So I'm pretty new at blogging and I'll be learning as I go.  My husband (who is coincidentally also an educator, a student, and the parent of four boys) suggested that I introduce a monthly topic for discussion.  His advice is usually pretty good, so I think this month I'll just discuss what ADHD is and isn't.
The funny thing is this:  the symptoms of ADHD have been around as long as children have been around.  As Socrates, the Greek philosopher in Athens (469 BC - 399 BC) allegedly said:  "Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers."  If kids aggravated the hell out of Socrates, he probably would have been really glad to have Ritalin at his disposal back when he needed to spend quiet hours philosophizing.
ADHD has gone by many names in the past, but my favorite is "moral defect."  It seems that for unknown reasons, there have always been kids who've had difficulty with what we now identify as symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattentiveness.  The issue with these symptoms is that the severity of each symptom seems to be based on the tolerance levels of the adult(s) evaluating the symptoms.  As an educator, I have seen kids with what I believed to be behavior issues that were present in every setting that I had an opportunity to observe.  (Even grocery stores, if I happened to shop at the same time as the child in question.)  However, when teacher A has concerns about a child's behaviors, and teacher B does not, and the parents are unsure, or don't feel that there are any problems, it gives me reason to question the presence of ADHD.
I have had the enlightening experiences of interviewing doctors, authors, professors, brain surgeons, pharmacists, counselors, teachers, and parents as part of my study.  Most of the folks that I have had the opportunity to interview were all in agreement that ADHD exists as a legitimate disorder.  However, they were in disagreement as to its causes, prevalence, treatments, and duration.
Unfortunately, as with all psychiatric disorders, there is no specific, unbiased test to determine the presence of ADHD.  It cannot be diagnosed with a blood test, imaging, or any other medical screening.  We will talk more about the diagnosis of ADHD in the future, that is, if there is an interest.
ADHD, in a nutshell, appears to be a condition (NOT a disease) which causes people to experience all or some of the following symptoms:

• Inattentiveness that leads to an inability to stick with boring or tedious tasks (like cumbersome handwriting lessons for a first grade boy)
• Impusivity that may result in unpleasant outcomes (Like a kid blurting out in class when he or she wants attention or affirmation.  This usually results in an annoyed teacher delivering a punishment or reprimand.)
• Hyperactivity, or the inability to remain still, like running or fidgeting in places or situations where it is frowned upon or inappropriate.   (By the way, the "time" for which one can stay still is not standardized by age or ability, and not evaluated relative to the activity.  I'm sure those parents of boys, and some little girls, out there marvel at how their kids can sit for hours on end in front of a screen showcasing a hash-slinging yellow sponge in cubist shorts, but can't seem to sit still for five minutes of circle time at school.  Apparently, different areas of the brain "light up" with different activities, and some stuff just bores the bananas out of a kid.  Therefore, they fidget or find other creative ways to make their teachers and parents' lives a living sit-com.)

So that's it in a nutshell; ADHD has been around forever, and we still don't know why or what causes it, although many theories are out there.
The bottom line is that with so little knowledge or proof, it seems imprudent to me to give so many very young children the ADHD psychiatric label and often the accompanying drugs that may stick with them for life.  Although treatment options are heavily marketed and promoted for young children with symptoms of ADHD, I think some of the best treatment options available may not be the ones that come in a bottle from your local Drug Mart.
(Unless you're like me, and have kids who've been diagnosed and are happily drug-free.  I'm not ashamed to admit that the challenges of parenting these creatures occasionally encourage me to mosey over to my sympathetic bottle of Pinot and collapse on the sofa.  I find that it helps me with my own tolerance levels, because like you, I am only human!)  :)

Next time:  The history of ADHD  

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Please share your thoughts and experiences!