‘It’s my superpower because it gives me awesome abilities,’ says eight-year-old about his ADHD

“Calling something a ‘disorder’ can create negative stereotypes about people with ADHD, and people can also be quite mean about it, using the fact that the original name says it’s a disorder,” he continued.

Nate, who is a member of Alyth Synagogue, took matters into his own hands, and decided to rename his diagnosis to ADHAA, with the final two As standing for “Awesome Ability”.

The new name works because Nate doesn’t believe his diagnosis is a disorder, and that on the contrary, it benefits him in several ways.

“It’s my superpower because it gives me awesome abilities,” he said. “It makes me have lots of energy and it means I can hyperfocus on stuff.”

“It also makes me really creative. I love coding, doodling and reading – I can finish a book in about 20 minutes!”

With the help of his family, that creativity has materialised in a small business – a clothing line featuring the ADHAA logo.

The ADHAA logo which features on the clothing line (photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]

“One day, my mum said she had a surprise and it turned out that it was colourful T-shirts with the ADHAA logo,” recalled Nate.

“I wore one to school and my friends wanted some, so my mum created a website where people can order their own ADHAA hoodies, zip-up jumpers, T-shirts, and caps.

“And now we also have tote bags, which come in 33 colours,” Nate said, adding that staff at his old school, Fortis Green Nursery, had put in an order for ten of them.

In an interview with ITV News last week, Nate showed the handwritten notes which he writes for each order, which are packed from his family’s home in East Finchley.

Not only is the clothing line sparking conversation around ADHD, and the merits of calling it that, but for every item which is ordered from the website, they donate £5 to the charity ADHD UK.

“I think they [the charity] decided that name way before I knew I had ADHAA, so I understand why they called it that,” Nate smiled.

Including both orders and donations, Nate’s dad David said that they have raised nearly £500 for ADHD UK thus far.

Nate wearing his special 'CEO & founder' ADHAA hoodie (photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]

The business really has become a family effort, as his younger brother, Eli, who is six years old, has been given the role of CIO – chief inventions officer.

And speaking to ITV News, Nate’s mother Tash, who runs the website and shows Nate their orders, said: “The most important thing is that Nate feels really proud of his diagnosis and doesn’t feel like it’s a disorder, and he wants to share that with other people.”

Nate certainly does appear to be proud of his diagnosis. When I asked if there was anything at all he struggles with because of ADHAA, he could hardly come up with anything.

“I do get distracted a lot, which explains the first A in ADHAA,” he said, before clarifying that it’s not a bad thing, either.

His main goal is that others with the same diagnosis start to feel proud of it, rather than ashamed or worried.

“No matter what you call it – ADHD, ADHAA, or something else – it still makes you unique and different from everyone else on the planet,” Nate said.

To shop the ADHAA clothing line, click here.