Amina was always a high energy girl. From the minute she began to walk, her parents bragged about how she was always on the go. Sitting still was never her strong suit and that became increasingly apparent as she began preschool and eventually joined her older sister at their local elementary school. When playing, she always had trouble doing so quietly, talking to her toys and not realizing that she was being loud.
From the age of 3, her parents noticed that Amina talked constantly. At first, they were very proud of her verbal skills that seemed to surpass those of her peers. Not only would she be questioning things, exhibiting her curiosity, but she would have a comment for everything around her. As she got older, this skilled talking seemed to become less of a strength and more of a hindrance. She would constantly interrupt her teacher in class, blurting out answers before the question was even completed. As she became older, the result was lowered participation grades and even lower exam scores because she rushed through her homework and tests so she could move on to the next activity.
Patience was never her forte and that became increasingly clear as she entered first and second grade. Waiting in line for a game or to go to lunch recess were troublesome and she would fidget for several minutes before cutting the line or trying to leave the room before it was time.
Amina was a very friendly girl, who loved to play with her classmates. She cared about others and was very affectionate with her friends, family and her pets. Unfortunately, because she often interrupted her people around her, barged in on games or conversations without being invited and had trouble focusing on one activity at a time, most people around her became exhausted by her. It was as if she was running on a motor that functioned at a speed no one else functioned on.
Prashant was a quiet boy who was beloved by his entire family. He was gentle toward his baby sister, their cat as well as toward other children of his age. Never to be aggressive, Prashant was a favorite playmate amongst many of his peers in the neighborhood. If his mother had to complain about something, it would be that from a young age Prashant was extremely disorganized, messy and forgetful. Even when he was older, his room was always a disaster and it never seemed to bother him. And every day it seemed his mother would have to ask, “Did you brush your teeth?” And almost every day he would respond with, “Oh ya!” and run to the bathroom to brush his teeth. It often took longer than it should have because he would become distracted by something in the bathroom and his mother would have to check on him to see what the hold up was. It was an almost daily routine.
Unfortunately, at school, his grades were suffering and that caused increased stress in his parents. His father became worried that Prashant was not taking his studies seriously as he watched his son zone out whenever he would do homework. His mother would help him complete math assignments but when given an opportunity to do it himself, Prashant would make careless mistakes repeatedly.
His parents became very frustrated, often yelling at him to concentrate more, stop day dreaming and just focus! They went to speak to his 4th grade teacher during conferences and she mentioned that he had similar problems in the classroom. “It’s as if he’s not listening to me when I talk to him,” his teacher said. “His mind is off somewhere else and I can’t get him to focus on what I’m saying.”
Prashant’s father was especially upset at hearing this. “You have no problem focusing intently when you’re playing your video games and watching your TV shows. Why can’t you do even 1% of that with your school work?” his father would yell at him almost every night. Prashant would look down at his hands and feel terrible but he could not express to anyone what was going on inside his mind.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder often beginning in childhood and affecting about 10% of school-aged children. While boys are more almost 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with it than girls, it is prevalent in both genders from an early age. ADHD, previously called ADD, has three different subtypes: the inattentive type which is what Prashant was diagnosed with, the hyperactive-impulsive type which is what Amina lived with and the combined type which is a combination of the two.
The presentation of ADHD varies widely from child to child. If either of these stories sound like you or your child, it is best to be tested. With proper treatment, especially from an early age, children and adults can learn to manage their symptoms, be successful, and live healthy and happy lives.
What do you know about ADHD? Please share your thoughts below.