| Attention deficit disorder is a common diagnosis in | | | | because the child with ADD does not learn in the |
| children. Years ago, little was known about this | | | | same way as other children, some find it easier to |
| disorder, although many people suffer from it. If your | | | | force the child to fit into a world that he or she does |
| child has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, | | | | not understand. The child takes medication that has |
| he or she is not alone. Many of the most famous | | | | harmful side effects in an effort to be like everyone |
| people in the world as well as many presidents | | | | else. |
| including Lincoln, Eisenhower and Kennedy all had | | | | Fortunately, not all parents are buying into the entire |
| attention deficit disorder. Other famous people with | | | | concept of drugging their children so that they can be |
| attention deficit disorder include Albert Einstein, General | | | | what society has indicated as "normal." While most |
| Patton, Mozart, Beethoven, Benjamin Franklin and | | | | people fit in with the conventions of society and learn |
| Winston Churchill all had attention deficit disorder. Your | | | | in the same manner, the child with attention deficit |
| child is in pretty good company. | | | | disorder is seen as the odd person out. It often never |
| Although it may not seem like it now, attention deficit | | | | occurs to people that the same thought process that |
| disorder can be turned around to work for the child. | | | | makes a child inattentive to his or her school work can |
| Those who have ADD or ADHD, which is attention | | | | be the spark of creative genius that is needed to find |
| deficit hyperactivity disorder, tend to be much more | | | | a cure for cancer. |
| creative and have been known to cause a great | | | | Some parents are starting to see the pros of the |
| impact on society. After all, where would we be | | | | attention deficit disorder in children and are using |
| without Alexander Graham Bell, another famous | | | | therapy as a way to allow the child to do his or her |
| person with attention deficit disorder. | | | | own thing while still learning and being who they are. By |
| The trick to dealing with this disorder is to work with it | | | | using therapy and working with the attention deficit |
| and not mask it with drugs. Many in the medical | | | | disorder, the creative impulse is not stifled and the child |
| community as well as some parents, want the easy | | | | with ADD is allowed to continue on their own path in |
| cure - a pill that alters the child's behavior and curbs | | | | their own way. |
| their creativity for the sake of fitting in with society and | | | | Imagine the world without the inventions and |
| conforming to what society has deemed to be the | | | | knowledge of some of the most famous people in the |
| "normal" thought process. | | | | world and you can imagine a world where everyone |
| Many of those who have made the greatest impact | | | | "fits in" and does not have attention deficit disorder. It |
| on society had some form of mental disorder and | | | | would be a pretty dismal place, lacking in the creative |
| many of them had attention deficit disorder. But | | | | drive that often results in great things. |