Recently I have read many articles about ADHD and saw where several authors used children’s books to explain the symptoms of ADHD. Several authors referred to the characters in Winnie the Pooh. Using their idea, I am attempting to explain symptoms of ADHD in a similar fashion.
Unfortunately there are many misconceptions about the diagnosis. If one looks at the guidelines for the clinical diagnosis, there are specific criteria that must be met in order for a person to receive this diagnosis. Persons can exhibit a variety of symptoms and have the same clinical diagnosis.
Winnie the Pooh: Winnie the Pooh may be the first character that comes to mind when you hear ADHD. He is scattered and has trouble remembering sequences. He must repeat thing over and over. Pooh has trouble focusing and when a butterfly comes along he follows it instinctively instead of staying on task. This would be characterized as ADHD -- predominately inattentive type. Winnie the Pooh seems to have no concept of time and can be distracted easily. Students like Pooh have a hard time starting or completing projects. In today’s vernacular we might say he has no “executive function” or self-monitoring. He struggles with staying on course. Parents of children such as Pooh are very frustrated and cannot understand about the complexities of completing simple tasks for these children. Parents will often say, “My child can spend hours with a video game but cannot be attentive for 10 minutes doing homework.” The result is that these children are sometimes labeled “lazy.”
Tigger: Tigger is the “classic” ADHD personality. If asked, most people would be able to identify Tigger as ADHD. Tigger’s would be diagnosed as AHDH -- hyperactive type. He is bouncy and is always diving into a task with zeal. Unfortunately, Tigger’s impulsivity causes the character much stress and trouble. Students like Tigger often have trouble with relationships as well as with the legal system. Their impulsivity often results in injury to themselves or others. The “wonderful thing about Tiggers is ...” they are able to keep things moving, but often to the detriment to those around them. “Tigger” students stay in trouble no matter how hard they try. Because of the stimulation to the limbic system, they do not sleep well and cause stress on the family. Tigger also has difficulty with organization and will often lose their keys, homework or just about everything.
Eeyore: Eeyore is a sad ADHD person. Some experts estimate that approximately 25% of all people with ADHD also suffer from depression. These people have low motivation and low self-esteem. They appear apathetic and not interested in anything around them. This pervasive sadness causes them stress in relationships and in school. Eeyore is hard to motivate and often sees himself as worthless or not valuable. Eeyore’s sadness stems from an over stimulated limbic system and an under stimulated pre-frontal cortex. When the brain is placed under a workload, as during a homework assignment, nothing changes. The overactive limbic system remains overactive, and the underactive pre-frontal cortex remains underactive. This ADHD looks like a combined type of ADHD and depression.
Rabbit: When Rabbit tends to his garden, he likes straight rows and does not want to be bothered. Rabbit’s ADHD is a rigid, over-focused type that can appear to be obsessive. Rabbit-types can often get stuck on a concept and cannot move forward. Rabbits have a hard time shifting from one activity to another. They can get a lot of work done, but it needs to be done on their timetable. Rabbit can get stuck in a loop of negative thoughts and have a hard time “seeing the forest for the trees.” Parenting a Rabbit is difficult and can often been seen as a power struggle. Rabbits do not tend to give in and will work hard to wear the other person down.
Piglet: One of the most interesting types of students with ADHD is the Piglet type. Piglet is scared of many things and does not venture into “uncharted waters.” He is apprehensive and reacts out of fear. Piglet is the “what if” person in the room. He thinks things through to a greater degree and usually has a high level of perception about interactions. His apprehension surfaces and he weighs all of the scenarios prior to participating in activity. Piglet is usually kind and loyal and once he settles on a path, he does not stray. Piglet does not let people into his world without scrutiny and thus he does not risk his trust. Piglets may be called “shy” or “awkward,” but for the most part he is conservative.
This may be an oversimplification because most people with ADHD may experience a combination of these symptoms. It is important to understand that ADHD is not a checklist of symptoms, but a condition that affects various parts of the brain. The stimulation or lack thereof can result in a diagnosis of ADHD.
Persons diagnosed with ADHD may respond to many types of treatments including medication, biofeedback or a combination of both. Only a medical professional can prescribe the appropriate treatment for each person. Darlington's Teaching and Learning Center works with students that are diagnosed with ADHD if it impacts the student’s academic abilities. We provide strategies that help students to succeed in the classroom, but we cannot address the condition itself.
