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Q: I think my 3 year old son has ADHD
I did some research on the computer and I know Iam not a doctor but according to what i read about symptoms of ADHD my son is showing most of these symptoms.
does anyone know if there is anywhere in Shenzhen where we could get looked at just to make sure.
I have watched him in class and I took him to a class on Saturday and it was stressful I just could not do any thing with him he was into everything and breaking things and touching things and very very hard to deal with.
at kindergarten 99% of the time he cant sit still or pay attention withe the other children he breaks things does not listen to the teachers hits other children,he got taken out of art class because of breaking things and could not sit still or listen to the teachers.
anyway if anyone know someone in Shenzhen or where we can take him to get checked out I would love to know thanks
Hey Rob,
could you keep us posted on how things are going?
I don't know how many of the regular posters have kids in china, but in light of how abusive some Chinese 'teachers' are of their young charges, your son is probably no more 'active' or energetic that most kids his age, but compared to his Chinese counterparts may be viewed as a 'troublesome' child.
if it were possible to find a place more tolerant of a curious exploring child, i would say go for it.
The 'one size fits all' attitude to education does not seem to suit parents who actually care that their child grow and develop at their own rate.
Good luck 
Kindergarten at 3 years old? Sometimes boys aren't ready for school at that age.
I would't say that what you described is AD ... It's just 'normal' kid's (boy) behavior.
What he needs is more attention ... as somebody (you) to play with him and show him how, while he's home.
Stay away of the MDs ..... and play with your kid more!
icnif77:
I look over the web for some more links, and I got few with 'Contact Us' ...It's much better to write an email straight to the pros:
http://www.livescience.com/22362-adhd-symptoms-guide.html
https://add.org/contact-adda/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/symptoms-causes/dxc-20196181
https://www.babycenter.com/0_attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-signs-and-symp_63860.bc?page=3#articlesection7
Isn't there controversy about ADHD?
Yes, in part because experts haven't established just what causes it, and also because it's so hard to diagnose since ADHD symptoms overlap so much with typical childhood behavior.
Medication for kids with ADHD is a topic of debate, too. Doctors, other experts, and parents all tend to have strong opinions about whether it's okay to use drugs to treat ADHD in children, especially before age 4. (The AAP's diagnostic guidelines for ADHD are specified for ages 4 to 18.)
That's what I meant .... you are kind of looking for a cure already, but that might not be AD ..., but just 'kids at play'.
I would also rather use 'Contact us' at western hospitals over 'FTs 
website ....
'.
Please don't medicate, try adjusting his diet (take out sugar except fruits), adjust habits (more reading and patient activities over TV and video games)
Sadly, you have to think carefully about raising your kid in China. Aus did some studies about noisy classrooms and their effect on kids paying attention, you should look into it. Chinese classrooms are zoos, especially for younger children.
Englteachted:
My thoughts and prayers,
Also are you feeding your kid tap water? Even boiling tap water doesn't't rid it of the toxic metals.
Shining_brow:
What he said....
Go look at what the 'alternative' medicine people are researching (and, yes, it is actually using good research methodology!)
Kids go through a lot of phases, remember no kid is the same as the other, so this active phase he is going through will pass and he will mature I promise that. Start with taking away things that activate his active side, TV, Cell phones, or iPad should disappear, more time with mom and you and outside and sad but true for you is that you have to be stricter , that means daddy needs to get a message through to his kid, that means telling him 1000 times until he understands, as for Shenzhen I think there isn't a hospital for this here, they've developed alot but not in the area of mental health issues, and remember mental health is one of the biggest scams in the U.S..
Work through it as everyone else has said.
I don't know you or your son however it sounds like every other kid at that age.
Medication isn't the answer. ..just use common sense and show him other ways to keep him busy
Im not saying he has ADHD I just know there are many symptoms that he shows,
every time I have walked past his class he is the only one in the class not doing what the class is doing,
he is always doing something else and not listening or taking part in the class.The teachers dont know how to deal with him most days.so the let him do what he wants.
I asked the teacher in the class today to make notes on how he behaves in the class through out the day for a week
we have a few children here that need to be in a special needs class but this kindergarten is not set up for anything like that,these children are not getting what they need.
the teachers are not trained to deal with special needs children.
I have known something was not right for a while with my son in the way he behaves in class.He is very different from the other children.
maybe his needs are not being met and thats why he is like this.
icnif77:
'cmon, he's like me 
at his age, i.e. 'not-follower'. Relax!
What are you going to do, if you are right? Can't prevent AD ... See links I posted.
You should't give him a laptop as Iron said, cause he might (also) find e-Tities and ... c&p ...
philbravery:
There you go Rob. Get your boy a puter and he can post complete articles and get pints to buy you a jacket. ..lol
Englteachted:
He ,may not be challenged , teacher maybe ignoring him.
I remember the story of that great dancer, I forget her name. But when she was a child, she couldn't stop moving. Parents took her to a doc, doc said there's nothing wrong, she's a dancer, enroll her in dance school.
That was ages ago, we have forgotten individuality. Especially places like China don't cater to individual learners. The symptoms for ADHD are vague for the purpose of upping drug sales.
Englteachted:
And stop relying on Chinese observations. Sorry, but they'll look concerned and serious to your face and not give a rats ass. Also, they lack basic intelligence to make the observations that would be necessary in this case.
icnif77:
@Phillip: 'there is a reason, I c&p whole article, instead write what I think! There is a boat load of software, which can 'reveal' many things (on you) only per your comment(s) ..... Once I c&p, I give you an option for your own thoughts without revealing mine. Is 'Phillip' your real ...... LOL .. name?'
@tits: 'my pop was like 'your' dr.
At that age, I had a thing to un-screw anything screwed or dismantle it ..... all tools in our apartment were on above-2-m-high shells ...
So, he gave me an old radio ..('Nordmende' was a tag) to play with it ... instead with newly fridge .... '.
So, I came back to my parents room with hands full of radio's screws .... while dismantled Nordmende was (in connected parts) playing in my room. I was like 5 or 6.
Robk:
Maybe this has something to do with him being treated differently because he is a "foreigner".
Have you ever considered that while you are away he is treated differently?
Does he look visually different than the other children?
Do the teachers treat him differently because he has a foreign father?
Perhaps he is shunned and just expressing being closed off or cold. You should consider these things before ADHD. Lots of children and people are considered ADHD, maybe he just finds the material boring...
I have to agree with a lot that has been said before.
Children in kindergartens have very low attention spans, and can not be expected to remain focused on a task for more than 10 minutes (maybe even 5 minute)
1) don't medicate. The criteria for medication has been widened for a lot of 'illnesses' in order to sell more drugs. some drugs are now being prescribed as 'precautions' to 'prevent' certain conditions - statins are a case in point.
2) reduce/remove exposure to electronic equipment. including tv. This gives children a false sense of the speed of life. Many children can not deal with the slow pace of reality or periods of time when they are not being 'entertained' and hence can not deal with repetitive or mundane tasks. I can;t remember which Nordic country it it illegal to allow under two's watch tv and use electronic equipment . Electronic equipment should not be used as a pacifier for unlimited time, no more than 5 minutes at a time if an adult insists on in, and always supervised.
2a) Also watch the habits you and your immediate family have around electronic equipment when your son is present as your son will be absorbing them passively as what is considered 'normal' interaction.
if your son sees yourself and the missus focus for a length of time on a task, then he will see this as normal and unconsciously mimic this behavior.
3) reading to a young child as an alternative is positive in that the parent shares time with the child and also promotes not only bonding, but shows the importance of education/reading and slows the pace of life down to a realistic level. You can also be passively teaching your chlld to read.
4) sharing an activity with the child such as a sport or making things encourages creativity and bonding. Do you have an activity or interest you can share with your son?
5) diet plays a big part in excessive energy. Processed foods are not good for children, especially if they are sugar based. there have been numerous studies done showing the link between diet and ability to concentrate/focus.
do you control the food your son eats at kindergarten? If so, ensure he has as natural food as possible.
6) nap time. not all children need naps in the afternoon, yet there have been numerous videos online of teachers abusing children who refuse to nap.
your sons development is unique to him and home environment does play a part to some degree, especially if you are a very physically active person yourself. Children mimic the habits and behavior of the adults that are important to them, and habits that they see on a regular basis in the home.
but most important, don't rely on any mental health 'professionals' in China, a country where depression is seen as something to be shunned and ashamed of.
And don't medicate.
Just curious.... are any other kids in the class/kindy of mixed race parentage?
Disclaimer: I"m obviously no expert, and I don't know s*** about adhd , child development or the kindergarten your boy goes to.
But, from my limited experience with Chinese kindergartens there doesn't seem to be much importance put on things like finger painting, giving the kids a hunk of play dough and letting them just play with it, letting them loose in a sandpit with some plastic shovels, giving them a box of crayons and all the paper they need and just letting them scribble whatever they want, reading the kids stories, and just simple playing. Things that develop the mind in other words.
It could be just that your boy is bright, curious, doing what comes natural at that age and trying to make sense of the world but he's frustrated and bored by the lack of mental stimulation, and he's aching to go outside and chase other boys around, climb something, fall over and skin his knee, throw stones at things, burn off a million calories and learn about his physical self.
You mention he was taken out of art class. Would that class involve giving the kids materials and having them do exactly what they're told with them? fold the paper on the dotted line, colour the picture and put tab A into slot B? But what if the child just wants to see what happens if he makes a paper ball and throws it at the fly on the wall?
Like I said mate, I'm no expert but my feeling is that a lot of kids who are diagnosed with adhd are just bright, active kids frustrated by their surroundings.
I also think Blondie had some excellent points above.
Anyway, I hope you find some real advice man, but like Blondie said I wouldn't put much hope in finding it in China. I've had too many students with obvious problems and it's hopeless trying to talk to the parents because they would never lose face by admitting their kid has some issues.
I would suggest spending nights on google. Blogs, youtube lectures, studies, interesting links to other websites that might answer your question.
I found an example of real AD .... but it isn't about the kid:
watch:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/melania-trump-nudges-president-trump-18494520...
I know, immigrants to USA all learn that .... but, I thought all Americans born in USA knew that .....
Hey Rob,
could you keep us posted on how things are going?
I don't know how many of the regular posters have kids in china, but in light of how abusive some Chinese 'teachers' are of their young charges, your son is probably no more 'active' or energetic that most kids his age, but compared to his Chinese counterparts may be viewed as a 'troublesome' child.
if it were possible to find a place more tolerant of a curious exploring child, i would say go for it.
The 'one size fits all' attitude to education does not seem to suit parents who actually care that their child grow and develop at their own rate.
Good luck
Maybe he has too much energy. Do you play ball with him or have him run around after school?
