The Importance of Percy's ADHD

  In the very first chapter of The Lightning Thief, we learn that Percy Jackson is diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. For now, I'm going to focus on the former. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and it is a mental disorder characterized by having a difficult time paying attention, sitting still, or controlling one's behavior.

  How many books can you name that mention ADHD? Not very many, I'm sure. I want to talk about why Percy having ADHD is such a significant part of this series, despite often being overlooked.

  It's hard having ADHD, especially in a school setting. It becomes difficult to remember all the instructions a teacher has given or keep up with deadlines. Someone who suffers from ADHD may blurt things out at the wrong time or randomly get up and walk around the classroom. What's outside the window suddenly gets much more interesting than today's geometry lesson.

  As many of you probably know, Rick Riordan gave Percy ADHD because his son, Haley, struggled with it at the time he wrote it. Children with this disorder often feel self-conscious and even ashamed of it. In the first book, after Annabeth asks him if he'd been diagnosed with it, Percy responds defensively-

  "I tried to swallow my embarrassment. 'What does that have to do with anything?' "

  But why would he feel this way? Because society tends to shun anyone who suffers from this condition, simply because they don't act "normal." This is called stigmatizing.

  Then there's Percy Jackson. He discovers that his ADHD makes him into an ideal warrior. He can jump to action quickly and process many details at once. His mental disorder allowed him to defeat the Minotaur.

  So, instead of me thinking, "Oh, ADHD, that's a mental disorder," I think, "That's what demigods have, and it makes them into heroes."

  And more importantly, for a kid struggling with ADHD, reading these books suddenly make ADHD seem not all that bad. They discover they're capable of great things, no matter what their report cards say. Even if their teachers get frustrated or their peers refuse to partner up with them, maybe they can be a hero too.

Written by ClaireValdez