Friday, January 4, 2013

Life with ADHD

Well, maybe I should say life with a child with ADHD. I used to think ADHD was just a label doctors gave children who had a bit more energy then usual. That medication was perscribed to the lazy parents who couldn't spare the time to address difficult behavior. The key word to that is USED TO. When Brandon was about 4 I remember thinking that the difference between boys and girls was so big. His energy was through the roof. When school started I remember asking his teachers during conferances if they thought maybe he had a touch of ADD. The answer was always the same. "Just a typical boy". We would hear that from doctors and teachers for years. The truth is ADHD is real. Its not something doctors just label..as we found out. Its not something that can just be ignored. Its a challenge, not only to parent a child with ADHD but its difficult to watch your child struggle with its side effects. I'm not ashamed to say that he has it or that he has to take medication everyday to help manage its symptoms. I have hope for Brandon that in time he will learn to manage his behaviors and of course go on and have a successful adult life. For now, hes my handful. 10 years old, full of life. Always keeping me on my toes and making sure life has no dull moments. Sometimes I wish this wasn't a struggle intended for us, but I'm always reminded that God gives his strongest soldiers the toughest battles. ADHD is not just a diagnosis, it has a face.