Colette Bouchez of WebMD recently wrote an article outlining the similarities between ADHD and creativity. Many of the traits that lead to an ADHD diagnosis - traits such as lack of attention, daydreaming, an abundance of energy, and impulsive behavior - are also attributed to high levels of creativity and intelligence.

"[These] childhood behaviors... were exhibited by some of the brightest, most creative minds of our time: architect Frank Lloyd Wright, writers Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Virginia Woolf, and inventors Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla."

Because many educational systems expect children to conform to certain standards, children who don't fit are viewed as dysfunctional. In fact, the more rigid the school system, the more often children are diagnosed with ADHD. The article goes on to suggest ways of determining whether your child is highly creative or has ADHD, or possibly a combination. It also suggests ways to effectively work with and help both ADHD and highly creative children.

Posted By: Lori S