Powerful Short Film Reveals What It's Like to Be a Kid With ADHD
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A new animated video called "Falling Letters" shows a day in the life of a child with ADHD, from his perspective.
First, we see the child sitting at his desk in school, looking at a sheet of paper with jumbled-up letters that are practically jumping off the page. The child is then easily distracted, preferring to make a paper airplane with his work.
In gym class, the boy is frustrated very quickly. In the cafeteria line, he is focused on playing with his food, and feels different when stared at by a peer. Back in class, it's hard to pay attention to the teacher.
We see how completing everyday tasks, such as getting on the bus to go home, is difficult because everything creates a distraction, even flowers growing on the side of a road.
But more than showing what a day in the life of someone with ADHD is like, this video, which was created by Swedish filmmaker Erik Rosenlund, takes us into the emotional state of the child. It portrays how upset he becomes when he misses the bus and gets stuck in the rain. It's clear things don't seem to go your way when you are struggling with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. And this can feel isolating and confusing.
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At the end of the video, we see the boy's father come to pick him up from the bus stop, and then he feels much better. The message is clear: Someone with ADHD needs support, kindness, and understanding, not harsh judgment or punishment.
Melissa Willets is a writer/blogger and a mom. Follow her on Twitter (@Spitupnsuburbs), where she chronicles her love of exercising and drinking coffee, but never simultaneously.
