Is this normal? Kid always wanting more

[BathtimeBedlam]

DS4 is a covid child. I was working full time with no childcare or support and DS was nearly 1. TV habit turned into YouTube. He was watching a couple of hours a day. Sometimes more

I've almost weaned him off it. We are active, he's at pre school, he is physical. But he is always moving onto to the next thing. I took him to a fairground today and he is on the roller coaster looking at other rides shouting "that one next". He is onto the next activity before he's spent 30 seconds on the last thing. Pre school recommended ADHD as he found it so hard to sit still or focus

Has YouTube ruined my kid?

4 year old shouldn't be watching more than an hour a day of any screen. Maybe start to introduce rules, no TV when it's nice outside, go and play, no TV before lunch, you can watch two things, etc.

Ours fell into similar habits with TV. It becomes a complete addiction. We had to remove the TV from the house for a few weeks and then reintroduce it!

Other way around. Children with ADHD find screens/youtube more enticing (and neurotypical children find them inticing enough!), plus their parents typically find them more exhausting or difficult to occupy, and the screen at least makes them sit still and appear calm, so you can end up more reliant on it than most people. It can look like it's causation, but there is no evidence that screen time causes or worsens ADHD.

If the preschool are saying ADHD it must be pretty clear as they usually seem totally clueless! I would go for the assessment.

Agree screen time doesn't cause ADHD

I have 2 ds, both diagnosed adhd.

Both find screens HIGHLY addictive. We have cut tablets out altogether, they didn't have phones and they don't get our phones. Tv is limited to when we are all watching as a family.

Huge difference. I will say though, due to the nature of adhd, they both just find something else to be "addicted" to or focus on. At the minute it's pokemon, it's been Lego, SuperThings, making comics, etc but all of these things are more beneficial than screens.

May I also add a suggestion that you take a look at your own screen usage?
Kids with adhd learn a lot from what they see, (and aren't afraid to highlight unfairness "but you are always on your phone Mummy?" )and there's a lot to be said for you taking time to share in their interests without distraction.

If given the choice between a YouTube video and sitting down on the floor playing Lego with Mum, which would your ds choose?

This isn't to say you are to blame, it's just something else to be mindful of. Easier said than done as our lives are on our phones these days.