Mr. L dashes into the classroom with a hint of a cape peeking out of his polo shirt. His class of nine squeals with delight—to them, he is a superhero. To the children’s parents, he is more than that.
Each day, Paul Lichnerowicz (better known as Mr. L) juggles a classroom of local second-graders—many who are highly original, unconventional and inventive. They prefer adventure and fantasy, especially when it comes to their own minds. Because they are disposed to boundless, individualistic, divergent thinking, they rarely concentrate on one idea at a time (or sit still, for that matter). They are not likely to score well on a test (though they are very bright) and their school years tend to be filled with anguish and aggravation.
What some of these kids have in common is a personality characteristic called the Edison trait (named after the prolific inventor Thomas Edison). Though few child experts recognize the Edison trait by name, specifically, it affects one in five children, according to Dr. Lucy Jo Palladino, a psychologist and attention expert with 30 years of experience. And, like Edison himself, who was a misfit in the classroom, these kids are at risk.
Palladino, who penned an award-winning tome about the Edison trait, Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos, says that every year, educators report they see more and more students who fit this unique description—children who learn by doing instead of listening. They are spirited individuals who live life with passion and determination, firing out an endless stream of questions and often recklessly pursuing their own desires (like Edison, who wanted to see how fire worked and accidentally burned his father’s barn to the ground).
“They are conundrums, children with a profile that is both intriguing and maddening,” explains Palladino. “These children are appealing, daring and entertaining. Yet they are frustrating, demanding and difficult to raise.”
Their temperament and intellectual style will shake the stamina of the most devoted and patient parent. “Forget mom doing anything except challenging this child,” says Julie Chapman, admissions director of the Oak Hill Academy in Dallas. “These kids are physically and mentally hyper; they can’t shut off their minds. Yoga is not going to work for them.”
So how do you know if you have an Edison-trait child? Some things will come more easily to them: they are open to multiple ideas, possess incredible imaginations, innately hold a global perspective, intensely focus on their own pursuits and ooze creativity (think personality types such as Robin Williams, Walt Disney, Ludwig van Beethoven—even Flint Lockwood, the young boy in the movie Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs).
The things that come hard to them: As children, they are easily distracted, live in a state of disorganization, neglect detail, don’t follow through and often won’t comply or obey. They are labeled as “troublemakers” and discounted as unintelligent (but are quite the contrary).
Since it is an inherited personality characteristic, the Edison trait is not diagnosed as a disorder. However, according to Palladino, it is chemically and psychologically based. “Mind and molecule interact for all of us,” says Palladino.
As she explains, neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) are both the cause and result of behavior patterns. The neurotransmitter dopamine fuels our goal achievement. Convergent (linear, focused) thinkers are driven by dopamine and serotonin (neurotransmitter of security and well-being), and their success at school continues to boost more dopamine. Divergent (non-linear, out-of-the-box) thinkers, on the other hand, often do not succeed in the classroom, and are thus driven by norepinephrine, the neurotransmitter of stress, which triggers fight (defiant) or flight (avoidant) behavior.
“We can force a child to perform, but this will not change his brain chemistry or lead to self-motivation,” explains Palladino. “Stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall [used in some children with Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADD/ADHD] typically produce the fastest results by helping to regulate dopamine. However, the action of these drugs is temporary.”
The goal is to build the skills your divergent-thinking child needs so he can reach success in his own way and self-induce dopamine. Palladino offers that the decision to medicate an Edison-trait child who has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD is a private and complex issue and should be decided after careful evaluation with a trusted medical professional.
The ADHD Connection
So, given that divergent-thinking children are viewed as having attention problems, is Edison trait the same as ADD/ADHD?
The answer is no. Not all children with the Edison trait have ADD/ADHD. However, “just about all children who have ADD/ADHD have the Edison trait,” explains Palladino. Such is the case with Ethan Heatly.
At 3 years old, it was clear to Dallasite Rhonda Heatly, Ethan’s mom, that her son was not a typical kid. He talked nonstop—and was learning three different languages. He was driven to fanatical ideas, like insisting he wanted a jet pack to fly to school, and he didn’t take “no” for an answer. The Heatlys soon learned that Ethan had ADHD, and they began medicating him with Daytrana. “He has to have it,” says his mom. “It calms him down.”
Not surprisingly, Ethan is schooled in an untraditional environment at a private, nonprofit school that serves children up to 10th grade who have been diagnosed with or are at-risk for a specific learning difference. His teacher, Mr. L, approaches learning with flexibility and creativity. He utilizes play, movement and voice inflection to keep busy minds focused. Oh, and, he’s prone to dress up as a superhero. Still, he is challenged daily by children who think and behave extravagantly (while all of his students have some form of a learning disorder, at least three, including Ethan, are considered Edison trait). These grade-schoolers are self-absorbed, don’t pick up on social cues and require one-on-one instruction. “I always keep in the back of my mind that these are wonderful kids. Instead of squashing their behavior, I focus on deflecting it and putting them in control,” says Lichnerowicz.
Strength-Centered Approach
As the population of known Edison-trait children increases, so does the need to understand what is happening in our homes and schools. “Why do so many children now struggle to learn, especially when it comes to particulars like detailed directions, rules of grammar and spelling and math facts?” asks Palladino. “Could it be that, to a degree, our mind-set and educational format have outlived their usefulness?”
A divergent-thinking child is richly poised to succeed in a fast-paced, technology-driven, multi-tasking society, where creative thinking is the new currency; yet the majority of schools still teach a convergent curriculum, where test-taking skills are valued above innovation.
Traditional school (and the playground and organized sports, for that matter) can bring conflict for the child who has a difference in attention. But the brains of Edison-trait children are misunderstood, not inferior, stresses Palladino. Problems start getting solved when parents view the child from his blueprint, while at the same time, teaching and encouraging him to think convergently.
Palladino recommends taking a “strength-centered approach” to support your Edison-trait child; what can your child excel at with her unique gifts?
First, make sure you are your child’s greatest advocate, advises Chapman, whose own divergent-thinking sons struggled to fit into a convergent world. “We live in a society, especially in Texas, where we expect straight A’s and for our child to be the captain of the team,” she explains. “And that is not the picture of success for all children.”
Chapman’s oldest son scored low on college-admission tests (Edison-trait kids have difficulty censoring out irrelevant cues, which makes it challenging to focus on test-taking). So, she took him to an art college where they presented his dazzling portfolio in person (and he got in).
Adds Dr. Michael McLane, a licensed Dallas psychologist specializing in neuropsychological evaluations: “We need to praise children for other qualities that make them a whole person—not just focus on their cognitive [academic] ability.” McLane says parents should establish realistic expectations and also become their child’s biggest cheerleader. Palladino follows up that advice by citing a long-term study by researchers Gabrielle Weiss, Ph.D., and Lily Hechtman, Ph.D. They surveyed young adults who had attentional difficulties about what made the difference in their lives. The answer? Having someone who believed in them.
Secondly, whether your child is in a class of nine or 30, collaborate with the teacher. McLane says that, by the time parents come to him for help, the “bridge is already burning” and the family is ready to bail on the current school arrangement. “But you don’t want to model for kids that, if a problem comes up, it’s OK to jump ship,” he stresses.
Palladino counsels that parents and teachers should take a “no fault” view with each other and redefine the child’s “problems” as “challenges.” “Stay in good communication with your child’s teacher and offer to do whatever it takes to support the teacher—with no sense of entitlement for exceptions to be made for your child,” she urges. For example, that could mean redoing the child’s homework assignments so that there is only one question per page.
Then, get into problem-solving mode. Identify your child’s strengths and go after them with a vengeance. Sherry Capers, founder of Capers for Kids, a creative arts organization specializing in creative drama and visual art classes for Metroplex children ages 3-14, recommends seeking extracurricular activities, such as drama and art, that appeal to high-energy and imaginative children. “These kids love any creative process. To them life is an adventure,” she offers. Drama, in particular, appeals to the risk-taking nature of the Edison trait and also offers a release from school tasks. Humor is a strong ally for the child who already thinks in images and stories, adds Capers.
McLane also advises families to reinforce routine, as well as emphasize play. Parents should focus on high-level engagement to solidify their relationship with their child (for the Heatlys, that translates into traveling and reading). And, practice child-centered “time-in” together without an agenda (meaning no talk about school or grades). “A child’s belief in himself starts with the parent’s belief in him,” reiterates Palladino. Offers Heatly, “I’m nurturing everything I can about Ethan.”
It can be exhausting, of course.
“There is no room to breathe when you have a bright, high-energy, high-maintenance child,” says Chapman. “Enjoy the easy times, but just like a roller coaster, know that another hill is coming and there will be more challenges ahead.”
Heatly makes time for herself—no matter how inconvenient it might be (Chapman stresses that this helps model for the child what a functional adult life looks like).
Chapman also urges parents to read, study and learn about their child’s unique trait—and then embrace the gift that comes with it. While it might be hard for a parent to envision a struggling student as a productive adult, Palladino reports that Edison-trait kids do, in fact, grow up to be successful in careers that value the ability to shift focus rapidly, such as entrepreneurs, fashion designers and emergency room doctors.
All of the experts recommend investing in professional, therapeutic support. Edison-trait children get that they are different, and they expect a lot from themselves already. They need trusted allies to make them feel OK about themselves or they can become trapped in a cycle of negative self-thought (and later, in the teen years, turn to self-medication).
“We so want to rush in and fix it, but oftentimes what a child needs is validation (listening),” says Palladino. “Once the child feels validated/accepted, she can return to front-brain thinking and solve her own problems.”
It all starts with learning to see the good in their world. “No parent, no expert—no one—has the answer,” offers Palladino. But, “when we commit to a strength-centered approach, we raise our children to be the heroes, not the victims, of their lives.” dc
