Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is believed to be a medical condition that affects a child/person’s ability to focus, pay attention, or control their behaviour. The three main characteristics of a child or person with ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD also can cause a person or a child to experience very high energy levels. Parents having ADHD child are much worried today although the real cause of ADHD is still very unclear. The education system although creates a space for the children with ADHD to learn at school, in reality it is not very effective. Parents have been constantly in touch with experts, neurologists, therapists and councillors to find an easy solution to ADHD. They are not in a position to accept their children as they are. In some cases, we call those children as special children. Uncommon children may be the right terminology because they do common things in an uncommon way. We as common people when do common things in uncommon way, we are eyed by the society and we invite more critics. Then what is the logic for defining the ADHD children as special children. When many children listen a story attentively, the ADHD children do not. When normal children don’t show impulsive behaviour, the ADHD do show. But what ADHD children do, the normal children can’t. Many people with ADHD have turned their unique behavioral challenges into well-known success. Therefore, the way we conceptualise the ADHD children today is not exactly the same. There is another perspective of ADHD children which is hardly being researched or thought off.

The concept of ADHD is evolved recently when research yet to confirm what exactly it is. But in true sense, constant rise of ADHD children across the globe is nothing but a divine strategy. The ADHD children with whom we are living today and trying to make them normal to cope with the present society is actually our perspective. But the divine perspective is something else. Those ADHD children are designed by the divine power and they are going to live their real life after 2030, 2040 and 2050. Imagine the world at 2050 when climate change might alter the entire landscape of the planet, people might be shifting to another planet and robots might be our life partners. Can today’s common children be the leaders of 2050 world and can they stretch their thought level to deal those issues during that time? Probably not. To deal the time at 2050, some uncommon leaders are needed which are being created today by the divine power. And we call them as ADHD or in other name.

Developing the theory of relativity was not a common man’s business when the world was in need of that theory. But Albert Einstein who was notoriously distracted did just that. Along with ADHD, some scholars believe Einstein also suffered from Asperger’s syndrome. Like this there are plethora of examples including Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Wolfgang Mozart who all have been “gifted” with ADHD. Children with ADHD are often criticized for missing details and losing focus. But they are often magnificent at looking at the whole picture. They are often very perceptive and can look at all sides to a situation, rather than keeping a narrow view. All these abilities are perfect for a leader who must provide a vision without micromanaging his team. Thinking outside the box is a common thread among children with ADHD. They generate powerfully imaginative ideas because they do think outside the boundaries that impede others. Many children with ADHD have lots of energy. They often have outgoing, spontaneous, passionate personalities. Imagine what an asset that is for someone when he or she heads up an organization, raises businesses, be a leader or runs for office.

While all these things are perceived as problems for the society today, these are required to build extra ordinary leaders for the world at 2050 and beyond. However, parents with ADHD children must accept these challenges as divine gifts and feel proud for the world tomorrow when those children will rule. The parents must channelize their energy and skills productively to build those children as future leaders and not for the society where are living today. Our perceptions can have a powerful effect on our children. Turning these often unbearable symptoms around and seeing them in a positive light will be helpful. It provides us with more insight into how we may best teach to these strengths, how we can value and embrace these differences. But remember, ADHD is a divine strategy.

The author is a consultant with United Nations and Director, POC Consulting Pvt Ltd.