Christopher, that’s my son, I’m dad. Was always showing hyperactivity from the day he was born. When Chris was about 18 months old I remember taking him to get weighed. While we were waiting the other children were playing in the area allocated for them. However Chris was turning the doctors surgeries upside down. Trying to get into any area that he hadn’t seen before.

When Christopher was about 2 and a half years old I saw our GP I said that Chris seems to have some difficulties that are not easy to cope with. I said, that Chris is very hyperactive and has no sense for danger. He would try and copy cartoons like running through a brick wall. Obviously Chris couldn’t but that didn’t stop him trying and trying again. Whenever going out I had to keep him on a lead a bit like a dog! Otherwise he would be gone. If I took Chris to a friends house he would turn it upside down trying to play with anything he could get. One friend looked after him for half an hour and when they brought in back they said never again he’s too active for our family to cope with.

When I finished explaining this to our GP he said some words that I don’t think I’ll ever forget, which were "children are hard work to look after, you have a disability that is the problem you are depressed". It didn’t seem that anything would convince our GP that Christopher had some significant behaviour pattern difficulties that maybe caused by a medical condition.

I could go on for ever trying to explain the difficulties that occurred well Chris attended school. Where Chris’s needs were not being recognised. Professional prejudices prevented Chris from getting support and medical help. It seemed to me that many professionals would go to any length to prove that my disability was preventing me from looking after Chris.

Chris is now 12 years old and has been diagnosed with AD/HD a few years ago. He has been taking Ritalin medication that helps him concentrate on his work. I also realised that I had symptoms simmer to Chris throughout my childhood and I to have been diagnosed with AD/HD.

Don’t get me wrong! Life isn’t all gloom Chris may have his difficulties however I see this as a valuable gift! Chris is very talented with his drawing skills and has ability to make people laugh, so I’m very proud of Chris. Chris has won many drawing competitions demonstrating these superb skills. However I do feel sad that medical help was denied to him earlier because of discrimination where professionals could only see that his parents are disabled!

We are setting up a new web site. Our goal is to demonstrate our valuable skills at the same time as trying to help people like ourselves to have an equal opportunity to participate within the community we live in.

For more information about AD/HD or other hidden impairments see our site: www.hi2u.org or e-mail me Andy@hi2u.org and guess what you can e-mail Chris at: Chris@hi2u.org

This site has just started being built so it’s developing very quickly. Chris will be displaying many drawings and is currently working on a cartoon for this site. Chris is also working on his own web site that should be up and running soon.

Thanks for listening, bye for now Andy

 Addresses and links for disabled parents.