I think totally different things with different causes (including boredom) fall under the umbrella heading "ADHD" that it's completely meaningless.
I now understand my son's behaviors come from an autoimmune reaction to chronic strep that is attacking his brain--in other words, damage to the basal ganglia. Totally different cause from other kids' "ADHD" but a convenient label for the behaviors.
My son does not show the behaviors when bored but, on the other hand, it's very difficult and unreasonable really to challenge him in the way that would keep him calm and focused. It would need to be all I did all day long (which is basically the way it was before I got married and had another baby, and before he started school with its expectation of conformity). Books do it, but even he can't read all day. People do need to adapt to the world and learn to tolerate boredom in a nondestructive way, don't you think?
