Hyperactive Toddler Help
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A hyperactive toddler can be a handful for many parents. Fortunately, for many children under the age 3, the hyperactivity is usually just part of their normal developmental stage and can often be controlled once parents learn a few tricks and techniques for channeling all of that energy.
Most toddlers will love doing things such as jumping on furniture or have trouble sitting still in one spot for very long. This does not usually mean that they have ADHD, and most health professionals will not give an ADHD diagnosis until the child is at least three years old, many waiting even longer. However, it is important to learn how to help a hyperactive toddler, especially because their behavior could potentially lead to injury. Early hyperactivity may also be a signal that your child could possibly show other symptoms of ADHD as they grow older that you would want to be on the look out for.
There are two key factors to remember about toddlers: they like attention, and they like to test their boundaries. Keeping those two things in mind, there are some powerful discipline techniques that may work in helping them become calmer.
Here are some things parents can do for a hyperactive toddler:
1. Avoid Negative Attention: This is the hardest thing to do, but it is also the most important. Many kids do not distinguish between positive and negative attention. You screaming “No! Stop Right this instant!” is effectively the same to them as “Great Job Kiddo!” It sounds strange, but to a young child, any attention from their parents is what they are looking for. With the exception of behaviors that are dangerous (IE: Jumping on the bed), it is best to ignore the behavior or it will become a game to them.
2. Praise Good Behavior: Anytime your child is being calm, non-aggressive, or waiting patiently be sure to praise them. Actions often speak louder than words, so a hug, kiss, or clapping hands may be more effective than telling a kid who may not have fully developed speaking skills “Good girl!”
3. Turn Off the TV: It’s best to keep television watching to a minimum, since children are often over stimulated by it or will grow restless after watching too much. While a 30 minute TV show once a day is a nice way to keep kids occupied while you rest or do another activity, you do not want to let them watch it more than that or have it on in the background while they are playing.
4. Exercise Your Kids: Many young children do not have enough outlets for burning off their energy which can cause them to be a little more hyperactive than you’d like! Make sure that everyday they have at least 30 minutes of time to burn that energy off. You can do exercises, race them in a big field, take them to the playground, or go swimming. Not only will this help them start early for having good physical fitness habits, but it will also help them productively use their energy.
5. Watch What They Eat: A balanced diet is important to kids growing up healthy. Often times, in both toddlers and adults, we do not eat healthy foods and will often get stuck in a cycle of sugar and carbs that causes spikes in our blood sugar. This can cause extreme hyperactivity or it can cause your kids to pass out, sometimes a cycle of both. Limit sugar intake, serve your children whole grains, and make sure their diet includes plenty of protein and vegetables as well. You can learn more about the daily food recommendation guidelines for toddlers, as well as yourself, by visiting mypyramid.gov.
6. Set Up a Routine: Setting up a routine is a lifesaver for many parents, as it helps their kids get on a set schedule. The typical toddler day doesn’t need to be planned from one minute to the next, but it will help immensely if you have clear routines in waking up and getting breakfast, when you play, when you have nap time, and other activities.
7. Keep Them Occupied: Boredom for many children often means they will get into trouble. Have activities planned that are suitable for their age level that gives them your positive attention, such as reading stories or playing imaginatively. When you will be doing things such as housework or other things where you can’t give them the one on one attention, have other things they can safely do. For example, if you are cooking dinner, you could give them some pots and pans and ask them to make up a song for you. You should also encourage your toddler to play on his or her own, doing things such as puzzles or building with blocks which may help give you some extra breathing time.
8. Be Consistent With Discipline: Discipline is very difficult for many parents, because it often needs to be consistent in order for it to work. It is best to do the ignoring of negative behavior and praise of good behavior, but there will be times when discipline is necessary, for example if the child hits or bites someone else. In those instances, time out is the best discipline. It should be done without fanfare or making a lot of commotion or even explaining to the child why they did was bad. Just pick them up and say for example “You hit your sister, time out” and then place them in a designated chair. Always use the same chair each and every time, which should ideally be a hard chair such as a kitchen seat and in a boring place. One minute per age of child is typically deemed appropriate. You may need to continuously place your child back in time out if he or she is resistant until the minutes are up.
Fortunately for most parents, a hyperactive toddler is not always something to be concerned about. If you are willing and able to do the above things for several weeks it is likely you will see a positive improvement in your child’s behavior gradually. If you are doing all of the above things and not seeing any improvement, or are concerned about your child’s hyperactivity, speaking to his or her pediatrician is a great place to start to find out what is considered normal child behavior for his or her age level, as well as what resources are available to parents for discipline support.
Have any thoughts on what parents should do if they need hyperactive toddler help? Share your thoughts in the comments below.