Could a Child Diagnosed with ADHD Actually Be Gifted?

Many gifted children are being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Parents are unaware their child/children could be potentially gifted. The National Foundation for Gifted Creative Children was founded over thirty years ago. The purpose of this foundation was to get much needed information out to parents who have a gifted child. Children, who are gifted, are being destroyed in the public education system due to being falsely labeled for having ADD or ADHD.

Gifted children are referred for problems with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and sustaining attention. Referrals for ADHD disorder among gifted children are growing at an unexpected rate. These increases are troublesome, and there is concern with the lack of professionals who have clear definitions for ADHD, creativity, giftedness, and other behavioral characteristics.

Children with ADHD are most often put on the medication Ritalin-AE, or medication in the methylphenidate family. These medications are known to control behavior but they also suspect these medications inhibit creativity and intellectual curiosity in gifted children. Some gifted children are being "cured of their giftedness" in an effort to make these children pay attention to their schoolwork

There is no research to explain what the impact of these medications can do to a gifted child's thought processes, or potentially creative productive thinking. The behaviors thought to signal a disorder may be the result of an environment, as bright but reluctant children are expected to conform to a boring and sluggish curriculum.

We depend on the brightest and most creative children to assist in resolving the problems of tomorrow. If we do not have appropriate interventions that will nurture these children's potential; many of these children will never reach their potential. School administrators view ADHD as a medical problem. By doing this they absolve themselves, teachers, and school curricula from responsibility. Some parent's excuse their child's behaviors instead of giving them support and structure. These children need to practice academic and behavioral self-regulation. Medical professionals say if the school systems would be more receptive to children's learning needs and were more cognizant of ADHD and the various treatment options, a number of these children would not need to be on these medications.

Rocky Mountain is a school for the Gifted and Creative, located in Boulder Colorado. This is a private school that serves children who are gifted and talented. They teach students who are in the primary school and middle school. Rocky Mountain provides innovative and effective gifted education for these gifted children. Rocky Mountain recognizes the complexity of the gifted child. This school helps children to recognize and reach their full potential as gifted children.

If you are a parent with a child who was diagnosed with having ADD or ADHD, make sure you know the difference between a child who has ADD or ADHD and a child who is actually gifted. Parents can do their own research and see what best describes their child. With doing your own research, you can better understand your child. Most children with ADD or ADHD are much smarter than we think, so don't underestimate these children.