| Most kids who end up with a diagnosis of ADHD do | | | | phonics curricula by the age of 9 without actually |
| so as the behest of an adult, usually school personnel, | | | | learning to read, because she didn't really want to read. |
| unwilling or unable to accommodate their individuality, | | | | When I realized what she was doing, I was even more |
| energy, and creativity. Unfortunately, much of the time, | | | | amazed at her intellect. It must have been considerably |
| this diagnosis unnecessarily dooms that child to a | | | | more difficult to decipher the teaching method rather |
| lifetime of drug dependence, mental dullness and | | | | than just learn to read. So, regardless of the test |
| emotional instability. | | | | results, I continued to let her determine her subject |
| First, understand that ADD and ADHD are basically the | | | | matter and level of activity. I figured out ways to work |
| same thing. They are merely two different labels for | | | | in the 3 R's that made them relevant to Julie. That |
| the same type of brain function. The labels, however, | | | | process definitely expanded my creativity and |
| focus on the external response behavior instead of | | | | improved her attitude toward learning. I finally realized it |
| the internal activity: Attention Deficit Disorder and | | | | didn't matter if she didn't read well until she was 13. The |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Both denote the | | | | age at which you learned to read is never a question |
| type of rapid firing brain activity that is sometimes | | | | on a job application or a reason for denial of college |
| referred to as mental "white noise." The person who | | | | admittance. |
| responds to that white noise by withdrawing and | | | | Julie was not officially diagnosed with ADHD until she |
| hyper-focusing - shutting out all other input - tries to | | | | was 15. She was seeing a counselor for help with |
| quiet the brain activity by being quiet, and is labeled | | | | other family issues and he suggested she be tested |
| ADD. The person who responds to the white noise by | | | | for it. The test, I might add, is very subjective. Anyone |
| being extremely active and jumping from one thing to | | | | of us, from time to time, may display any number of |
| the other, from one thought to the other, in rapid | | | | the traits listed. However, that diagnosis, as repugnant |
| succession in an attempt to "out-shout" the white noise | | | | as it was to me, was helpful in a couple of ways. |
| is labeled ADHD. Both labels do them a great | | | | First, it helped me understand what Julie's brain activity |
| disservice in general. | | | | was like. It also helped me to appreciate her creativity |
| This type of brain activity is neither a deficiency nor a | | | | and unique abilities even more. She is incredibly intuitive |
| disorder. One is concentrated attention (just not to the | | | | especially with animals. She had various pets as a kid, |
| teacher,) and the other is a rapid succession of | | | | from common pets like cats and rabbits, to weirder |
| attention to many things, (just not what the teacher | | | | ones like a duck and a rat. All of her animals would let |
| wants for as long as he/she wants.) Distraction is | | | | her do things with them that were completely unnatural |
| mostly relevant when compared to the subject matter | | | | otherwise. The duck would allow her to put it on its |
| someone else dictates. | | | | back and play with its feet without struggling to get up. |
| Now, we do need to recognize the necessity for | | | | The rat would follow her from room to room and beg |
| seeing certain tasks through to completion, and there | | | | at the dinner table like a dog. The cats would respond |
| are many ways to do that. Sometimes just suffering | | | | only to her and let her dress them up and push them |
| the consequences works best. While leaving a pot on | | | | around in a doll buggy. The rabbits would stay snuggled |
| the stove until it goes dry or burns whatever is in it to | | | | contentedly on her shoulder while she walked around. It |
| a black crisp can be dangerous, I would wager that | | | | was really kind of amazing to me. |
| most people have done that at some point in their lives | | | | About the time she was diagnosed, Julie decided she |
| without ever having been labeled ADD or ADHD and | | | | wanted to go to massage school. But before we put |
| forced to take a drug for it. | | | | the effort into figuring out how to come up with the |
| A friend of mine, who was definitely not ADD or | | | | money for that, we decided it would be prudent for |
| ADHD, literally burned up the family kitchen when she | | | | her to take a class or two at the local high school to |
| was in high school by leaving a pan with grease in it on | | | | see if she could tolerate sitting in a classroom. |
| the stove too long. It made quite an impression. Forty | | | | That's when I discovered the second benefit of having |
| years later, she has never left a pot unattended since | | | | an "official" diagnosis of ADHD. According to the ADA |
| then. My daughter, Julie, diagnosed ADHD, let an | | | | (Americans with Disabilities Act), ADD and ADHD are |
| aluminum-bottomed pot go dry on the stove when she | | | | considered disabilities. (I find this notion repulsive, but it |
| was 12 and literally melted the aluminum right off it. She | | | | can work to your child's advantage.) As a result, my |
| had to work to replace the pot and the burner. She | | | | daughter was no longer required to take timed tests. |
| also has never forgotten a pot on the stove since | | | | One of her teachers even allowed her to take her |
| then. The solution is often the same no matter who | | | | tests at home under my supervision. Her self-esteem |
| the person is or what their brain activity is like. Labeling | | | | improved greatly when her test scores began to |
| and medicating should never be the first options. | | | | reflect what she actually knew, which turned out to be |
| I had figured out shortly after Julie exited the womb, | | | | quite a lot. |
| that she would never fit in a classroom environment, | | | | Frustration for both of us eased and we learned to |
| so we home-schooled her. She had the typical | | | | laugh at what had previously been points of irritation, |
| difficulties with reading because of a bit of dyslexia | | | | aggravation, or embarrassment. Research dietary and |
| and lack of will; and it took her longer to process | | | | homeopathic means of easing the discomforts of |
| targeted material, so she also had test anxiety. Tests | | | | ADD or ADHD. This will leave your child's health and |
| never reflected what she really knew; they only | | | | brain in tact. At the same time, make the most of the |
| reflected what she knew in the time allotted. (Our | | | | diagnosis and understand it for what it is: a misnomer |
| state required homeschoolers to be tested periodically.) | | | | for mental and physical activity that doesn't fit into a |
| Julie had figured out a way to decipher 3 different | | | | standard box. |