Every child is different, and even as adults it’s difficult to say what “normal” is. Even children in the same family can have different activity levels. In any event, almost every child is going to have bouts of extreme activity. To call these bouts attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or to diagnose a hyper child is unwise, particularly before consulting a doctor. During toddlerhood, particularly around the age of 2, most children experience about a year of hyperactivity that can seem extreme; particularly if the little one was very calm or well behaved previously. Likewise, the disorder can be overlooked in very well behaved children who do have ADHD.
Periods of heightened excitement are normal and are not necessarily symptoms of a hyper child. Children who are growing tired tend to become extremely active in an attempt to keep themselves awake. Others simply have times when events going on around them can exacerbate normally calm frames of mind. Other children are simply more active than others. Ultimately, yes, it’s normal for children to be hyperactive. There are, however, a range of symptoms brought on by ADHD that can help you decide if other behaviors of your child, combined with hyperactivity, might be suggestive of ADHD.
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