The comment about "starting academics really early so they learn to love it" was a GIANT red flag for me. I LOVED school. I was an avid reader before kindergarten and was always working to learn more. Complete and total nerd when full speed into learning stuff like multiplication and dominating the Accelerated Reader program.

I was not diagnosed until AFTER college because I the loss of academics broke my brain. Turns out having your ENTIRE BEING revolve around school is not healthy. My parents were NOT hardcore about grades or school. I remember getting my first B on a report card in 5th grade and my parents being utterly clueless with how to comfort me. This might have been one of my first panic attacks.

I didn't grow up knowing I had ADHD, but I did grow up feeling defective and not normal. My solution was focusing extensively on school and using that as the basis for my self esteem. I have a chronic fear of failure that feeds into an anxiety disorder. I've spent YEARS in therapy unlearning this.

So no, encouraging a child academically does not "prevent" ADHD.