4 ms·

I was diagnosed with ADD in the third grade. I think i was probably one of the last to be properly diagnosed as A.D.D before it became the catch all diagnosis.

I was diagnosed with ADD in the third grade. I think i was probably one of the last to be properly diagnosed as A.D.D before it became the catch all diagnosis. I spent a day worth of testing at my doctors office, and probably a week worth of testing over the next month at school taking different tests. I took Ritalin or Concerta (a long release form of Ritalin) from 3rd grade to most of the way through college. And i can say for a fact that i would not have made it through high school with out it. When i got to college im not sure what happened, i either outgrew the ADD, or adapted, i stopped taking it around the end of my 2nd year.

cube13 14y ago
My experience was pretty similar, though the testing was a lot longer and I was older(around the 6th grade). It was done over the course of a few months with interviews of my teachers and parents as well as with a couple of doctors. I'm still on the medication, though I only take it when I'm at work or need the concentration help.
TechNewb 14y ago
You didn't out grow it, I think the general high school education system is broken. Our society would like to think it's a children's medical problem, why students can't pay attention in class, when in reality it's the broken public education system. We need to rethink public education before we start drugging everyone to fit a broken system. The way that college is taught is much more humane. Good Noam Chomsky interview on the topic of education: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNAUJWJN08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNAUJWJN08
- josephlord 14y ago
  > You didn't out grow it Stated with such certainty. What evidence do you have that the commenter here in particular didn't develop in some way as they grew up? This doesn't take away from your views that there may be problems with the education system but to declare that there are no cases of real medical issues in this area seems a bit presumptive.
  - TechNewb 14y ago
    >Stated with such certainty. What evidence do you have that the commenter here in particular didn't develop in some way as they grew up? No evidence, speaking from personal experience and the belief that ADD is over diagnosed. I don't find it hard to believe there are millions of students unable to focus in public school. What I find hard to believe is that medication is the answer. Sure its an easy answer for those teachers to have their students sit quietly in the classroom for 50-90 minutes with little interruption and be expected to focus on subjects that relate little to their life with little or no control over what and how they study. I was diagnosed with ADD, and I had these views about 12 years ago to when I was diagnosed. I'll stick to cabbage, green tea, and the occasional meditation to help with my so called add.
    - josephlord 14y ago
      I'm glad that worked for you. And medication is probably not the answer for millions of students although there maybe tens or even hundreds of thousands for whom it is necessary and life changing. "I therefore all" is clearly a fallacy although a very popular one. It is really a form of anecdote and deserves no more weight than any other particular anecdote.
- ericcumbee 14y ago
  maybe there is something to that, but i dont blame the education system for my problems. Maybe i was just lucky to have parents that were involved in my education(they are both teachers), and had really good teachers along the way. My problems were real though. they manifested themselves mostly in math with basic multiplication and division. Reading took me a little longer to get the hang of before that, but once i got the basics i was reading Adult level (not young adult or Childrens) Star Trek Novels in 4th grade while everyone else was reading goosebumps or whatever was popular back then.

cube13 14y ago

My experience was pretty similar, though the testing was a lot longer and I was older(around the 6th grade). It was done over the course of a few months with interviews of my teachers and parents as well as with a couple of doctors. I'm still on the medication, though I only take it when I'm at work or need the concentration help.

TechNewb 14y ago

You didn't out grow it, I think the general high school education system is broken. Our society would like to think it's a children's medical problem, why students can't pay attention in class, when in reality it's the broken public education system. We need to rethink public education before we start drugging everyone to fit a broken system. The way that college is taught is much more humane. Good Noam Chomsky interview on the topic of education: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNAUJWJN08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNAUJWJN08

josephlord 14y ago
> You didn't out grow it Stated with such certainty. What evidence do you have that the commenter here in particular didn't develop in some way as they grew up? This doesn't take away from your views that there may be problems with the education system but to declare that there are no cases of real medical issues in this area seems a bit presumptive.
- TechNewb 14y ago
  >Stated with such certainty. What evidence do you have that the commenter here in particular didn't develop in some way as they grew up? No evidence, speaking from personal experience and the belief that ADD is over diagnosed. I don't find it hard to believe there are millions of students unable to focus in public school. What I find hard to believe is that medication is the answer. Sure its an easy answer for those teachers to have their students sit quietly in the classroom for 50-90 minutes with little interruption and be expected to focus on subjects that relate little to their life with little or no control over what and how they study. I was diagnosed with ADD, and I had these views about 12 years ago to when I was diagnosed. I'll stick to cabbage, green tea, and the occasional meditation to help with my so called add.
  - josephlord 14y ago
    I'm glad that worked for you. And medication is probably not the answer for millions of students although there maybe tens or even hundreds of thousands for whom it is necessary and life changing. "I therefore all" is clearly a fallacy although a very popular one. It is really a form of anecdote and deserves no more weight than any other particular anecdote.
ericcumbee 14y ago
maybe there is something to that, but i dont blame the education system for my problems. Maybe i was just lucky to have parents that were involved in my education(they are both teachers), and had really good teachers along the way. My problems were real though. they manifested themselves mostly in math with basic multiplication and division. Reading took me a little longer to get the hang of before that, but once i got the basics i was reading Adult level (not young adult or Childrens) Star Trek Novels in 4th grade while everyone else was reading goosebumps or whatever was popular back then.