ADDThis is the result of weeks of doctor’s appointments, blood work and filling out questionnaires. I expected to feel some sort of relief knowing that there is something behind her often very frustrating behaviour.
And yet….
There really isn’t. After all, most kids have trouble focusing and paying attention and are easily distracted. Aren’t they? I find we’ve been dealing with the uniqueness of E’s personality for so many years that I no longer have a guage to guide me as to what is normal behaviour for her age level.
I know the neighbour kid down the street, who also was in E’s class last year, no longer wants to play with her. Whenever E goes down the road to play, she makes up weird excuses like having to go in for dinner at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon, so she can’t play. Fortunately it all goes over E’s head but eventually she will clue in. I can’t help but feel that E is awfully immature at her age. Is it her or have we been too limiting and not allowed her to mature? Or should I just be grateful she’s more innocent than a lot of other kids.
They keep harping at school how E plays with the younger kids but when I’m there, what I see is the younger kids coming up and asking her to play so she does. After all she has two younger siblings, she’s used to playing with younger kids.
So what does a diagnosis really mean? Medication? A cure? Life suddenly gets easier?
It doesn’t help me react any differently to her behaviour. I still get just as angry even though now there’s a name for it.
It doesn’t help to know that three years ago I would have fought tooth and nail before I’d let anybody label her as ADD. The media is full of how kids are over diagnosed these days.
Yet after three years of struggling, I’m could practically jump at the chance to make it all just a little easier with a daily dose of medication. Doesn’t that sound just awful?
That thought alone makes me question whether medication is the right option. Maybe it’s us who need to adjust for her and not the other way around.
Unfortunately, I think I'd need a pill to accomplish it cause Lord knows, I’m not succeeding very well or I wouldn’t be so stressed out.
Has ADD affected your life?
Getting a diagnosis is often a huge relief because it explains so much about what is going on...and once ou know what can be done, you can exhale a little bit. My nephew was diagnosed with ADD and now that he's under care for it, things and issues have quieted down quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteI hope the same happens for you and for E!