Hello, My Name is ADHD
by Angel
ADHD or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder affects 3-5% of children globally. Hear what ADHD has to say about his influence on our children.
Who is ADHD?
Hi, my name is Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. Most people just call me ADHD. I have been around for quite some time but have not always been recognized as being anyone important. I used to get overlooked a lot and many times told that it wasn't me. It was some other dude named Mental Disorder or to make matters worse I would be called Crazy. I got tired of being ignored. I finally started to get the recognition I deserved in the 1970's. I was a controversial topic but at least I was known. It wasn't until the late 1980's or early 90's that I was finally taken seriously. It was about time! I affect up to 6% of school aged children and like to associate myself with boys a lot more than girls. Do you know that I have to be around for 6 months or more before anyone will accept the fact that I am there? No one can explain why I come around. I heard through the grapevine that people think I make my presence because of genetics, diet, physical environments, and social environments. I can't say that I disagree with them since I can't really explain why I come out to play either.
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What Does ADHD Do to Children?
I earned my claim to fame by being known as a developmental disorder mainly in children. I affect some adults but I would rather discuss my involvement with children right now since they are who I prefer to associate myself with. I cause children to be inattentive, hyperactive, impulsive, forgetful, and disorganized. These are the most common things I do to children. Most of the children I play with don't have any other friends. They have a hard time getting along with other children after meeting me. I have a few other friends. When I feel like having company I will invite my friends over. They are Depression, Bipolar, Anxiety, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). We all get along but usually only three or four of us play together at the same time. Makes for a very exciting time when we are together. It does for me anyway. I can't speak for the child or even the parent since I usually don't pay attention to either. I can't pay attention, I am ADHD.
Three Types of ADHD
As much as I don't like being labeled it has happened. There are three categories that I get stuck in all the time.
Teach Yourself and Your Child About ADHD
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 | The Survival Guide for Kids with ADD or ADHD What are ADD and ADHD? What does it mean to have ADD and ADHD? How can kids diagnosed with ADD and ADHD help themselves succeed in school, get along better at home, and form ... |
 | Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention: A Book for Kids about ADHD Parents, teachers and kids will love the checklists found in this book to help children organize their time and daily tasks. New edition includes more explanations about ... |
1. Inattentive Type
They tell me that this is where I am affecting a child's ability to pay attention. I sometimes get called ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder when I am playing this game. I tend to make them forgetful and they jump from one thing to another because they can't pay attention. They never listen to their parents when spoken to and have a really hard time following directions.
2. Hyperactive Impulsive Type
I really have a good time with this particular game. I love to make the children jump around like they have ants in their pants and they stay in motion most of the time. They blurt out things at the worst times and most of the time what they say is inappropriate. They are always talking so people are definitely paying attention to them when we are playing this game.
3. Combined Type
I have to say that this is where I feel the most comfortable. I get to make the children inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive. People call me by my full name, ADHD, when we are playing this game.
ADHD Must Go!
I am glad I got to meet you today. I have been around a long time and I hope to be around a long time to come. In some ways it was nice to not be known so well. Now that everyone knows who I am they are all about figuring me out. They fight me with medication and behavioral therapy all the time. It is hard to be me when that happens. It makes it harder for me to get the children to listen to me when they are taking their medication or listening to parents and therapist who are teaching them how to ignore me. I will keep trying as hard as I can to get your children to listen to me instead. I am loud and obnoxious. I am ADHD and I won't go away quietly!
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Comments
This is a great article on ADHD. My daughter (now an adult) had this as a child, and it quite an adventure! :) ADHD runs in our family, but so far, she's the only girl we know for sure has it. Funny to note of those who have ADHD in my immediate family, two are engineers and one is a scientist :)
One thing about kids and adults who have ADHD, they have a very different perspective of the way things work than "normal" people do. People who have ADHD, once they harness this different perspective, can be the most creative people I've ever met. They can "think outside the box" better, and more. With that said, it is important to seek the proper treatment. Even with treatment, ADHD patients have a way of seeing the world that brings innovation and creativity to the rest of us.
@MuminBusiness - Yes.. it is a shame that it is not diagnosed in some places yet. I feel like it may be diagnosed too much in the US now. I do feel comfortable that my son has it for sure so I am glad he was diagnosed so we know how to handle him properly. Some things he just can't help. We work with him on those things and try to teach him the right way to do them. It is a full time job!
Another great article on ADHD. I had a cousin who I am certain had this but it is still not a recognized illness in Nigeria so his parents just disciplined him very strictly until he grew up and became more user friendly - Probably not nice for anyone of them.
Hi Jimmie - you are so right. This is one reason I try and try to find alternatives to the medication that my son is on. It takes his enthusiasm away. He does need a little help with hyperactivity but the meds completely kill it all. Not good. Kids need to be kids and shouldn't be called things like this just because they have energy about something. Kids can be so cruel sometimes by calling others names especially when they don't understand what they are calling them. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Interesting perspective for an article about ADHD. Well done, Angel.
As a side note, I've noticed that children are very aware of this term, using it as a derogatory criticism when a child is "too" energetic or happy. My daughter has been called ADD when she expresses enthusiasm. That is so odd to me. Children should be full of life and not like goth zombies.
Thank you so much Katie. I really appreciate your personal comment too. Sometimes I feel like a broken record talking about ADHD but it is a huge part of my life. It helps to write about it too. My daughter's teacher was the first to bring it up to me too. With my son, I knew from the time he was a baby that things were a little different. You are right... we will stick together girl! Thanks again.
Angel, You know of my personal experiences with ADHD as we've discussed privately, I appreciate your insights and love the way you write on the topic, it's refreshing and gives me much peace. I agree with you I feel I too no doubt have ADHD just haven't been identified or tested. I'll never forget the first time I considered my daughter as being ADHD, I was in conference with her teacher, she made the comment, "I would be concerned with Sarah ADHD if she wasn't so bright, but because she's so bright I'm not concerned about it at this point" The look on my face must have given it away, she then said, "You didn't know"?
Great article rating it up, tweeting, plus and like it! We must stick together.
Katie
I hear ya Brenda. I have two children with ADHD. I really believe that I have it but have not been diagnosed. I just told my husband that I need to go get tested so I can know for sure and treat it. You are right about it being an asset at times. Also it is hard for any child to sit still and concentrate in school for that long of a time. ADHD or not. Sometimes I feel like ADHD is it's own person in my house. It is sitting there laughing at me. That prompted me to write the article this way. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I'm ADD. I have a theory about all this. It's always been around, but at one time it was quite an asset, for instance, working on the farm. It can still be an asset if you're working in a physical labor type job. The problem is that in modern society we're all required to sit still and pay attention in school for 6 hours a day.
I could use a little hyperactivity with mine. lol