A man from Northern-Ireland took to the streets this week in protest over a school's treatment of his son, who has been diagnosed with ADHD.

A Feb. 5 article in the Portadown Times provided the following information about Paul McConville's protest:

A dispute between the father of a pupil with learning difficulties and Drumcree College went public last week when Craigavon man Paul McConville protested outside the school gates.

Mr McConville, whose son suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and behavioural problems, took up position last Thursday afternoon, the school's open day. The father of six was carrying a placard and also handed out leaflets to parents of prospective pupils.

The man's 14-year-old son, who is in third year in the learning support class, has been absent from school for a number of months after disputes between the family and Drumcree College over a range of issues concerning the treatment and education of his son. ...

Said Mr McConville, "The school knew my son had behavioural problems when they admitted him in the first place."

Labels: awareness, fathers, ireland, protest

Actor-comedian Patrick McKenna spent five years working on two shows at the same time. He worked seven days a week and attributes his success during that period, in part, to Attention Deficit Disorder. Now, he’s teaming up with filmmaker Rick Green on a new documentary, “ADD and Loving It?!”

“The hour-long program ... has McKenna posing questions about the disorder that are answered by experts in an effort to debunk myths," the Canadian Press reported. "The film brings a humorous approach to an often weighty issue, partly because of the duo’s comedic background and view of the world, but also in an effort not to add fears about the disorder, Green said."

Green told the Canadian Press that he got the idea for the documentary after he had been diagnosed with ADD himself. Not only did the diagnosis explain some of his behavior, but it helped him put structures in place to better handle some of the negative effects of ADD.

Labels: awareness

Fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella are little more than love stories involving handsome princes and damsels in distress, right?

Not necessarily.

A new theatre production by Youth Enhancement Support, Inc., puts a unique twist on the stories, using them to raise awareness about issues such as depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

According to information on the website of the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health, the creators of Fidgety Fairy Tales have adapted classic plays in order to send an uplifting message about children who have been diagnosed with ADHD and related disorders:

In this retelling of the classic tales Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood, writer/director Matt Jenson and composer/lyricist Marya Hart have crafted a lively and thought-provoking production that artfully combats the negative and damaging stereotypes that surround mental illness.

Their characters, all based on well-known fairy tale characters, have mental health disorders. Through the telling of each of their stories, the audience comes to see that people with disorders such as depression and AD/HD can just as readily be the heroes of the story.

Labels: acceptance, accomplishments, awareness

A proclamation from Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell has identified the week of September 14-18 as ADHD Awareness Week throughout the state.

Events throughout the week will include a bilingual "Understanding ADHD" workshop Sept. 15 at Columbus Magnet School in Norwalk, Conn.

"This workshop is ideal for parents and teachers to begin to understand the disorder that is so prevalent in our society but simultaneously so misunderstood," Norwalk Deputy Corporation Counsel Jeffrey Spahr said in an e-mail to Norwalk newspaper The Hour. "Who hasn't heard some comment about 'having ADD' following a forgetful moment or a comment about a kid 'being on medication' or 'needing some Ritalin' when a child is seen running in a store full of energy?"

Labels: awareness

Easter Seals, one of the country’s leading non-profit providers of disability services, has release a free curriculum aimed at teaching children about peers who have disabilities -- including fellow students who have disorders such as ADHD

The Easter Seals website describes the curriculum as follows:

FRIENDS WHO CARE® is designed to help children better understand what it means and how it feels to be a young person with a disability. This educational program gives students the opportunity to learn what is involved when someone has a disability and how they adapt to live life, go to school, or work as independently as possible.

The curriculum explores a range of disabilities and includes specially crafted learning activities, hands-on exercises, guided discussions and guest speakers. It starts with an introduction to disability, and looks at vision, hearing, and physical disabilities and then at learning disabilities including ADHD, autism and intellectual disabilities.

The curriculum is designed for use in the classroom or at home, and can be downloaded for free at www.easterseals.com/friendswhocare.

Labels: awareness, curriculum, schools

In her latest play, "Distracted," playwright Lisa Loomer takes a humorous and realistic look into the world of attention deficit disorder. Discovering that her son has ADD sends the main character, Mama, on a search to understand the disorder.

"Loomer carefully presents various sides of the issue, complicated by the over-stimulated, plugged-in, totally wired world of today, where nothing lasts more than a minute or else is reduced to a sound bite."

The story-telling is enhanced by video images that constantly flicker across multiple screens on the stage, resulting in a unique look at an issue with which many parents and kids struggle. Source: The Associated Press

Labels: awareness, humor, understanding

CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which is the nation's largest organization for people affected by ADHD, is hosting its 20th annual international conference on November 12 to 15 in Anaheim, California.

"The conference opens with Ross Greene, Ph.D., the renowned psychologist, providing strategies for parents to avoid conflicts and negotiate many of the parenting pitfalls that are so much a part of raising children with challenging behaviors."

The keynote speaker will be Olympic Gold Medalist Bruce Jenner, who will share his story of living with ADHD and dyslexia. Other speakers and presenters include Blake Taylor, Terry Matlen, Chris Dendy and Gina Pera. Details are available online at www.chadd.org. Source: About.com.

Labels: awareness, conference, support

Lynda Kovalcheck's son has autism. Because of his disability, even a simple trip to the grocery store can become a major event if something causes a meltdown. The disapproving and judging stares from others are enough to cause Kovalcheck to want to stay at home.

"But Kovalcheck doesn't think her son should have to stay at home just because he's misunderstood. So she came up with a solution: She's made it her mission to make sure more people understand families with disabilities."

She's putting her mission into practice by helping organize a Disability Awareness Night at the Merced Civic Center in Merced, California. The six moms who organized the event have kids with various disabilities, from autism to ADHD. They will share their stories in hopes of raising both awareness and empathy. Source: Merced Sun-Star

Labels: autism, awareness, disabilities

New Zealand is observing an ADD/ADHD Awareness Week which began today.

"'For many children, young people and families, the issues around ADD/ADHD are normal family and parenting issues but manifested in a more intense form,' said [Ruth] Dyson. 'Parents respond to this by engaging in support services, parenting courses, counseling and alternative treatments in addition to or instead of healthcare interventions.'"

Events and seminars are planned throughout the week and will include pediatricians, doctors, counselors, and more. Source: Independent News

Labels: awareness, families, parents

April is "Autism Awareness Month" and April 2 was "World Autism Day," according to Lee Grossman, president of the American Autism Society. The society asked people to buy Autism Awareness bracelets and wear them on April 2.

Over 25 local autism societies hosted "Annual Walks for Hope and Autism Awareness" to raise money for research. Also, "Bounce for Autism" fundraising parties with inflatable playgrounds for children were held in cities all over the country. Volunteers went to Washington in April to lobby for the Combating Autism Act as well as more government funds for autism research.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that can range from mild to extremely severe, impairing communication and the ability to relate to other people. Today one in 150 children are autistic, with four times as many boys diagnosed than girls. The number of people with autism has increased tenfold since 1997, and no one knows why.

Labels: autism, awareness

Though there are many scientific studies that confirm the validity of ADD and ADHD, there are also many people - both in and outside the medical community - who don't believe it's a real disorder. In this article for ParentingIdeas.org, family therapist Douglas Cowan, Psy.D, tries to set the record straight.

"Look, there are lots of physical differences between the actual brains of people with ADD and those who don't have it, and there are also functional differences in the way that their brains work. And there are lots of scientists and physicians who are investing lots of time and money into identifying and writing about those differences. Just because their research is too boring to make the Morning Show on TV doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, or isn't true."

Cowan goes on to list the many differences that have been discovered via MRIs, PET scans and other scientific studies. Though some of his evidence may be a little hard to follow, it's even harder to refute. Read more at ParentingIdeas.org.

Labels: awareness, beliefs, diagnosis

The Child Study Center at New York University has pulled a set of controversial ads intended to raise awareness about childhood mental health issues. The ads featured "ransom notes" addressed to parents indicating that their kids will "pay" if mental health issues aren't addressed.

"An introductory press release from the Child Study Center attempts to explain the goal of the campaign, which is to raise awareness of childhood mental illness and urge treatment as early as possible."

Critics of the campaign have said that it gives the impression that there's a "criminal element" to childhood mental health issues and that kids with these issues are doomed to a life of total dysfunction. Just two weeks after the campaign began, the Child Study Center released a statement of apology and has pulled all related ads.

Students with learning disabilities have rights to a good education. Visit LearningDisabilitiesInfo.com for more information.

Labels: advertising, awareness, mental_health

Canada has launched it's first-ever Awareness Campaign to promote understanding, dispel myths and stimulate advocacy for ADHD. One of the main goals of the campaign is to increase the support that Canadian students with ADHD receive in the classroom.

"Currently in Ontario, a diagnosis of ADHD does not qualify a student for a special needs designation in most school boards. This designation gives these students the right to receive accommodations in the way they are taught and evaluated. There is also no consistency in Ontario on how children with ADHD are serviced or if they are serviced at all."

Heidi Bernhardt, national director for the Centre for ADHD Advocacy in Canada (CADDAC), hopes to use the Awareness Campaign as leverage to convince the Ministry of Education that educational changes need to be implemented. Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education, recently acknowledged that the Ontario Human Rights Code requires school boards to accommodate students with ADHD.

Labels: advocacy, awareness, Canada

The U.S. Senate recently declared September 19th as National Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day. In recognition of this day, the director of ADDClasses.com is holding an ADHD Awareness contest.

"The purpose of the contest is for those affected by Attention Deficit Disorder to come up with creative ideas on how to create and promote ADHD Awareness. Those coming up with the most creative ADHD Awareness ideas will receive prizes."

The contest runs through September 30th and is open to members of ADHDAwareness.org. Prizes will include books, DVDs and club memberships - all ADHD related.

Labels: awareness, diagnosis