The portraits were drawn from a boy whose name was altered. He has given permission to tell his thoughts and sentiments in the hope that it will shed light on the special qualities and hindrances of ADHD.
Elliott was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at the age of seven. He was given conventional stimulant medication to manage challenges with concentration, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The medication was effective for his learning but had long term emotional, mental and physical side effects. In seeking treatment, he and his mother hoped for a homeopathic alternative to help manage his symptoms.
The case-taking involved the boy and his mother. His mother preferred that I speak with him on his own for the initial consultation. He was seventeen at the time. I focussed mostly on the ADHD in relation to his sense of self. Then followed conversations with his mother involving his childhood, history and aspects of his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The following excerpts offer glimpses into who he is with his ADHD from before he was born through his seventeenth year. It offers some awareness too into his mother’s own sentiments having a child with ADHD.
In a story telling approach to the blog my hope is for others to relate to Elliott’s journey in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
This post is part of a series following Elliott, a young patient with ADHD. Use the links below to go to the previous or next post, or click here to go back to the blog page.