Expert: Norm Bishop - 1/26/2008

Question
i have a question. i read someones comment when they said about 8 months ago they started working with their ADD. what does that mean? when you have ADD what do u do to work with it. i am getting an ADD evaluation thursday and i am super nervous so im trying to learn about it

Answer
ADD is an acronym for Attention Deficit Disorder, which is also sometimes also referred to as ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.  This is a medical diagnosis of a brain disorder where people display symptoms of extreme distractibility, difficulty focusing, etc.  This website will give you much information about ADD.  http://add.about.com/od/adhdthebasics/a/ADHDbasics.htm

Go to this site and see what it is.  However, you need to know that they symptoms are unique to nearly every individual that has the disorder.  It is a "different functioning" brain.  The brain is not damaged, or limited in intelligence, just works differently than the normal brain.  

I would not be nervous about the evaluation.  The typical intervention is medication, which help the brain function in a more level manner.  There are also other things that you can do, but those are pretty specific to the individual.  When you get the results of your evaluation, feel free to ask me questions.  

Finally, I have four children, one of them has ADD.  He is 25 now, graduated from college, getting married this summer, has a good job...he had some struggles in school, but has learned how to live with this and even use it to his advantage.  I tell you this only to let you know that having ADD doesn't limit what you can do with your life.  In some ways it may even be a gift.

Norm