The DSM manual, which psychiatric practitioners use in determining a diagnosis, used to separate ADD and ADHD into 2 diagnoses. Now it is ADHD with subsets as the inattentive component is present in both. My son would have ADD in the "old way" of diagnosing as he really does not have the hyper component. I resisted the thought that it could be ADD for some time because I knew he was gifted- although was never tested and just chalked it up to that. The Montesorri school did minimal testing other than state required. I too agree with (ACS) that there is a place for medication. I hope that one day my son will get to a point of maturation that he will not need medication. Even though I know there is more to it than "maturation"; Versus medication, that he has learned a way to find what you call that middle ground. What mom doesn't want their child to be perfect and normal ... whatever that is. On the other hand, if all it takes is some medication for him to have that "normal" life.. than is it that big of a deal?
