| I mentor and teach programming to middle and high school kids in after school programs at underresourced schools and I slightly agree with some of the details but disagree with the overall conclusions. From my experience the main disruption in the life of boys with adhd is primarily social. I have seen, privately when I was trusted, teen boys in tears of grief, regret, deep in despair of self loathing because of yet another in a long line of exploded relationships because of their impulsive words or actions that they feel powerless to stop. I've seen the incredibly strong feelings of rejection & isolation they suffer at feeling excluded or singled out because of behavior that they do not wish to have but do not know how to stop. Succeeding in school, even learning itself is, to me, far secondary to this concern. Someone who has never read a book or learned algebra can still have a life they find fulfilling and meaningful on their own terms. I don't know that someone who cannot create and maintain relationships with their peers can. There is some newer research, and shifting opinions among professionals, that adhd (or maybe just some variants of it) can be understood and addressed primarily as emotional regulation disorders. This fits with my observations of teenagers, yes especially boys, and also my own experience having adhd. The hyperactivity and learning disruptions have been historically central because that is the parent or educator's experience of a child's adhd. But I think there's a lot to be practically gained by focusing on the child's experiences & goals, and how adhd disrupts them. This post isn't quite that. |