I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 11-years-old. At the time it was believed that I had a learning disability. Every teacher that had been responsible for me had wanted to hold me back at the end of each school year. This started in kindergarten and was repeated every year until I reached the 5th grade. Back then it was up to the parents to decide if they wanted their child held back or not. My parents continued to force me along. At the end of my 5th grade year my parents were finally convinced to hold me back to repeat the 5th grade. The elementary school I attended was starting a new program the following school year with a new teacher that specialized in children with special needs. The school staff figured I could take advantage of the new program for a full two years before moving on to Jr. High School.
The following year I started the fifth grade for my second round. This time I had a new teacher and a new program that pulled me from my classroom for several hours each day to "work" with the schools new special needs teacher. I only got to participate in the new program for a week before they realized that I didn't have a learning disability. Though I may have had trouble paying attention in class, and I consistently failed at taking tests, when I was verbally tested by the new special needs teacher he discovered that I had retained everything that had been taught since kindergarten and that I was on-par educationally with the other 5th graders. I also had a higher reading skill than most of the other students. After that discovery I was dropped from the special needs class and sent to see a specialist. I was tested with all sorts quizzes, which to this day I remember fondly and enjoyed participating in. My parents were told that I didn't have a learning disability, in fact I had an above average IQ. That is when they diagnosed me with Attention Deficit Disorder. Not much was known about A.D.D. in 1979, so there was not a whole lot that could be done. My parents refused to let them put me on experimental drugs (which I am thankful for to this day). One doctor suggested that I wear blinders in the class room, like those of a horse.
Luckily, my dad shot that idea down too. I already had it tough enough in grade school. Being such an excitable child made me an easy target for the other kids to bully. I was usually the last to be picked for games and the first to be picked-on for being weird. I only had a few friends during my elementary school years.
As luck would have it, my second go-around in the fifth grade found me in the classroom of a patient and kind, grandmotherly teacher who was very animated and made learning fun. I excelled in her class and for the first time in my life moved along to the next grade on my own accord. Luck didn't follow me however, and I ended up the following year with a male teacher that believed structure and discipline was the answer to everything. I failed his class miserably, spent the entire school year sitting on the fence next to the office during recess (I didn't deserve a recess according to him), and was passed along to Jr. High on the soul factor that I was now too old to remain in grade school.
The medical community labeled it Attention Deficit Disorder, but I don't believe that is a proper term. A deficit is a lack of something and I am definitely not lacking attention. I believe it should have been called Hyper-Attention Disorder, because everything attracts our attention ...and it's even worse if it is something we find exciting, such as.... Squirrel!
When we were little we enjoyed learning new things. I am speaking for all of us here, not just those with ADD/ADHD. Children enjoy learning. It's fun and exciting. The problem with having ADD/ADHD as a child is that learning is fun and exciting. For example, today perhaps we are learning to read. Reading thrilled me when I learned to sound out letters to make words, but yesterday we were finger painting and I discovered that I really enjoyed painting. Boy! That was fun. After school my dad taught me to ride a bike and that was great! I'm going to do that again right after school today. Oh wait! I'm learning to read. I can't wait to tell my mom that I'm learning to read. Maybe she'll make me a treat when I tell her and I can eat my treat in front of the television while I'm watching Spider-man. Spider-man is my favorite cartoon and I sure wish I could be like him. I'm going to dress like Spider-man for Halloween this year and..... oh wait! I'm trying to read....
Imagine you are watching tv and every single one of your favorite movies and shows are all running at the exact same time and you can't decide which one to watch. Now imagine that every 10 to 15 seconds the channel changes without your approval. That is sort of what it is like living with ADD. It's not that we can't pay attention, it's that so many things are fighting for our attention that we can't decide which to turn to. The fact remains that the most exciting will get the attention, and when you are little and learning new things daily.... everything is exciting.
Coming up..... ADD/ADHD and puberty
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