ADHD - but without the letter H - hyperactive
Looking back, the signs of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in our daughter were present from her earliest days, though we didn’t fully recognize them at the time.
At just five days old, she struggled to sleep, showing an unusual restlessness for a newborn. While many babies have erratic sleep patterns, hers stood out—she rarely settled easily, constantly seeking comfort and movement. When she got older she played in her bed with toys until she fell a sleep. Little older toys changed to music until she fell a sleep with headphones on.
As she grew, other signs emerged. In kindergarten, she insisted on wearing noise-canceling headphones daily, even when the environment didn’t seem particularly loud. Her sensitivity to sound and overwhelming sensory input suggested she experienced the world differently than most children. Later, in school, her slow reading and writing pace were initially explained by the fact that we were a bilingual family. However, we sensed there was more to it.
Additionally, she’s always been highly sensitive to crowded places, noises, and smells—any overwhelming sensory input would leave her feeling distressed.
Despite these signs, it wasn’t until she was 13 years old that she was officially diagnosed with ADD. Understanding this diagnosis brought clarity to many of the challenges she had faced throughout her childhood. While it was a long journey to get there, recognizing the early signs has allowed us to support her in navigating her unique needs with greater awareness and care.
