was going on.

They were also a 'happy chucker' they had a dairy allergy but no one initially realised because they acted completely unbothered by the symptoms.

Neither of these things are symptoms of ADHD specifically, but I do look back and think that they are signs of a child whose brain doesn't work quite the same as a neurotypical childs would.

Never stopped moving, always trying to climb stuff and chuck himself off, never calm, early talker, early walker. Looking back the signs were always there.

These sound more like possible indicators of autism to me, rather than ADHD.

Personal experience.

Low birth weight, early talker, early walker, poor sleeper. I read an article years ago which listed these things as early signs. My son was all of the above. Another article said family history of Parkinsons disease was also linked to increased instances of ADHD (which was another box we ticked). Can't remember what else was on the list, but these are the ones that I remeber because they resonated. It was a long time ago when I read them, but if I find the articles again I will link them.

I thought my ds1 had adhd when he was a baby but he didn't, although he was diagnosed with autism aged 9. I didn't suspect my ds3 had adhd until he was about 9 but looking back, there were signs from when he was about 18 months.

My daughter is not diagnosed but I suspect it.

I would say she had definite traits from when she was young that would correspond to neurodiversity.

Freaked out standing in sand, meltdown if her water bottle had water droplets on the outside (but happily goes swimming) Cannot bear to be rushed, needed time to adjust

I mentioned as a jokey comment that my son had zero attention span at his 2 year HV check "God it's like he has ADHD" as she watched him flit between 1 toy to the next. She said "hmmm".

He was diagnosed at 7.

Is this your experience or did you get this information from somewhere?

Wondering because my experience is quite different.

Yes, things like not following a point, or pointing/indicating with a hand.

Using an adult's hand as a tool (taking your hand and using it to turn book pages/open a door)

Very very fussy with food textures.

Not bothered about people apart from parents, a take them or leave them sort of feel.

Already parenting responsively when the diagnosis was received.