Handling the News That Your Child Has Special Needs

Parents whose children are diagnosed as "special needs" often experience initial feelings of shock and confusion. These feelings are normal and understandable, but parents should be careful not to "live" there.

"After the initial shock of discovering your child is unique and special, change your focus from one of despair to gently starting to see it as an opportunity to learn how to help you and your child to explore and discover more about themselves... Some parents will always focus on the difficulties and grieve their child's lost potential compared to others, but I challenge you to see beyond the diagnosis...".

If your child has recently been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, give yourself some time to adjust to this new reality. Take time to develop an understanding of the diagnosis and avoid making any quick or rash decisions. Read more at Ecademy.com.

Talisman offers summer camps for children with special needs across the country. Find a program for your special needs child at www.TalismanCamps.com.

Dr. Drew Talks About ADHD

He's best known for his radio show Loveline, and his VH-1 television program Celebrity Rehab. But in this interview with LAist, Dr. Drew Pinsky spends a considerable amount of time talking about the realities of ADHD.

"Are alternative treatments for ADD or ADHD, such as changing diet, effective? 'That clearly has been shown to have no effect. Listen, those studies are not neuropsychiatrically tested. Not good stuff. It's very clear if you have a kid with that problem there are two interventions. One is behavioral interventions, which are really quite good, and pharmacological interventions. But once again, these are complicated cases that need to be followed up by skillful people.'"

Dr. Pinsky also stresses the importance of having a child properly diagnosed by a "neuropsychiatric forum" rather than a primary care physician. Read more at LAist.com.

I Don't Believe in ADHD

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.

Help for Parents

Parents with children who have recently been diagnosed with ADHD have a lot of information to sort through. Some may not know where to start. The website Responsible Rx.org has posted a 14-page guide called the Parent Starter Kit that, as the name implies, may be a great place to start.

"You can download the guide and print it out to read. There is no cost. It is a free resource that helps parents work with their child's doctor to navigate the treatment process once a child has been diagnosed and medication has been prescribed."

The guide is straightforward and easy to understand and covers such topics as "communicating with your child's doctor" and "understanding medication guides." Read more at ADD.About.com.

Experts Call for New Approach to ADHD

Results of a long-term study conducted by researchers at UCLA have the medical community calling for an upgrade to the diagnostic and treatment criteria for ADHD. This first-of-its-kind study found that only about half of the children who were diagnosed with ADHD exhibit the cognitive issues most commonly associated with the condition.

"Part of the explanation may lie in the common method for diagnosing the disorder. ADHD is an extreme on a normal continuum of behavior that varies in the population, much like height, weight or IQ. Its diagnosis, and thus its prevalence, is defined by where health professionals 'draw the line' on this continuum, based on the severity of the symptoms and overall impairment."

Another finding that has raised eyebrows is that, in Finland - where the study was conducted, ADHD is rarely treated with medication like it is in the United States. Despite that, ADHD "looked" the same in both countries, regardless of whether it was being treated medically, which raises questions as to the effectiveness of current ADHD treatments. Read more at PsychCentral.com.

New Study Launched by Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Though it's relatively easy to find information on how to treat ADHD, information for making an accurate diagnosis is harder to come by. To that end, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has launched what's being called an "unprecedented" study to find causes and early warning signs of ADHD among pre-school age children.

"ADHD is frequently diagnosed but little is known about the causes, despite all the published research. Today there are no diagnostic criteria for ADHD in children under 6 years of age. The ADHD study intends to address many unanswered questions around the causes of this condition."

What makes the study unique is that researchers have access fetal and early infancy biological information, including blood samples from both parents and the child's umbilical cord. The samples will allow for testing of both genetic and environmental links to ADHD. Read more at MediLexicon.com.

Attention Seeking Confused with ADHD

Independent Educational Psychologist Dr. Nigel Mellor issued a mild warning last week that some kids who are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD may simply be seeking attention.

"The researcher said there are many behaviors which can be observed during attention seeking interactions. Behaviors commonly associated with ADHD (over activity, poor concentration and impulsivity) can appear within attention seeking behavior."

Dr. Mellor's research on the subject focused in part on 15 schools and last for three years, during which time he determined that it is possible to distinguish between attention seeking and ADHD, which allows children to be treated more specifically and more appropriately.

Symptoms of ADD/ADHD

Most of the articles in this blog share treatment options and other stories related to ADD/ADHD. But sometimes it's good to go back to the beginning, so we've included an article that gives a general overview of the symptoms you should watch for if you're concerned that your child may have ADD/ADHD.

"Understanding your child's possible ADD/ADHD is imperative to getting along with him or her. The earlier ADD/ADHD is identified in your child, the more time you have to work with and understand your kid."

If your child has the symptoms outlined here, it doesn't necessarily mean that he or she has ADD/ADHD. But he or she should be evaluated by a professional who's qualified to determine whether your child one of these disorders, and to what degree.

Just because your child has ADHD it doesn't mean that they can't go to college. A good college preparatory school, like the Academy at Swift River, prepares high school students for college and beyond.

Be Cautious of ADHD Diagnosis

Concern is increasing over the proper diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in children. Numerous recent studies have found that misdiagnosis and over-prescription of medication are likely. One study in particular notes a 700% increase in prescription medications to treat "child behavior problems" during the 1990s.

"More recently, national research has documented that less than one-third of primary-care physicians adhere to established diagnostic criteria."

An expert panel convened in 1998 determined that, while ADHD as a disorder does exist, it probably affects only 3 - 5 percent of children. In contrast, upwards of 14 percent of boys in America have been diagnose with ADHD. Though this information shouldn't scare parents, it should remind them that caution is required when seeking an appropriate diagnosis for behavioral issues in children.

Private schools for children with learning disabilities can be found in our ADHD Directory.

Diagnosing and Treating ADHD

Diagnosing ADHD isn't something that a parent or teacher can do by themselves. It takes a team of people to properly evaluate a child's behavior and form a proper diagnosis. Some of the more common characteristics of ADHD are occasionally observed in kids who don't have ADHD, so establishing a patter is important.

"One thing that I have found is that there is a huge division about whether to use medication to treat the disorder (after it has been properly diagnosed) or not. People are completely against or completely for the medication...So speaking as a parent of a hyperactive child, I believe you need to keep an open mind, do lots of research and ask LOTS of questions."

Remember that if you make a decision that doesn't seem to work for your child, you can change your decision. You're not "locked in" for life. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, remember that physical activities can help your child manage the "hyperactive" part of the disorder.

Therapeutic boarding schools, like Stone Mountain School, help boys with ADHD learn to control their behaviors as they earn school credits.

Girls May Get Missed

Say "ADHD" and most people think of a child who can't sit still, climbs on furniture and takes dangerous risks. That description is largely true for boys, but ADHD in girls looks very different.

"Girls who have the inattentive type of ADHD may space out in class, miss turning in homework or have trouble starting or finishing projects..."

Because the symptoms in girls are more "low key", many girls get overlooked and are called "daydreamers" or "chatter boxes". Girls who struggle to focus in the classroom, have trouble completing homework assignments on time (or at all), or seem unusually disorganized should see a doctor who is capable of making an official diagnosis.

Girls with ADHD can get the academics and therapy they need to control their feelings at New Leaf Academy.

Contest Raises ADHD Awareness

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.

Prevalence far Exceeds Treatment

Colleagues at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center who studies over 3,000 children found that the number of children who exhibits signs of ADHD far exceeds the number that are being treated.

"Based on standard diagnostic criteria, 8.7 percent of the children fulfilled criteria for ADHD in the year prior to the survey... Among children meeting criteria for ADHD, 39 percent had received some medication treatment and 32 percent were treated consistently with ADHD medications during the previous year."

Additionally, less than half of the children who met the ADHD criteria had been previously diagnosed. Read more at News-Medical.net.

Residential schools offer advanced curriculums, individual academic programs, and a variety of extra-curricular activities. Learn more about residential schools at TeenBoardingSchools.com.

A Parent's View on ADHD

In increasing numbers, people are beginning to questions the validity of ADHD diagnoses, especially in younger children. Many of these critics think the kids are simply undisciplined and the parents lazy. But a parent in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was quick to speak against these kinds of misinformed judgments.

"My girls are 11 and 10 and for 10 years it was a literal war from the time I got up in the morning until they finally fell asleep at night... They even started to hate themselves and ask me why they weren't like other kids."

After her girls were diagnosed with ADHD, they began both counseling and medication, which have gotten them back on track both at school and at home.

Learn more about learning disabilities, including diagnosis and ways to help your child at LearningDisabilitiesInfo.com.

ADHD Forty Years Ago

Today, much is known about ADHD and a diagnosis can be made with relative ease. But that was not the case forty years ago when this mother of six struggled to understand why her son's behavior was so difficult to manage.

"I could go on with how we handled the situation for the next 11 years. I have lots of stories and methods I used to handle different situations. I think I just want to say that situations are different and the same in so many ways. We have to find our way with whatever tools we have at hand and use our common sense and instinct and then just follow through."

Today, her son has his Masters Degree and National Teaching Certificate and has taught at the same middle school for 17 years. He is "a hard worker, kind, considerate, has a lot of good friends, hobbies and is very stable."

Stone Mountain School, a therapeutic boarding school for boys, is set in a rural area of North Carolina that removes distractions and allows boys to focus on their behaviors and their academics.

Simple Routines

ADHD symptoms are appearing in younger and younger aged children. It is estimated that between one and four percent of preschoolers may have ADHD. Since ADHD medication hasn't been formally approved for very young children, most parents turn to various forms of behavior therapy.

"New research suggests simple techniques that give more structure to a preschooler's day can offer a nondrug alternative to help the tiniest sufferers of ADHD."

Some tips include finding very structured preschools, praising good behavior, and using "transitional systems" like a timer or bell to help children prepare for activity transitions.

U.S. Consumes Most ADHD Medication

It's time for kids to get ready to go back to school. Among the ads for school supplies and clothing will be ads for something else: ADHD medication. Though the United Nations passed a treaty banning direct-to-consumer marketing of ADHD drugs, the ads still appear in American magazines, newspapers, and on television.

"Children in the United States are 10 times more likely to take a stimulant medication for ADHD than are kids in Europe. In fairness, children in Europe are also somewhat less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD because of a stricter set of criteria. But that doesn't nearly account for the difference in prescription rates. The United States, the only nation to violate the U.N. treaty, consumes about 85 percent of the stimulants manufactured for ADHD."

Doctors, in increasing numbers, are telling stories of parents who have 'diagnosed' their children and already have a specific ADHD drug in mind. Many in the medical community are calling for the FDA and Justice Department to force compliance with the U.N. treaty in the United States - stating that these medications are potentially harmful if misused. Read more at Courant.com.

ADHD is a Lifelong Condition

ADHD used to be considered a condition that faded with the onset of puberty. But we now know that people who are accurately diagnosed with ADHD will likely have to learn to manage the condition for the rest of their lives.

"Even as children, they are accident-prone, and their parents get well-acquainted with the local emergency room. As they get older, rock climbing, bungee jumping, car racing, motorcycle riding, white-water rafting and related activities are among their favorite activities."

As people with ADHD grow up and grow older, they learn to be less disorganized and impulsive, but the ADHD symptoms rarely disappear altogether. Read more at SunHerald.com.

Cedars Academy is an Aspergers school that helps children diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

Finding the Treatment Path the Works

Some families are choosing to find their own ways of treating ADHD in their children, deciding - in some cases - to leave doctors out of the process completely. It's not a decision the families come to lightly, and they advise other parents considering similar decisions to make them carefully as well.

"Samuel had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, when he was three. He was officially diagnosed with ADHD two years ago. The family went through six months of behavior training in the RIP [Regional Intervention Program], learning to handle tantrums, teach Samuel to share and calm himself down."

Though Samuel's parents eventually felt he needed medication to get his ADHD fully under control, other parents chose herbal therapies like BrightSpark. Read more at Tennessean.com.

Preschoolers and ADHD

The August/September issue of ADDitude Magazine features an article called "Preschoolers and ADHD" that takes an honest look at early diagnosis and what types of treatments work best.

"In a significant piece of new research, the Preschool ADHD Treatment Study (PATS), conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, concludes that treating these symptoms in preschoolers with parent effectiveness training, behavioral therapy and, in extreme cases, low doses of medication can be highly effective."

The article is posted on the magazine's website, along with links to the PATS study and other helpful information. Read more online.

Aspergers schools offer curriculums geared specifically for children with non-verbal learing disorders. Learn more about Cedars Academy.

Treatment of Children with Mental Disorders

The medical community's understanding of mental disorders has advanced significantly in the last several years. This Q & A article from PsychCentral addresses some of the more common concerns that parents have about getting their children diagnosed.

"Talk to your child's doctor. Ask questions and find out everything you can about the behavior or symptoms that worry you. Every child is different and even normal development varies from child to child."

The article goes on to suggest that parents may want to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist if the child's doctor believes he or she may have a mental disorder. Read more at PsychCentral.com.

Pediatricians Feel Confident about Diagnosing ADHD

Wake Forest University School of Medicine recently conducted a follow-up study on the ways pediatricians handle behavioral health problems in their patients. The first study was conducted in 2002-03 and focused on "recognition, treatment and referral of children with behavioral health problems."

"ADHD remained the behavioral problem most often diagnosed by the pediatricians, who continued to have a high degree of confidence in treating ADHD with stimulants."

Of the pediatricians surveyed, 83% said they consulted with a mental health colleague concerning patients with mental health issues. Read more at News-Medical.net.

Special programs for non-verbal learning disorder and Aspergers schools are geared to help children get the best education and learn how to deal with their behaviors. Cedars Academy and Talisman Camps offer short and long term schools for children with Asperger's, NLD, and ADHD.

Deciding Where to Draw the Line

When a child has ADD or ADHD, it's important that he's diagnosed and receives appropriate treatment to help him learn to function in school, at home, and socially. However, not all children who "simply can't sit still" have ADD or ADHD. Some are just being kids.

"It should not be forgotten that attention span and concentration differs from child to child and they increase with age. Children come into this world with different abilities and timetables. A child is regarded a 'normal' if his behavior conforms to that of his peers, but there are wide variations in childhood behavior and it is often hard to decide where abnormality begins."

It's important for parents and teachers to work together if someone suspects that a child may have ADD or ADHD. Behavior should be monitored at home and at school, and parents and teachers should "compare notes". Read more at ParentingIdeas.org.

SVSU Psychology Professor Studies Causes of ADHD

The primary tools that are currently used to diagnose ADHD are behavioral. They are often rating scales which are filled out by parents and teachers, and if certain behaviors are present, a child will be diagnosed with ADHD. But Sandra Nagel, a professor of Psychology at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan is conducting a study to develop neuro-chemical diagnoses.

"[Meaghan] Carpenter agreed. 'I would love to see a more biologically-based method of diagnosing ADHD become part of common psychological/medical practice. As Dr. Nagel says, it's pretty ironic that today's method of diagnosing the disorder doesn't involve biological measures of any sort, even though it's a widely accepted fact that the disorder is biologically-based."

Dr. Nagel hopes her research will help her pinpoint different types of ADHD, so that both the diagnoses and the treatment will be more specific. She also hopes it will reduce the number of misdiagnoses. Read more at SVSU.edu.

"Godfather" of ADHD Diagnoses Voices Concern

Twenty-five years ago, when other doctors were calling rowdy, uncontrollable children "brats", Dr. Robert Spitzer developed a different classification - ADHD. His ground-breaking classification table gave doctors the tool they needed to more accurately diagnose ADD and ADHD. Now, more than two decades later, Dr. Spitzer's opinion has taken an unexpected turn.

"He says 30 percent of children diagnosed with a mental disorder don't actually have it and are instead showing perfectly normal signs of being happy or sad. 'Many of these conditions might be normal reactions which are not really disorders.' Dr. Spitzer said."

While he's not dismissing his revolutionary classification table altogether, he is urging caution - for parents and doctors alike - when diagnosing ADD or ADHD in children. For some, behavioral therapy may be more beneficial than medication. Read more at News.com.

AACAP Introduces New ADHD Practice Parameter and Pocketcard

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has released a new Practice Parameter and Pocketcard that documents the best ways to evaluate, diagnose and treat ADHD.

"AACAP's Practice Parameter shows that ADHD is a medical illness on par with diabetes or asthma. Like these conditions, ADHD can be successfully managed, but not cured."

Included is information about the benefits and potential risks of ADHD medication. The AACAP hopes the information will be beneficial for those in the medical profession who don't specialize in treating children and/or adolescents or mental health illnesses. Read more online.

When to See the Doctor

May parents who think their children might have ADD/ADHD struggle to know when they should seek medical advice and when they need to just wait and see what happens with their child. Some parents don't want their child "labeled" and so they hesitate to seek a proper diagnosis.

"But there are times when you should see a doctor and seek medical help. Much research has shown that ADHD is biological in nature and there is medical treatment that can help alleviate symptoms of ADHD."

In this article from About.com, symptoms and behaviors are broken down by age group so that you know what you look for in children of different ages and can know when it's time to see a doctor. Read more at About.com.