Early indicators of ADHD in babies and toddlers

Mar 4, 2024

5 min read

Our diagnosis story started when I asked my pediatrician to help me find out if my son was some form of neurodivergent. My Mom started to notice indicators of ADHD when he was about 3.5-4 years old, they were the same things she noticed about my brother when he was about 4. The ped said I could contact a local center that does these types of diagnosis. I called, they could see me about 6 months out and my son would by then have missed the cut-off date of three. That was about as far as I got before he went to preschool.

After about 6 months of communication about my son’s behavior at preschool we decided to get the local school district involved. They sent a counselor out to observe my son's behavior and asked the school and I to fill out questionnaires. She agreed that he qualified for special education at a nearby school. I thought that was the diagnosis. It was not. These experiences had one of many things in common, every time we talked about my son’s behavior I was always asked if he “displayed symptoms when he was an infant”. I also got the “I know you didn’t know what to look out for, most parents don’t.”. This article aims to identify early indicators and help you determine if and when you should attempt for a diagnosis as well as what to do to get a diagnosis.

I am still in the process of listening to “Driven to Distraction” on audible and I heard pretty much the same things that I read in the articles cited here. I wanted to share what I found on the subject both in the book and using google. BTW if anyone knows how to get access to the research professionals use that would be awesome. I had access in College and have not been lucky enough to find it again.

Is there a problem?

ADHD is a chronic illness with more than 60% of children who have it carry it with them into adulthood. According to Driven to Distraction, you may think your child has ADHD if they are at times hyperactive/impulsive or display inattention.

If you have babies and toddlers you know they don’t pay attention if they don’t want to. I used to think my children inherited my attitude, which toddlers typically have. So don’t stress if your under three ignores you or run circles in the McDonald’s play place as this is normal baby/toddler behavior. Also don’t stress even if you have an ADHDer, you're in for a ride, a good one at that.

What you want to look for is how your child is acting in relation to other children. Does your child get out of their seat in school, church or other situations where they know they shouldn't? Are they fidgeting, squirming and constantly tapping their hands or feet when they should sit still? Are these happening more frequently and for longer than 6 months? If your child is at least four and you can say yes to some of the symptoms described above you might want to contact your pediatrician. I also want to note that not all pediatricians are going to specialize in ADHD. If you think your child is neurodivergent and you are not getting the diagnosis you want from your doctor go to another one. A quick Google search or contacting your healthcare provider should give you a list of pediatricians near you that are able to assist you in getting a diagnosis.

According to The Iowa Clinic, ADHD can be diagnosed as early as 4. Between the ages of 4-16 a child must show six or more symptoms for more than 6 months and behaviors have to show up in more than one setting like home or school. Detailed symptoms can be found at the end of this article.

What should I look for in my infant?

According to Verywell, A 2019 research paper published in European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ECAP) found that signs of ADHD can be seen as early as infancy. For more resources on ADHD click the link to ADHD interviews and studies on the ECAP website: Zoekresultaten | ESCAP. Although, there is limited research showing that certain characteristics in babies may indicate an ADHD diagnosis in the future. Some examples of early indicators: You may notice that your baby has a more challenging temperament, your baby may show signs of a language delay, especially between 9-18 months, your baby may show signs of motor delay between 9-18 months and you may find yourself describing your baby as difficult, fussy or a handful. Genetics is the largest indicator of ADHD. It often runs in families if your child has ADHD there is a 25% chance that one of their parents do too, if one sibling does the other probably does too. If you have ADHD in your family or have a child who already was diagnosed you should be paying attention to your babies temperament, ability to make eye contact and fine motor skills.

Hyperactivity/impulsiveness and inattention symptoms:

Early diagnosis can help you start the process of getting the support your child needs to be successful. My Mother was concerned with having my Brother on ADHD meds at such a young age. When I was offered to put my son on meds I carried that same mentality and shared that with his psychiatrist. According to her, studies show that children who are not medicated have a harder time later in life then those that were. I am not trying to convince you to put your kids on meds if that is not your goal, merely stating a fact I was told.

Signs of ADHD in Toddlers

Restlessness
Running around, climbing, and jumping on everything
Constantly “on the go,” as if they are “driven by a motor”
Talking nonstop
Difficulty concentrating, forgetting instructions, moving from one task to another without completion
Acting without thinking, talking over the top of others, losing control of emotions easily, being accident prone
Constant fidgeting and restlessness
Trouble concentrating and focusing
Hyperactivity
Impulsivity

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth edition (DSM-5) outlines the symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention. Each category has 9 symptoms associated with ADHD.

Inattention signs, your child may have trouble:

Paying attention to details or make careless mistakes
Focusing on tasks or at play
Listening when you or a teacher speaks to them directly
Following through on instructions, homework or chores
Organizing tasks or activities
Completing tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time and express their dislike or completely avoid these things
Keeping track of their belongings, like school supplies, glasses or a phone
Remembering things in daily activities
Avoiding distractions

Hyperactivity/impulsivity, your child might:

Fidget, squirm and constantly tap their hands or feet
Get out of their seat in school, church or other situations where they should remain seated
Run and climb in inappropriate places or situations
Be unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly
Have a high motor and always be on the go
Talk excessively
Blurt out answers before questions are completed
Have trouble waiting their turn
Interrupt conversations and games