 | ADD is a real thing. I am a 32 yr old adult living with it. I wish (and my parents do to) that teachers/doctors back then knew about ADD/ADHD. Since they did not, growing up through elementry school I was called stupid, uncrontollable (not in a hyperactive way, just couldn't pay attention), lazy, forgetful, and was even told by one educator that I was doing it on purpose to get attention. And some teachers told my parents not to expect a lot out of me.
I proved them all wrong. I kept a b/c average in high school (with a lot of hard work & being forced to by my parents LOL) I became captain of my varsity volleyball team, I went to college, became a marketing executive, am married now & have a 10 yr old son.
I came to know about ADD/ADHD when I asked my son's pediatrician about my son's hyperactivity. My mother was with us on the doctor's visit and when the pediatrician explained ADD/ADHD to me, my mom's jaw dropped and she looked at me in amazement and said, "That's you". I went & saw my dr. was tested, went through counseling. and sure enough. It does get better with age, especially if you learn ways of dealing with it.
There is a book out there titled "What, you mean I'm not Crazy, Stupid or Lazy?" This book could have been about me. Studies I have read have said that children with ADD actually tend to have a higher IQ than "normal" children do.
I choose not to take medication, I figure I have been dealing with this disease this long without and things have been ok. I also had a lot of discipline growing up. There were rules and if you didn't follow them - you were punished. And that is the way my household is today. My son has mild ADD, but definitely has the hyperactivity. He is not on medication or a restricted diet. I have taught him what I have learned on how to deal with remembering things and TRYING to think before you act, etc...He is on the honor roll, plays above his age level in baseball, has a ton of friends. I have told him over & over again since he was little that he may have to put more effort into than other kids but that there was nothing he could not do or conquer.
Ok - sorry so long, just my 2 or 3 cents : ) |
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