| Some people claim that Winnie the Pooh is the classic | | | | box set of the House of Pooh Corner books when I |
| picture of the Inattentive type of ADHD (ADHD-I). | | | | was a child. The exchange below is a classic one |
| He is inattentive, sluggish, slow-moving, and | | | | between Christopher Robin and Pooh. "What's twice |
| unmotivated. He is also daft. Winnie the Pooh is often | | | | eleven? I said to pooh." "Twice what?? Said Pooh to |
| used as the poster child for Inattentive ADHD but | | | | me." "I think it ought to be twenty-two." "Just what I |
| this characterization of ADHD-PI may be inaccurate | | | | think myself said Pooh. That wasn't an easy sum to |
| and misleading. | | | | do, but that's what it is says Pooh, says he. That's |
| People with Predominantly Inattentive ADHD may | | | | what it is says Pooh." |
| have trouble paying attention, finishing tasks, or | | | | As this exchange demonstrates, Winnie was simply |
| following directions. They may also tend to be rather | | | | not very smart. Winnie is kind, sweet, lovable, spacey |
| sluggish and slow to process information but they are | | | | and as dumb as a six year old boy might have |
| not daft. | | | | imagined him to be. What about Christopher Robin? |
| There are, in fact, many individuals that would argue | | | | This wildly imaginative child has conjured up and entire |
| that people with ADHD-PI are not only no daft but | | | | world made of stuffed animals. Christopher Robin |
| rather they are 'gifted'. I will not debate the 'gifted' | | | | spends much of his thinking time living in his |
| versus not 'gifted' debate at this point but I can say | | | | imagination with his imaginary friends. He is also a bit |
| categorically that most people with Inattentive ADHD | | | | spacey. Christopher laments: "And I've wondered |
| are not of low IQ. | | | | much further today than I should and I can't seem to |
| I love the Winnie the Pooh books. I had a beloved | | | | find my way back to the woods. |