The Miami Herald – Christina Veiga
“Hudson Dunn has always been an active boy. His daycare teachers called him “demanding” and “independent.” In preschool, he preferred singing and daydreaming to learning the ABCs. By the time he was in kindergarten in Broward County, Hudson was banned from class field trips unless his mother came along to keep track of him. He often came home crying. “It created an environment in the classroom where he was labeled a bad kid,” said his mom, Jenine Dunn. Hudson has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD — one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in children. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 11 percent of American kids have ADHD. Apply that figure to Miami-Dade, and 40,000 public school students could have the disorder. The list of symptoms for kids who have ADHD reads like a recipe for problems in school: trouble paying attention and completing tasks. Being fidgety, talkative and impulsive. Difficulty following rules, making friends and keeping track of things — like homework or class materials.”(more)