Baby Doesn't Take Naps, Possible ADHD

[permanentvacation]

OMG!!! This child drives me insane! He's 1 year old. I've had him since he was 9 months old. He does NOT take a nap. But he also WON'T stay put ANYWHERE! He climbs out of the playpen (and has broken both of my playpens within 3 months!), gets out of the high chair straps and stands up in the high chair, won't let you hold him, and won't stay on/in a sleeping bag. Since he gets out of everything and takes a chance of killing himself or becoming paraplegic or whatever other damage he might cause himself by climbing out of the play pen or falling from standing in the high chair, my only option is to have him nap on the floor in a sleeping bag like the older children. But I have to sit there for over 1/2 hour trying to get him to sleep. Then I'm lucky if he sleeps for a whole 20 minutes! As soon as he's awake, he's climbing on/over the other kids, making noises, and pulling toys out. I can't get ANYTHING done with him here! He woke up while I was in the bathroom just a few minutes ago and started making noises and pulling out toys! I CAN'T EVEN go to the BATHROOM!

I've told his mother every day how horrible nap time was and everything he has done at nap time. She says she can get him to sleep for 2 hours every Saturday and Sunday at home. But I just found out that she puts him in his crib in his room with the door closed! First, he's in his OWN BED, in a QUIET ROOM, ALONE! Second, she doesn't know if he's asleep the entire time; the DOOR'S CLOSED!

Any suggestions? I am pretty sure that I am going to tell in 2 hours when she picks him up that tomorrow will be his last day here unless you guys can suggest some miracle on how to get him to stay still.

Oh, he is also really hard to feed; acts like he's starving and then shakes his head when you try to spoon feed him. If you let him feed himself, he throws most of it on the floor or feeds it to the dog. Basically, it's like, he's saying, "I want food, no I don't, yeah, I do... nah, I don't" He can't decide whether he wants to eat or not.

Also, he won't let you hold him. He is very squirmy, pushes away, even with his mother, he tries to climb up over her chest and head, pushes away from her, digs his feet and hands in her trying to get away from her.

And some other behaviors that I noticed which made me start saying that it is as if he has ADHD. So I researched ADHD in babies. He has almost EVERY characteristic of an ADHD baby!

So, if my research is correct and he does have ADHD, I will ALWAYS be fighting to get him to do things I need him to do. And I just don't think I can do this much more with him.

[permanentvacation]

12 people have read this and no one has given me any suggestions. Doesn't look promising!

[permanentvacation]

Okay, 33 have seen this and no responses. Is this your way of saying that you have no suggestions for me and that you wouldn't keep him either?

[daycare]

a cage...

OMG wow i wish I had some realistic answer to give you, but I don't. That just sounds horrible.

I don't know much about ADHD either, but I do know that most doctors won't even look at a child for it until they are about 4-7 years old. Only reason I know is because I had a child that was 3.5 that sounds a little like your, they were quite the danger to themselves and everyone else here, so I had asked mom to take him to the doc and get test for ADHD, but the doc refused to look at him for it and said give him more time, it's a phase. OMG!!!

anyways, sorry I don't have any answers for you. I honestly do see that terming may be your only cure for this.

[Thriftylady]

I wouldn't jump right to ADHD, but he may need evaluated. I would sit down with mom and have a talk. If she is still unwilling to work with your and maybe get an evaluation I would let him go. If he is breaking things, he is costing you money you are not making any.

[permanentvacation]

But even with an evaluation, it would just give or not give his behavior a title and truly explain his actions. It wouldn't stop his behavior. I can't come up with any other ideas on how to get him to relax and take a nap or just stay relatively still for a while so I can eat my lunch, go to the bathroom, and preferably get some office work done during my work hours.

I have tried soothing music, loud music, patting his back, turning the lights off, running a fan for white noise, everything I can think of. I am out of ideas on how to get him to relax and rest so I can get something else done other than focus on him.

[Thriftylady]

Well if you can't handle it and can't work through it, you have your answer.

[littletots]

Hey, you said you need to start an exercise program. He's your exerise program. Seriously, sounds like he has tons of energy. Some dck are built that way. Saw childcare develpment dvd. Said children/ people are pattern seeking or controlled chaos.

[permanentvacation]

And yes, I hate to say it, but it is horrible. He has affected the other kids' behavior in the afternoon here and in the evening at home. My other parents have started asking me if their child is or isn't taking their nap because they are so tired and hateful most evenings now. This one baby is really negatively affecting everyone in the daycare; the other daycare kids, me, and my daughter (who has about had it with listening to him cry and me fussing with him trying to get him to hush and lay down).

Obviously I really need to terminate him. But I am SOOO broke that I really don't want to have to do so. However, he is really taking a toll on everyone here. Emotionally, for everyone's benefit, he needs to go. But financially, I need to be able to figure out something that would make his being here work out. But I am truly out of ideas!

[permanentvacation]

Yeah, he's exercise for me alright!:: I can't even sit down to eat lunch! I get up and down, in and out of my chair 10 times before I've taken 3 bites of a sandwich!::

[permanentvacation]

Yeah, you are right, I need to terminate him. But I just hate to lose that money. His mother is really nice and has been trying to work with me by getting him to take a nap at home on the weekends. But that still isn't helping here. I hate to give up on him, but after 3 months of working my butt off but still having every idea I come up with getting nowhere, I guess it's time that I throw in the towel.

[daycare]

all jokes aside, have you talked to the dcm about this in full detail? letting her know how he truly is and that it is REALLY affecting the other kids behavior both at home and school. I would be VERY clear and up front with him about it.


email nannyde, this sounds like something she would have a remedy for.

[Baby Beluga]

OMG!!! This child drives me insane! He's 1 year old. I've had him since he was 9 months old. He does NOT take a nap. But he also WON'T stay put ANYWHERE! He climbs out of the playpen (and has broken both of my playpens within 3 months!), gets out of the high chair straps and stands up in the high chair, won't let you hold him, and won't stay on/in a sleeping bag. Since he gets out of everything and takes a chance of killing himself or becoming paraplegic or whatever other damage he might cause himself by climbing out of the play pen or falling from standing in the high chair, my only option is to have him nap on the floor in a sleeping bag like the older children. But I have to sit there for over 1/2 hour trying to get him to sleep. Then I'm lucky if he sleeps for a whole 20 minutes! As soon as he's awake, he's climbing on/over the other kids, making noises, and pulling toys out. I can't get ANYTHING done with him here! He woke up while I was in the bathroom just a few minutes ago and started making noises and pulling out toys! I CAN'T EVEN go to the BATHROOM!

I've told his mother every day how horrible nap time was and everything he has done at nap time. She says she can get him to sleep for 2 hours every Saturday and Sunday at home. But I just found out that she puts him in his crib in his room with the door closed! First, he's in his OWN BED, in a QUIET ROOM, ALONE! Second, she doesn't know if he's asleep the entire time; the DOOR'S CLOSED!

Any suggestions? I am pretty sure that I am going to tell in 2 hours when she picks him up that tomorrow will be his last day here unless you guys can suggest some miracle on how to get him to stay still.

Oh, he is also really hard to feed; acts like he's starving and then shakes his head when you try to spoon feed him. If you let him feed himself, he throws most of it on the floor or feeds it to the dog. Basically, it's like, he's saying, "I want food, no I don't, yeah, I do... nah, I don't" He can't decide whether he wants to eat or not.

Also, he won't let you hold him. He is very squirmy, pushes away, even with his mother, he tries to climb up over her chest and head, pushes away from her, digs his feet and hands in her trying to get away from her.

And some other behaviors that I noticed which made me start saying that it is as if he has ADHD. So I researched ADHD in babies. He has almost EVERY characteristic of an ADHD baby!

So, if my research is correct and he does have ADHD, I will ALWAYS be fighting to get him to do things I need him to do. And I just don't think I can do this much more with him.

If I may ask, why is he being spoon fed at 1 year old? At 1 year I wold have him feed himself.

For the highchair - is he in a five point harness chair? If not, that might be a little more difficult for him to climb out of. If he is in a 5 point harness highchair, what if you put a button up shirt over the harness? In the car seat world, that is recommended for children who undo their car seat harness. I am not sure if this is against regulations or not, but if he is a harm to himself because he is climbing/falling out a chair (and it is not against regulations) I would run it past mom and give it a try.




For nap time, what about wearing a sleep sack in a PNP? That would make it hard for him to climb out. My personal opinion is if a child is not developmentally ready to sleep on a cot, they are not developmentally ready for a loose blanket. Any child who sleeps in a PNP is in a sleep sack. You can buy them in sizes for larger children. Some even have holes for feet, I believe they are called sleep sack walkers.

[permanentvacation]

Yes. I give a FULLY DETAILED run down of the day EVERY day to his mother including when the other parents make comments about their children's behavior in the evening. I haven't held anything back other than my thoughts on him possibly having ADHD. If I do decide to terminate him, I don't want her to say it's because of him having a special needs therefor I was being illegally discriminatory against him. I'm not a doctor. I can't diagnose him and my theory from researching online might be incorrect. He is only 1 year old, and like someone said here, doctors usually don't test for ADHD until a child is in grade school.

But, yes, the mother is fully aware of every day's situations for the past 3 months. I actually started giving more detail and actually suggesting that he might do better in a center where he would be in a room where the teachers have nothing to do all day long other than tend to the children and that one of the teachers would either hold him (well at least try to) and rock him, pat his back, carry him around, or put him in a stroller and walk around the center all nap time long, but that I can't do that here. I need to use nap time to get office work and other jobs done and eat my lunch.

I've highly suggested to her many times to take him to a center! But I think she's staying here and would continue staying here no matter what simply because my rates are so affordable. Of course my rates are much lower than a center. That's just normal.

I think when she gets here, I will tell her to look for other daycare and I will watch him on a day to day basis while giving her time to find other care.

[Thriftylady]

And yes, I hate to say it, but it is horrible. He has affected the other kids' behavior in the afternoon here and in the evening at home. My other parents have started asking me if their child is or isn't taking their nap because they are so tired and hateful most evenings now. This one baby is really negatively affecting everyone in the daycare; the other daycare kids, me, and my daughter (who has about had it with listening to him cry and me fussing with him trying to get him to hush and lay down).

Obviously I really need to terminate him. But I am SOOO broke that I really don't want to have to do so. However, he is really taking a toll on everyone here. Emotionally, for everyone's benefit, he needs to go. But financially, I need to be able to figure out something that would make his being here work out. But I am truly out of ideas!

How broke are you going to be if other parents pull from care due to their children having the side effects?