(Just a random sketchbook page to accompany this post)
I have posted previously about being interested in the topic of neurodiversity and played around with the idea of myself having mild autistic traits. To my surprise my son returned home for a visit and disclosed that he has identified traits of ADHD in himself. Well it was a surprise but it wasn’t at the same time. He is the one with very neuro diverse friends. It actually makes a lot of sense. I feel a mixture of sadness and a bit spooked by how this has synchronised with the chat I had with my friend. I hadn’t spoken to him at all about it, so it was weird how it has come up.
My sadness relates to several things, had I realised sooner in his life would I have started researching it and maybe been able to put in place strategies to help? Would medication help or not? It means that those things I hoped he would grow out of as he matured are not going to go away, he just needs to put in place strategies to help with them. Really basic stuff like struggling with food shopping and feeding himself. When he was at college I would do a food shop with him when he went back, and all the food packets would return at the end of term unopened, untouched. His first term away he didn’t put a single wash on! He knew how to use the washing machine, I just don’t think it ever occurred to him to actually do a wash.
And now he lives away from home, unable to handle a budget……
I’m depressing myself writing about this, he on the other hand seems quite upbeat about life!
I’m going to read up on the topic and try and find out more, whether I share my research with him though is another matter, he doesn’t want his mum nagging him on how to run his life. Sigh.
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