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At a loss with DDs hyperactivity

6 replies

littleliving · 08/07/2017 22:44

DD is 16 months old.

I cannot take her anywhere anymore, she is so hyperactive I can't keep up. Everywhere we go someone comments on how "mental" (said in jest but was still upsetting), "full on" or "hyper" she is. I paid to take her to a toddler cinema today, every other child was sat still on their parents lap or on a bean bag.

My child? Running around screaming, pulling at cords, touching the screen. I was getting dirty looks and someone suggested I take her outside for a bit if she couldn't sit still. So we left 15 minutes in. Sad

She also likes to run around in circles shaking her head violently making loud noises.

I'm a single SAHM (also first time mum), I spend a lot of time with her and I parent her gently, I'm a very calm person. She runs around all day, has hardly any naps and never sleeps at night.

I'm crying typing this as I just don't know what to do, I've never met a child like this. She won't even sit on me and cuddle me, for all my trying, she literally never sits still not even to eat. I love her very much and just want her to be able to go places and interact with other children without their parents commenting on her behaviour, she is such a lovely and happy child, excess of energy aside.

She won't even play with toys, just throws them around or rips up her books.

She hardly eats anything either, what little she does eat is healthy, no refined sugar or sugary drinks. I can't think where this behaviour is coming from. We have a family nurse from the family nurse partnership who has also mentioned she's abnormally hyperactive.

What can I do? Am I doing something wrong? Am I overreacting? Does anyone else's child behave like this? I just want to sit and cuddle my baby once in a while I feel I'm missing out on things other parents can do because she just doesn't stop. I'm back to work come September and I'm worried no childminder will be able to cope with her. Sad

OP posts:
Summerdays2014 · 09/07/2017 16:36

I have an 18 month old son when sounds very similar. People are constantly telling me he's very 'active' 'spirited' 'always on the go' 'knows his own mind' etc. When I pick him up from nursery he is still running around whilst all the others are exhausted! He is on the go from the moment he wakes up. I spoke to the nursery and also health visitor last week about it as I'd convinced there was something wrong. They both said he was fine and it was well within the realms of normal toddler behaviour. The health visitor observed him for a while and watched him running around and trying to escape the room!It really put my mind at rest. Maybe you could speak to someone too? It's really hard when you're a first time mum and comparing yours to everyone else!

ruby242 · 10/07/2017 15:19

Just wanted to offer some hope that at a similar age my DS was very full-on and would never sit still and wasn't cuddly. He's now almost 2 and has calmed down so much, he loves sitting and reading stories, enjoys cuddles and isn't constantly running around wild! Hes still a busy boy but only in a 'normal' toddler way now.

snoopyokay · 10/07/2017 15:38

My DD is the same, I wouldn't dream of taking her to a toddler cinema as she won't sit still for more than 2 mins. Please don't worry yourself or let others comments get to you, she sounds perfectly normal to me and most importantly she sounds like she is having fun!

ApplesTheHare · 10/07/2017 18:15

little my dd is 2 and has been exactly the same since about 3 weeks old (for some reason I really vividly remember worrying about this at that stage). I've worried on and off that she's too hyper for want of a better word, but she's doing really well according to all the eyfs her childminder monitors and is a happy girl.

It sounds like you're a brilliant mum and are doing really well. We find that making sure dd has an outlet for her energy early in the day helps a lot. Park trips, dog walks, scooter, etc. are all things I turn to in the mornings. I'm afraid I just avoid things like toddler cinema because she'd never sit still, but other activities like soft play and splashing in muddy puddles are right up her street. I'm currently trying different 'quiet time' activities with dd to try and encourage a bit of calm. So far playdough is the biggest winner. Sometimes I put some popcorn in bowls, dim the lights and suggest we have a 'movie afternoon' if it's raining and she'll now watch about half an hour of something. She seems to benefit from the downtime as much as I do!

littleliving · 10/07/2017 20:58

Thanks all, have learnt my lesson with the cinema experience! We're moving house soon to a house with a garden (we currently live in 1st floor flat) so she'll have a lot more space to blow off steam, as well as lots of places to walk!

I think I compare her to other children constantly, which is something I hated my mother doing when I was growing up but I seem to have inherited it from her!

I'm a worrier through and through but so glad to know it's normal and it's not just her Grin

OP posts:
snoopyokay · 10/07/2017 22:15

Sorry just re read your post and you said she never naps and hardly ever sleeps at night. No wonder you're getting upset. Have you had her tested for allergies?

Might be certain fruit or something that is making her hyper?

Hope that doesn't make you worry more sorry just know what it's like when they don't sleep. My DD still wakes up too but does go back to sleep (eventually). The fact that you're doing it on your own must make it even harder!

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