Too many people who are adults now who have ADHD (and obviously had it as kids) weren't diagnosed because it just wasn't recognized for what it was back then, and they were told they were stupid and slow and deliberately disruptive, etc., etc., etc. Which is horribly demoralizing. Imagine how much better things would have been for them if their neurodiversity was recognized for what it was when they were 5.

This. Me (if you substitute dyspraxia and dyslexia for ADHD). Many years later I'm still bitter about the 'stupid', 'dull' and 'dim-witted'-type comments that came from teachers who sh/could have known better. Still, I wouldn't give up my neurodivergent brain for anything in the world. But diagnosis is a very helpful thing.

Grammar edit. Which is mildly ironic. Heh.

I don't want a zombie sheep-child.

Medication won't make her a zombie sheep-child. At all.

Oh I know. I've seen the wonders it can do for kids who really need it.

Oops. I totally misunderstood you, then. Sorry!

I was saying that if she does need medication, I'm doing for her to feel better in her own skin, not because I want a zombie sheep-child.

We're good!

I will celebrate Fetish Day by linking a cool word/concept:

Apophenia, which is basically seeing patterns where there are none. I'm fascinated by patterns and how we perceive them.

If more than half of a classroom needs to be medicated in order to make it through the day, maybe it's not the kids' brain chemistry that's at fault.

Ah, someone's been studying Utah classrooms, at least from about 5-10 years ago. It finally dawned on someone that the drugged kids should be in a minority. There were some teachers/superintendents who would tell parents that their kids should be on Ritalin, and the parents should go to one of the approved list of doctors to get it. The parents would blithely go to said doctor and get their kid a prescription.

Respect for authority often translates to "Whatever you say" around here.

Apophenia, which is basically seeing patterns where there are none. I'm fascinated by patterns and how we perceive them.

That reminds me of a great example of Auditory Pareidolia.

[link]

It's fascinating to listen to it without seeing the video and then watching the video and hear something different just because words are being shown.

Best of luck figuring out what's up with Em. It is better to have it checked now, and if it helps, think that she's designed that way rather than having stuff "wrong" with her. Not that I'm especially good at the developmental psych, but I think I've read that ADD has evolutionary benefits. I mean, she's also funny, and gutsy and creative.Ari Emanuel has ADD...true, half of Hollywood hates his guts, but he would consider that a feature, not a bug, since he psyched them all out to be an agent-colossus.

I was diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive Type in my mid-30s. The therapist I worked with had this to say: The great thing about the ADHD brain is that it sees all the possibilities in a situation - your job is to learn how to narrow those down to what is do-able.

The great thing about the ADHD brain is that it sees all the possibilities in a situation - your job is to learn how to narrow those down to what is do-able.

I'm laughing at this because I live with it. And for someone whose impatience is as legendary as mine, having to live with someone who takes an ungodly amount of time to work through all the possibilities is -- well, the universe finally gave me what I deserved.

But at the same time, living with someone who sees all the possibilities is a joy, because he's endlessly creative and resourceful and fun. I wouldn't have him any other way, and I (obviously) wouldn't have anyone else.

The great thing about the ADHD brain is that it sees all the possibilities in a situation - your job is to learn how to narrow those down to what is do-able.

Ohhhh, that is a good way of explaining it. And fits CJ and the problems he has been having in Algebra. He finds different ways to come up with the answer, then gets confused if his method doesn't match the teacher's method, and then he second guesses himself which leads to utter frustration.