Did you know that Ty Pennington, the handy carpenter of Extreme Makeover Home Edition fame, has ADHD? He was first diagnosed in high school and is currently still taking medication for it. I think it is such a wonderful thing for celebrities with such disorders to be open and honest about them instead of trying to hide them. This is someone that I can point out to my son and say, see that guy...he has ADHD too. Actually I did just that recently while we were watching his show and my ADHD son was elated. He couldn't believe that someone as "cool" as him had ADHD too. "He's even on tv" my son said. It just made my day to see him realize that he's not abnormal and he's not the only one suffering with this disorder. He won't miss the show now. Thanks a bunch, Ty!To read more about Ty's story and to view a short video by him, go here.
Thank you Shane! I am new to ADHD. I have 2 kids that were recently diagnosed. One of whom is 80% combined type and just off the wall.
ReplyDeleteMy hope is that in some fasion the word of ADHD is brought to every American's attention. These kids witht the neurological defect are so often mislabeled as the "bad" kids. They fall through the cracks of schools and are ignored for their strengths and talents.
Ty could be perfect as a spokesperson for ADHD. Other handicaps have worldly known figures speaking out in awareness. ADHD is not a handicap, but quite possibly a strength for those who have it. It needs to be diagnosed as early as possible and treated properly. Medication is not for everyone. For others it can bring relief and joy for an entire family.
I think it would be honorable to have Ty get the word out to the millions that are still in the dark. How could we get this to happen? Ty has an immeasurable heart in strength and compassion. People listen to him. Shoot, he could even bring his megaphone!
Sidenote: Huge fan of Extreme Makeover, Home Edition!
Melanie