Is Treatment With Psychoactive Drugs Required For Fidgeting?
Question submitted June 10, 2001: My two year old granddaughter has a behavior pattern addressed by a TV special a few days ago. Sorry, there was no further information on the TV show. She regularly “fidgets” her finger tips and nails together. This may occur at a time of stress or at rest. She has done this for at least one year, for a 10 to 15 minute interval, most-times, many times per day. There is no physical damage. The TV article claimed that “chemical imbalance” could be the cause and treatment would be worthwhile and necessary. She is otherwise very healthy, active, coordinated, cooperative, alert, and even advanced. She sings, has a large vocabulary, counts to 10, and recites the alphabet. Her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother also demonstrate this behavior. CyberShrink’s answer posted 6-11-01: We think that whenever parents have a question about whether their young children’s behavior is within the range of normal development or whether a specific pattern of behavio
