Is there a difference between having ADD and just being eccentric or spontaneous?

Many kids who are just naturally hyper-active have been mis-diagnosed with ADD. The reason is, hyperactive kids show the same symptoms as ADD. Except with kids who are just hyper seem to NOT control themselves during class. They'll jump around and all that but usually it's a case of not being disciplined enough. They talk out of line, and they get enough detentions and time-outs, they're going to learn "I better hold in my energy until recess". However with a child who truly does have ADD, you could give them a thousand detentions and beat them black and blue every time they lost focus on what they were doing, and they still WOULDN'T be able to stop.

It's very hard to determine whether a kid has ADD or if they're just eccentric and spontaneous, that's why a lot of people agree to wait until their teenage years because then you can see a lot more clearly, instead of drugging up your six year old kid.

Not to mention some kids just naturally have shorter attention spans. It's just so hard to tell a problem apart from a trait.

Unfortunately, so many doctors these days will tell parents that their kids have ADD even if they don't, just because that doctor gets more money every time they get to prescribe more pills. It's a shame.