At the turn of the last century, what is now called ADHD was known as “A Defect in Moral Control,” because kids couldn’t avoid breaking rules.
When it was discovered some kids with the defect had suffered injury to the brain or nervous system, the name was changed to Minimal Brain Dysfunction (MBD).
As time went on, it became clear many kids with MBD inherited the disorder from previous generations. The name was again changed to ADHD.
Kids don’t choose to acquire the disorder and they can’t choose to make it go away. Its symptoms, including impulsivity, distractibility and difficulty sequencing thoughts make it difficult or impossible for kids to anticipate the consequences of their acts.
Since kids with ADHD have trouble anticipating consequences, failing to restore their ability to anticipate consequences by treating their ADHD inevitably blocks effective discipline.
Disciplining kids with untreated ADHD leads to frustration, then to depression or anger – both unwelcome visitors in any household.