ADHD Super Hero: Percy Jackson
ByA new block buster movie has just come out: Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
This is a movie about a young boy (10 years old in the book, but 17 in the movie), who struggles with school, and often gets into a lot of trouble.
Why? Because he has ADHD and Dyslexia.
While he feels like he’s a ‘misfit’, he finds out through the story that he is actually quite gifted. The dyslexia is just because when he sees words mixed up on the page, it is because his brain is ‘hard wired’ for ancient Greek. And his ADHD is just a hyper-awareness that will keep him alive on the battlefield.
This story has the power to change how kids with ADD/ADHD and Dyslexia view themselves. This is the first time that we have a ‘super hero’ with ADD/ADHD and Dyslexia. This is very positive, as I see it. In my clinical approach, I take a strength based approach – i.e. I love to help kids/teens and adults with ADD/ADHD to get their ADD/ADHD symptoms out of the way so that they can build on their strengths, and improve their functioning. Once we get the most problematic symptoms out of the way, it is important to ‘reframe’ the ADD/ADHD – i.e. to see it in a different light. Percy Jackson’s story will help younger kids to do this.
I think this is a great step toward awareness of ADD/ADHD , and decreasing stigma.
The story actually came to be because the author – Rick Riordan would tell stories of Greek Mythology to his son Haley. Haley has ADD/ADHD and Dyslexia. Once Rick had finished telling all of the stories he knew from Greek Mythology, Haley asked his dad to make a story up. This story became the basis of the Percy Jackson stories.
You can read more about Percy Jackson, and the story behind it here: Percy Jackson: My son’s own adventure, Lightning Fingered.
I’d love to hear your perspective – particularly if you’ve taken your ADD/ADHD son or daughter to see the movie (or you’ve read the book), and you can share how they responded to the movie and its ideas.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
I had no idea this character was ADHD. Our son is obsessed with Percy Jackson and the books. He read all of the books last year in 3rd grade, and was the character for Halloween ( I made the costume based on a picture he gave me). The movie came out this weekend here in the U.S. but because of an incident on the playground at school end of last week, we posponed seeing the movie with his friends until next Saturday. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie with the kids and very curious as to what happens. Our son’s biggest struggles are with unstructured play time and impulse control when he feels someone is not being fair during games.
We saw the movie this past weekend and the whole family loved it! My 10year old stepson has a couple of the books so he wanted to see the movie. I hope the movie will help others view ADHD and dyslexia in a different light. I have always told my boy that his ADHD was a gift from God and that we modified his schoolwork, routine, and diet so that he could benefit from his gift. It is great that modern media/society may alter the stigma that usually accompanies ADHD and other learning differences.
I am the founder of a therapeutic middle school for boys in South Carolina. Many of our boys struggle with the challenges of ADHD and other learning differences. We work hard to share messages of hope and optimism with our chidlren and definitely take a strength-based approach to learning. I am going to be sure that we have our boys see the movie and have a discussion group about it afterwards…we’ll keep you posted on their responses!
both of my sons have read the books, and love them. Yesterday my husband took them to see it for Valentine’s day. In the middle of the movie our oldest who is 11 leaned behind his brother and told his dad “Thank you for bringing us to see this- it’s awesome.”
All three of them have ADHD.
I am so excited to see this movie. We don’t get to go to the movies very often, it is so much work and very difficult to sit and be quiet and not bother other people so we usually wait until movies come out on DVD’s. This movie looked interesting and now knowing that the character has ADHD and dyslexia I think I will put in the extra work and take my kids to see it. Hopefully it will be action packed and keep my children in their seats~wish me luck! Thank you for the information. I can’t wait to see my children’s reaction to the movie.
I think its about time. I have ADHD and believe (through my experience with others like me) that most of the superheros I personally know have it! Finally, folks caught up and woke up.
It takes someone bored with routine to break from the mold and do something innovative.
It takes a different perspective and ability to see issues in a unique way to develop new solutions.
It takes risk-takers to pony up to the experience of breaking new ground.
I want to see the movie now
Thank you for the information.
My son read all of these books last year (9th grade) and greatly enjoyed them.
In the books, he said, it never mentioned that Percy had ADHD.
He wonders if that might be why he enjoyed the books so much.
In the 4th grade he started reading Henry Winkler’s books; Hank Zippzer. These books are also about a boy with dyslexia. Great series.
I don’t see why it is required to be better than others just to feel all right. Most people in this world are not gifted, and they manage to get through their day. I continue to ask for any real science behind the assertions that people with AD/HD are gifted, without anyone presenting me with any.
Some are gifted, most are not. Just like everyone else. I have a teenager with AD/HD who thinks all this is so much B.S. and she has no problems with self-esteem or confidence. She is very smart with slow processing, so school has been a long nightmare since the second grade. She has not been able to attend school since the eighth grade. Find me some advantages in that.
I am glad to hear of stories and a movie that kids actually like. Most of the kids’ books on AD/HD are condescending and silly. I do not think it is very smart to imply that ancient Greek has its letters all turned around. How many kids reading that are going to take it literally? Or did the author not check?
Really, for those of us “gifted” in languages, that is a dopey mistake. I studied ancient Greek. It is a tonal language no longer used and no one really knows how it sounded. Nevertheless, its letters follow a predictable order. I am sure the ancient Greeks were inconvenienced by their dyslexic kids, too.
The books are wonderful, and from the beginning the reader is told about Percy’s ADHD & Dyslexia. I have not seen the movie because I love the books so much and the movie plot is substantially different. Please read the books first!
My son (with ADD and an LD) loves Greek mythology thanks to graphic novels and video games. I had intended on taking him to this movie and now it is at the top of my list. Lately he is noticing that he is different at school; that he sometimes misses things and takes longer to complete assignments. I welcome anything that helps him feel good about himself.
I did see the movie and loved it. Your strength based approach when dealing with ADHD demonstrates why it is important to have a child diagnosed. So many times a child may be considered lazy or a troublemaker, when in reality he is dealing with ADHD. Same with an anxiety disorder. Undiagnosed, it may look like moodiness or an unwillingness to participate. A correct diagnosis by a professional will provide parents with an effective treatment plan and an ability to work with their child’s strengths.
Love the book and movie! It’s great to hear my 8 year old son now talk of his ADHD as more of a badge of honor than a struggle. After the movie, he was bragging to his younger sister that he’d do much better than her in a battle (like Percy), and she actually said she wishes she had ADHD too.
What a refreshing change!
This book/movie could not have come out at a better time. We just found out that our 10 yr old son had dyslexia and ADHD this year. It has been hard as he kept asking what was wrong with him. We would try and reassure that he was just fine, it was simply the way his brain was wired. Then his teacher read the book to the class and he saw the movie and he seem to accept everything better and has worked harder to overcome it all. I think you need stories like this for any child with disabilities so that they know they can get through life. And if it takes a super hero to make they feel special then great, because all kids should feel that they are special and have a place in this world.
I was burning mad after the movie because it was nowhere near like the book! I mean hello if you want to make a book into a movie do the story right!!!!!!!!
i’m 11 i have adhd and dyslexia and ive ben reading this series since the 4th grade and now im in 6th.I LUV IT! but the movie suked cuz it was nothing like the book…and in the first book hes 12…not 10
This is a fascinating example of exactly what we have been talking about with the Nurtured Heart principles… that “greatness” often comes from conditions such as ADHD.
I will be using this as an example in the future.
Thank you!
i think i have ADHD and when i get closer to words they scramble around no lie and i kinda do believe in greek myth i read all of the books bsjlwgefjdgfulsgdhfg sorry and they are awesome (/// ADHD kick in//)
dont judge me
My 9 year old son, a very strong reader, has been reading the whole series obsessively for months now, meaning ever day. I’ve been begging to read something else in addition but he just can’t seem to do it. Yesterday HE told ME that he had ADHD. He’s both gifted and was diagnosed ADHD about 1 1/2 years ago but we never used the term with him. He said that Percy Jackson was ADHD and that his description of his ADHD was exactly how he also feels. Able to frame his ADHD in a strong and positive light suddenly, I explained to him on the spot that he was correct, he was ADHD. He was in awe and relieved. A completely amazing experience. Will see the movie next.