ADHD A To Z - G Is For Giftedness - Imagine If Your Child Was Gifted & Not Showing Signs Of ADHD
ADHD and giftedness share far too many similarities in behaviors and overall presentation to overlook when considering what might really be going on with your child.
In fact, there are six predominant characteristics of ADHD and giftedness that are almost nearly impossible to distinguish.
- Poor attention, which can also include being bored and daydreaming.
- Lack of persistence on tasks without deadline or consequence.
- Impulsivity and immature judgment.
- Difficulty with authority and following orders.
- Incredibly active and full of energy.
- Constantly questioning and bending the rules.
Considering these shared characteristics, it is important to know that there are subtle differences, but they are oftentimes too subtle for either trained and / or inexperienced professionals alike.
The differences:
One of the major features of ADHD is that the behaviors are consistent and persistent across situations. In other words, a child who truly displays symptoms of ADHD will experience these symptoms at school, home, with friends, and in whatever other setting they find themselves.
On the other hand, a child who is gifted will display specific behaviors only in certain situations, while not in others. Consider the child who is bored in school, but enjoys life at home, with friends, and in various other social settings and situations.
The same is true for symptoms of hyperactivity, inability to focus, and not completing tasks. Again, the difference is in the results and process of how these symptoms manifest or appear in each individual child.
The sad truth is that most medical and mental health professionals, along with teachers and special education instructors and evaluators, are typically not trained in differentiating between ADHD and giftedness.
As such, this responsibility falls heavily on the ability of a parent or set of parents to strongly advocate for their child. Although there might not be a significant difference in how these two distinct behavioral patterns present themselves, I can assure you there is a major difference in how these children are identified, treated, and respected.
Just because it looks like ADHD, does not necessarily mean that the behaviors truly are representative of ADHD.
To learn more about ADHD and what might really be impacting your child, I invite you to visit and sign up for your 7 part mini-course on the dirty little secrets behind ADHD.
I would also like to invite you to ask your most pressing question about ADHD and how it could be affecting your family and your child.
ADHD A To Z - D Is For Deception - Are We Overlooking What Is Really Causing Bad Behavior In ADHD?
ADHD has quickly become one of the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders of recent times.You not only have qualified professionals using the term, and making diagnoses, but almost everyone with an opinion is using talking about attention deficit disorder.Is ADHD a true disorder?One strong opinion recently alleged that this disorder or illness ...
ADHD Tip - New School, New Teachers, New Kids, New Friends, And A New Start With ADHD
Here in New England, today is the first day of classes for many kids across the region.
A crisp breeze is in the air, children are at the bus stop dressed up with new shoes and new haircuts, and parents are waving goodbye to their children after having a summer off together.
Many teachers have returned refreshed and renewed, looking forward to th...
Why Other Children are Rejecting Your Child
IntroductionDeveloping healthy peer relationships is critical for the normal development of a child. Peer relationships have been found to be an important predictor of positive adult adjustment and behavior. Difficulty in finding friends leads to feelings of low self-esteem and these feelings usually continue into adulthood.Children with poor so...
How to Write a Letter to Santa Claus
Children love to write letters to Santa Claus. Usually parents lend a hand. How should a parent help a child write a letter to Santa Claus? Here are some tips that will make your childs letter to Santa more than just a list of gifts he or she wants.Dear Santa
First of all, a letter to Santa should be a personal message from your child to Santa ...
Child Psychology
Psychology is by no means only the study of adult minds and emotions. In an increasingly complex and stress-oriented world, children are just as affected by the abnormalities of daily life as adults are. The sad story of modern society speaks of child abuse, incest, family discord, drug and alcohol abuse, and other major problems.Had child psycholo...
Divorce and Child Custody - Types of Child Custody Agreements
When children are at stake in a divorce, it may complicate and delay the issuance of the divorce decree. In some cases the courtroom has become a battle field for parents who are disputing the role of the custodial parent or disputing child custody. In such cases, judges today are often ordering a child custody evaluation of the family by experts i...
Attention Deficit Disorder and Adolescent Persistence
An hyperactive, inattentive child was once viewed as normal. Children are entitled to be rowdy, are they not? With recent research, however, such cases of attention deficit disorder and adolescent persistence of the disorder have been brought to the fore. No longer are energetic, forgetful, and easily distracted children considered as completely he...