| We went through this, more or less, starting in kindergarten. My D' s teachers wanted her tested, wanted her on meds, because she couldn't sit still, didn't want to leave tasks once started, couldn't sustain eye contact, day-dreamed, etc. We had her tested by the child study team. The result was that she was probably ADD, with another LD, that we could confirm with more extensive testing. However, the psychologist who delivered the news said that D was already compensating for it by performing well academically, so that medication and/or LD coping instruction wouldn't have much benefit. He stressed that medication should be used only by those who had real trouble socially, behaviorally, and/or academically. (This was backed up by her pediatrician, who independently came to the same conclusion.)
The short story? I spent much time with her helping her organizational skills, demanding that she maintain eye contact, and talking to her about what her body language conveyed to others. Now she's not only at a top LAC in a tough academic major, but she has an incredibly high GPA. It hasn't been easy, but she obviously has learned the skills to overcome her problems. Last semester, she was more thrilled that two professors remarked about her neatness (!) and commendable organizational skills (!!) than she was with her perfect grades.
There are varying degrees of ADD and ADHD. Some people with these disorders cannot function well without medication, but others--those who are borderline--can be taught to cope. My father is obviously ADHD, much more so than my daughter, yet he became a CEO, all without meds. It all depends on how severe the disorder is. The OP's son is old enough to be able to decide whether medication makes life more bearable or worse. |