“Hey, Danny [not his real name], what’s up?” I asked my 9-year-old neighbor as our paths crossed one afternoon. “I am a dinosaur! Grrr! I’m going to crush you with my big feet!” he exclaimed with glee. “Really, Danny? I thought you were a smart little boy.” “No, I am a dinosaur!” “How was school today?” “Dinosaurs do not go to school. We know everything.”
In truth, Danny had been sent home because he was unable to sit still or concentrate in a manner way beyond ADHD. He would get up and run throughout the classroom until the security officers caught him and held him down. Then they would send him home. For Danny, this was a regular occurrence.
