You Might Just Have an ADHD Child If …

Oct 22, 2011
Lance Morton

Look mom! My science fair project. - flickr

If you continue finding white sticky stuff on the bottom of his pants, and the teacher keeps asking you to send more glue. Here are 20 more ways to tell.

This article is based on my own experience as a school principal and more importantly the parent of an ADHD child. I am not a psychologist, my methods are not scientific, I can’t do EEG’s, and I haven’t developed a rating scale; however, during my twenty years experience as a principal working with ADHD students and their parents I developed a method of ADHD identification.

You Might Just Have an ADHD Child If…

If your child wears his clothes out from the inside.
If the principal has your number on redial.
If while watching football, the referee calls time out and your child goes to stand in the corner.
If you tell your child to “leave the cat alone and eat your food” and he leaves his food and bites the cat.
If your child loses his shoe laces.
If you frequently have to defrost your child’s homework.
If your teacher keeps requesting that you send more duct tape to school.
If as a behavioral incentive your teacher keeps giving your child “get out of school free” passes.
If your teacher pins notes to the inside of his shirt.
If your child has ever been injured in a locker avalanche.
If your Sunday school teacher says “leave him at home, we will pray for him”.
If there is well worn game trail in your living room.
If there is a rope attached to the chandelier, so it will be easier to climb next time.
If he sleeps standing up.
If your child blurts out the answer before you ask the question.
If you have to clean dirty footprints off the ceiling.
If your teacher nominates your child for the gifted program solely on the basis that he would get to leave the class for 2 hours per week.
If your teacher describes your child as uniquely gifted in the areas of distraction, disorganization and developmental delay.
If you’re upset with your golden retriever for fetching your child every time he runs away.
If during a parent-teacher conference the teacher keeps saying “well, I certainly can see where he gets it”.

This article is based on my memories of being an ADHD principal, in a school with ADHD students and with an ADHD son who, by the way, grew to be an outstanding man. In the comment section below, I invite you to send to me your own: You Might Just Have an ADHD Child If …