Sure, she was a handful. She was certainly the youngest in her class, which the study pointed out was the main reason for misdiagnosis. A child who is a full 11 months younger than the oldest child is going to act a year younger. They are going to be baby-like in comparison and more physically active. As we had moved from NY to Atlanta, she had started school at a younger age than most children and her summer birthday allowed her to squeak into a Kindergarten class younger than most kids.
Her immaturity read as hyperactivity and inattention. But I knew better. Even if I was wrong, I knew I could handle the issues one-on-one that a teacher could not handle in a full classroom. By working with her one-on-one, I also learned that she didn't learn like most kids. She was truly a Right-Brained Child in a Left-Brained World.
I am so glad I never accepted the diagnosis and that my beautiful teenage daughter was allowed to mature on her own, without medication.
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1 comment:
Homeschooling is perfect for potentially ADHD kids. I'm an MD, and I believe the diagnosis is real, but I also know that it's over-treated. My son has dyslexia and is a wiggly 12 year old. I'm sure someone would have recommended evaluation for ADHD if he was in school. Here at home, I just have him run around the house then drink a cup of coffee if I need him to sit down for more than 10 minutes at a time. Besides, that teaches him that he can control his attention issues. He knows he has a short attention span, but he's learning to take responsibility for it. (If things were severe, I would definitely use medication, but they're not.) You can't do stuff like that in a school setting, which is a shame.
Thanks for your thoughts on this topic. And best wishes for your daughter this year!
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