# Artisans, Childhood and that thing called ADHD



## Slkmcphee (Oct 19, 2009)

Okay, I know this is not just an Artisan thing, but I know that more are identified as ADHD than other types, for whatever reason.

Here's my issue...
My oldest boy, who occupies a very special, sacred place in my heart, is driving me insane. He is also exasperating his other family members, Kindergarten teacher, swimming teacher and T-ball coach.

He is an exceptionally talented little boy. He taught himself to read, literally, from a Lightning McQueen toy computer (he could spell "track" as a 4 year old when his 6 year old sister couldn't). He loves cars and is very mechanically oriented. He is very sensitive to sound and sings like an angel. He loves art and creates very unusual pictures. 

He is capable of focusing intently when he is doing something he finds interesting, or (the problem is) when he wants to he simply tunes the world out. This is bad in the pool when it takes the coach 4 tries to get him to stop going in the wrong direction and do what he should (or to stop jumping in the pool and get back in like a normal person). In the classroom today, he got it into his head that he needed to get to his cubby to get a paper. He got in trouble because he was specifically told not to and he refused to listen....*had to get the paper*. In the house, he seems to just ignore me when he finds it is inconvenient. He *literally* climbs the walls by scurrying up the doorways via pushing against them. 

He is a mama's boy. Thoroughly. Which is why it has been hard for me to consider having him evaluated for ADHD. I want to help him, but the behavioral stuff just doesn't work. I'm afraid he is going to get himself killed one of these days, there are such crazy stunts he has pulled. And I wouldn't exaggerate. How would you feel if you went outside and say your 6 year old on top of the garage? He almost got run over in the parking lot last week. He saw a car he liked and lagged behind us. Some man halted the car backing up.

I guess I am afraid that medication will "change" him in negative ways. Are there any other artisans that were this kid that I am raising? Were you on meds? Did anything else help you?


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## Fat Bozo (May 24, 2009)

ADHD is made up by the Man to sell drugs and keep people from having a personality.

I was that kid and I wasn't drugged and I turned out fine. Some stuff in life has sucked, but most of it has rocked.

Now I have my own kid. He's very much the same way. Teachers/counselors didn't know what to do with him. I'm like "he's a kid, let him be a kid." I disciplined him of course but I didnt drug him or try to label him with some made up disorder or syndrome. And he's an awesome guy that I'm very thankful for. He's almost 11, and he has matured a lot. He doesn't start fights and attack teachers and other kids like he did when he was 5/6. He has gotten better conduct-wise every year. Our problems this year were all schoolwork effort-related. He served some detentions for acting up, but life goes on. There were no major incidents the whole year, just talking too much mostly. Sometime talking back to teachers.

Anything he's focused on, he nails it. If he doesn't care, then it's gonna be crap. It's as simple as that. I was the same way and I still am, though I'm now much better at seeing other people's perspective, but that took until at least my late 20's, maybe 30's honestly.


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## letsmosey (Jul 21, 2010)

Slkmcphee said:


> He is an exceptionally talented little boy. He taught himself to read, literally, from a Lightning McQueen toy computer (he could spell "track" as a 4 year old when his 6 year old sister couldn't). He loves cars and is very mechanically oriented. He is very sensitive to sound and sings like an angel. He loves art and creates very unusual pictures.
> 
> He is capable of focusing intently when he is doing something he finds interesting, or (the problem is) when he wants to he simply tunes the world out. This is bad in the pool when it takes the coach 4 tries to get him to stop going in the wrong direction and do what he should (or to stop jumping in the pool and get back in like a normal person). In the classroom today, he got it into his head that he needed to get to his cubby to get a paper. He got in trouble because he was specifically told not to and he refused to listen....*had to get the paper*. In the house, he seems to just ignore me when he finds it is inconvenient. He *literally* climbs the walls by scurrying up the doorways via pushing against them.


Sounds to me like your kid is just a fun-loving SP child. (ESTP, maybe?) If he's capable of concentrating on things that interest him then he probably doesn't have ADHD. 

Really, getting into a pool is way more fun when you CANNONBALL! And climbing the walls? I'd be more impressed than worried. I climbed everything when I was a kid. Climbing is fun! He sounds like a handfull, for sure, but maybe his teachers are just too uptight? Some types (like the SP types) do better with learning when they have more freedom and less stifling rules. Organized education will probably be hard for him because the standards of behavior and the styles of teaching don't leave much room for experimentation and hands-on learning. This isn't 'bad' or 'wrong', just different. 

He's a smart kid and with encouragement from his family he will be just fine.


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## sskeeter3 (Nov 19, 2010)

ADD and ADHD are definitely not made up by anyone. They are very real disorders. Much research can be found on ADD by a simple google search, but its best to have your child examined by a skilled psychologist or psychiatrist. Anyone who has done minimal research on the disorder will know that children with ADD actually tend to possess the ability to maintain a hyper acute attention span with subjects they are interested in. That is, if they like an activity, they can focus on it, extremely well. ADD children are often extremely bright. I do agree that medication of children isn't always the answer, and perhaps disruptive to natural development. I do not have children of my own, but actually diagnosed myself with ADD at age 24, which was confirmed by a specialist after an extensive series of test. I made A's and B's my wholel life, and was never a problem child, therefore my family never had any idea, nor did they even believe me when I diagnosed myself. You will get many skeptics, "Everyones a little bit ADD, its normal." Although, very common, it is not normal, and in the teen and adult years can be very hendering to a successful, complete, and happy lifestyle, as it is mostly marked by mood instability, and depressive episodes (some people don't believe in depression either, its science people, ADD is very real). Wether to medicate your child is your choice, and it is likely that if you let him develop naturally he will grow up with many talents and abilities in his area of interest... however in his later teen years and early adult life, this is something you want to keep in mind, because if he lives the rest of his life with ADD that has been undiagnosed, he will live every day feeling like the weight of the world is against him. The causes of ADD may be biological, hereditary, or developed. Children who grow up in un-harmonious families often develop add because they learn to tune out their parents fighting, zoning out into their own word and focusing on whatever they find most interesting. Don't take my word for it, please just google it. It is very real, and very detrimental if undiagnosed throughout a lifetime.


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## sskeeter3 (Nov 19, 2010)

"To publish stories that ADHD is a fictitious disorder or merely a conflict between today's Huckleberry Finns and their caregivers is tantamount to declaring the earth flat, the laws of gravity debatable, and the periodic table in chemistry a fraud."

below is a list of organizations that agree that ADD is a very real condition

American Medical Association (AMA)
Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Psychological Association
Canadian Psychiatric Association
Surgeon General of the United States
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)


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## Seralya (Mar 8, 2010)

There are so many disorders in the world. Here's one more: A proposal to classify happiness as a psychiatric ... [J Med Ethics. 1992] - PubMed result


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## Gauntlet (Oct 19, 2010)

Slkmcphee said:


> I guess I am afraid that medication will "change" him in negative ways. Are there any other artisans that were this kid that I am raising? Were you on meds? Did anything else help you?


ADHD and ADD are real disorders, but they aren't that common. Too many children are being labelled ADHD or ADD because parents don't know how to handle their child's natural personality. It does sound like your child may be XSTP of some sort and there are some helpful threads in the article sections at the upper part of the subforums. 

Talk with friends, family, parenting specialists and doctors first on how to develop parenting methods that are right for your child and you. If that fails yes you probably should see if he has a disorder, but try changing your parenting style first. I don't mean change your expectations of your child or rules, but reach out to understand where your child is coming from and how he responds to the world around him so you can communicate effectly to him.


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## sagacity (Dec 27, 2010)

Slkmcphee said:


> Okay, I know this is not just an Artisan thing, but I know that more are identified as ADHD than other types, for whatever reason.
> 
> Here's my issue...
> My oldest boy, who occupies a very special, sacred place in my heart, is driving me insane. He is also exasperating his other family members, Kindergarten teacher, swimming teacher and T-ball coach.
> ...


Your child sounds like a more intelligent version of myself. I'd say depending on his age, try and make him realize that he needs to take more into account what other people are saying and not always do his own thing. ISTP aren't one to like rules/regulations or being told what to do so maybe put in some initiative to do the right thing as well. That and lots and lots of exercise to tire him out before bed. Also, don't let him get to into video games.


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## themartyparade (Nov 7, 2010)

Your kids sounds like a mix between my little brother and I (both probably SPs). Funny enough, we both have ADHD too. 

I've been two different kinds medication and I'd advise you to keep your kid away from them. It didn't help me at all, I just felt less like myself and more like a zombie. It also won't help your kid to come up own strategies and learn how to deal with life just the way he is and not as a medicated replica of his former self.


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## Mister_Blue91 (Feb 17, 2011)

Reading that whole thing pretty brought me back to my own childhood... I do believe in ADHD and I know that I had it really bad when I was younger but I grew out of my "impulse" behavior alot and I honestly can relate to your son in some of the behaviors he is expressing...

I was very adventurous.. I would often get in trouble for "exploring" or from my teacher for not "Sitting still." I was often bored and off in lala land where I used my imagination to create worlds around me that most people never even knew could have existed. I would pretend alot and usually because I was a child it was hard for me to look work in the face when playing and having fun were the only things I wanted to do. 

I was often ridiculed for being inconsistant and unpredictable when all I really wanted to do was explore and learn hands on the many wonders and mysteries of life. I always asked my teacher "Why are we sitting in this musty, dank classroom learning about the Sun and Photosynthesis when we could be outside witnessing it in action?" 

On a more serious note... I was very lonely.... Many of my fellow peers picked on me and made fun of my eccentric ways of expressing myself and it wasn't easy to deal with when you "feel" alot of emotion. My teachers thought I was lazy and wanted me on "ritalin". It made me into a zombie and when I was on it I was not myself. Apparently I couldnt even focus either. It was like I had no personality. I was a drone.

Your son is a very creative person who probably sees and feels alot more then many people his age and I am sure he will grow out of the behavior. He is just a child being a child. He just wants to have fun and use his imagination. He will come to grip with society as he ages and gains an understanding of it. He sounds like an exceptionally talented young man and I KNOW that his intensions are all a part of his creativity and passion for living.


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## Fat Bozo (May 24, 2009)

sskeeter3 said:


> ADD and ADHD are definitely not made up by anyone. They are very real disorders. Much research can be found on ADD by a simple google search, but its best to have your child examined by a skilled psychologist or psychiatrist. Anyone who has done minimal research on the disorder will know that children with ADD actually tend to possess the ability to maintain a hyper acute attention span with subjects they are interested in. That is, if they like an activity, they can focus on it, extremely well. ADD children are often extremely bright. I do agree that medication of children isn't always the answer, and perhaps disruptive to natural development. I do not have children of my own, but actually diagnosed myself with ADD at age 24, which was confirmed by a specialist after an extensive series of test. I made A's and B's my wholel life, and was never a problem child, therefore my family never had any idea, nor did they even believe me when I diagnosed myself. You will get many skeptics, "Everyones a little bit ADD, its normal." Although, very common, it is not normal, and in the teen and adult years can be very hendering to a successful, complete, and happy lifestyle, as it is mostly marked by mood instability, and depressive episodes (some people don't believe in depression either, its science people, ADD is very real). Wether to medicate your child is your choice, and it is likely that if you let him develop naturally he will grow up with many talents and abilities in his area of interest... however in his later teen years and early adult life, this is something you want to keep in mind, because if he lives the rest of his life with ADD that has been undiagnosed, he will live every day feeling like the weight of the world is against him. The causes of ADD may be biological, hereditary, or developed. Children who grow up in un-harmonious families often develop add because they learn to tune out their parents fighting, zoning out into their own word and focusing on whatever they find most interesting. Don't take my word for it, please just google it. It is very real, and very detrimental if undiagnosed throughout a lifetime.


They got you hook, line, and sinker. You can google all kinds of stupid shit. Google doesn't prove anything.


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## sparkles (Mar 2, 2011)

I took adderral for a few years. It did help me sit still and tolerate learning by reading better. It helped me keep my space clean too. I have access to taking it but prefer not to. It was helpful for school. My grades didn't suffer but I was a handful with teachers. My parents, psychologists, somehow talked me into enjoying the idea of reading a book when I finished my work early instead of talking to other kids. This helped for the behavior. 

I fit the criteria for ADD but that is probably the SP because I can concentrate deeply on things of interest. 

Giving an SP child something to play with, a small object to move in their hand for example, might help. I know I perform better in a sit still environment when I have something kinesthetic to keep my mind occupied. According to research this is also a sign of ADD, focusing better when you incorporate motor movement, but meh I think it is just an SP thing. 

At least all the excessive diagnosing of ADD has led to less stigma if you are thought to have it.


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