Discipline problem or ADHD?

I often wonder how come society in general is much more accepting of physical disabilities then mental disabilities. I guess it's because if it's physical it can be seen, but if your look hard enough so can most mental disabilities. Disorders are even harder to accept because it has become such a "Buzz" word lately.

My Son as a baby and as a small child, was in constant motion, constant chaos. When he finally was in bed for the night, I used to collapse from physical exhaustion and cry myself to sleep. I would cry because I knew my day was over and because I knew tomorrow was going to be just like today. Because he was my last child and my only boy I attributed all that raw energy in he's a boy and that is what boys do. I had no other boy to compare it too. Total strangers would watch him and then say things to me like, "You have your hands full with that one!" or "I feel sorry for you!"

It seems what ever popped into his head he did, full throttle, he didn't care if he hurt himself other people. It wasn't until his first grade teacher, finally came to the conclusion that maybe he can't control himself. The "Lightbulb" finally lit up. I was always told he was a "discipline problem." And I can tell you I was raised military, I know what discipline is and I wasn't afraid to use it on my children, I am somewhat of a strict parent, I had no problem swatting my children when they were younger and needed swatting. I finally got to the point where I would say, if confronted by another person telling me "He's a discipline problem"......."Look! I'm not going to beat my child just to prove to you that it is beyond a discipline problem!" That seemed to shock most people into shutting up and made them realize how rude their comments actually were.  Like I didn't already know there was something different with my son Jimmy.

I am not the type of person to be satisfied with just a few answers, when I want to know about something I throw myself into learning all there is to know about it, to the point of obsessing. Call it a character flaw if you will but, I want to be an educated participant in life. After consulting with (Ok..... here is where you see me in action) His teacher(s), The school councilor, the school psychologist, the administrator, the pediatrician, the pediatric psychiatrist, the ped psychologist and my Doctor who I trust completely, my son was finally diagnosed with ADHD and ODD (Opposition Defiant Disorder) along with the statement, there will be more things in the future we will have to look into, because other disorders won't even show themselves until later in his life, most likely during puberty. I did my homework on this, I didn't just give my son medication (daily) because some Doctor thought I should. I am continually educating myself on his disorders, I just wish others would before they threw their 2 cents in. I would never assume I knew something more about something then someone experiencing it themselves, or worse yet, assume it was all in someone head. Something along the lines of walking in my moccasins theory.

Finding the right therapy for my son so he can be the best he can be, would prove to be a battle of I was up for. Funny how with one's own children they can become such a warrior. (continued later)