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ADHD

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NEDESAPIO:
As I've said before on this Forum, I work as a teacher at a learning center, a place for children who have trouble in school.  Some of my students are ADHD, what used to be called just "ADD," or Attention Deficit Disorder.  This story concerns "Sally," an eight-year-old girl I've mentioned here before.  Sally has been coming to the center for a year; she is very bright and talkative to the point of being distractable.  However, she's been improving a lot in the last months, especially in her oral reading.  She's always had a good attitude and doesn't get frustrated or discouraged easily.

Yesterday, Sally came in for her scheduled session a half-hour late.  Her mother came in with her; the normally cheerful Sally was upset and crying.  While Sally used the restroom, her mother took me aside and told me that Sally had "just been diagnosed with ADHD," which means "she has trouble paying attention and following directions."  The mother seemed very frustrated and depressed.  Now, I know nothing about ADHD, and in fact it's not my job to discuss the children with their parents; that's the job of the Education Director, and I (politely) told Sally's mother this. 

What bothers me is the following.  Here is this bright child who has been making progress during the past year.  Suddenly, she and her family receive a professional verdict of ADHD.  This is supposed to mean she can't follow directions or pay attention for long.  But in fact, she follows directions very well and is much less distractable than she used to be.  Yesterday she was crying when she came in, but once her mother left she was fine and did very well in her work.  As I said, I know little about the subject, but it seems to me that labels like "ADHD" can easily become crippling:  they can make the child believe he or she can't do certain things well, and before long "ADHD" can become a crutch or excuse for poor work.

What do you think?           

momto3daughters:
Honestly,
I know that my oldest daughter has some issues, I have looked into and have a what I feel is figured out what is "wrong" with her, but knowing my child's personality a "label" will do more harm than good with her and at this point id rather deal with her "quirks" than crush an all ready fragil child's ego.

I think that yes lables can be a good thing but also can be a bad thing.

RuneGuardian:
Things like ADHD and ADD in children are so grossly overdiagnosed anymore. Maybe she has a hard time paying attention - what kid her age doesn't have that problem? I have yet to see a child at that age who can quietly sit still and behave constantly, and I would be more worried about a kid who acted this way than one who was slightly to very distracting. Either the mother is overreacting, or just looking for some kind of validation for her poor parenting techniques.

FoxPaws:
I was diagnosed at 35 and one of my first thoughts was how much less of a nightmare my school days would have been had I known what the problem was then.

ADHD kids (and adults) often react much better in one-on-one and small group settings than in a regular classroom - you may not have noticed a problem because the environment she's in with you counteracts it. However, in a regular classroom, surrounded by distractions, with no one to help her stay focused, she could be having major problems.

ADHD is a condition, not a curse. Managed correctly, there's no reason this little girl can't continue to blossom. ADHDers are: bright, creative, empathetic, optomistic, energetic, and capable. Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison were both thought to have ADD.

I strongly reccommend the book, "Driven to Distraction" by Edward M. Hallowell. It gives a good overview and has a great attitude toward managing ADD and making it work for the people who have it instead of against them.

Evil Duckie:
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