ADD/ADHD Online Information

Thanet ADDers Newsletter

Volume 3, Number 4, September 2000

Important, Please Note

This is a copy of our local group's paper newsletter sent out to members of Thanet ADDers. For our main online homepage click here for adders.org. Much will have happened since this newsletter was sent out, so check adders.org for up to date information.

Evening Conference 7th November

David Pentecost, author of the brilliant new book, "Parenting the ADD Child, Can't Do? Won't Do?" has very kindly agreed to come and talk about his behaviour programme specifically geared to helping those with ADHD children.

David's book was published in January and I must say that having read the book, I have been so amazed by David's honest approach to ADHD. David is a family and child therapist in London and he developed the ADAPT programme to help parents use behaviour management as part of a full and comprehensive treatment programme. I think the thing, which most inspired me about David's book, is that throughout the whole text he is so encouraging to parents and acknowledges how difficult it is to bring up a child with ADHD. He speaks frankly about the pitfalls we encounter and he is so positive in his message that ADHD is NOT the parents fault, throughout the programme he encourages parents to 'pat themselves on the back' for everything they are doing right. This is such a refreshing change from a number of the professionals we as parents encounter.

David has agreed to come and talk at King Ethelberts School, Birchington on 7th November. We have enclosed details with this newsletter copies of which will be circulated to all schools and doctors surgeries and clinics in East Kent. David is going to talk to both parents and professionals on how to help OUR special children. We would encourage as many as possible to attend and are keeping the costs as low as we can, we will aim to cover the costs, at least I hope so.

Please check with your child's school over the next couple of weeks to see if they have received the information and PLEASE encourage members of the school and health staff you come into contact with to attend.

Books

Over the past few months many of our books have been lent out to parents. Unfortunately a number have still not been returned. It is with regret that in the future we will have to ask for a £1 deposit for the loan of these books along with a cheque for the full cost of replacement if the book is not returned as we do not have the funds to replace them.

If you do have books, which you have borrowed, please could you dig them out and return them to us so that others may borrow them. We do have a waiting list for some of them. If you have lent any books onto friends please, please can you get them back for us.

Meetings For Parents

We would really like to set up meetings again for parents. Ideally from September we would like to run a series of meetings which will include the viewing of various videos we have about AD/HD. There are videos by Thom Hartmann, Russell Barkley and Jerry Mills. All of these are very good speakers and well worth listening to. We also have videos on behaviour management for home and school from an UK team who are working with UK Health Visitors and doing on-going research into ADHD.

If anyone knows of somewhere we can use for such meetings, with the use of T.V. and video please let me know.

Research

We have been asked by the Maudsley Hospital in London to see if we can help them find people willing to take part in a research programme they are starting.

This is to look into the use of MRI scans to see if a certain parts of the brain of hyperactive children function differently from those of other children. This will help them to have more understanding of ADHD and will in turn lead to better treatment in the future.

They are looking for boys aged between 9 - 17 years old who are diagnosed or suspected as having ADHD, are right handed and have never taken medication to treat ADHD.

The Maudsley is one of the most highly respected Mental Health Hospitals in the country. The team working on this research are working closely with Professor Eric Taylor who is very well respected by the medical profession and the Government and has been working in the field of ADHD for many years.

If you would like to be involved with this research or would like further information please contact Caroline or Simon on the telephone number above.

Equasym

The practice of having to break in half tablets of methylphenidate hydrochloride, well known currently as Ritalin®, is now in the past thanks to an old established British company, Medeva Pharma Ltd.

They have just released Equasym®, a brand of methylphenidate hydrochloride to rival Ritalin® currently produced in the UK by Novartis. Tablet strengths available for Equasym® are 10mg, 20mg and also 5mg negating the need to break a 10mg tablet in half.

Ask your doctor for more information about Equasym®.

Adult Diagnosis

Caroline has now had her appointment at the Maudsley and has been diagnosed with ADHD and is now on medication.

"I went to Dr Toones' clinic in April and was seen by Dr Suzy Young, Consultant Psychologist, who did various tests. Dr Leonard who asked a number of questions and went through a lot of history with me then saw me. I was then asked to take part in the Research program they are carrying out for ADDults, this took the form of a number of questions and computer cognitive tests. I was then seen again by Dr Leonard who diagnosed ADHD and decided to trial medication.

I had to go again in May for a follow up appointment with Dr Leonard where we discussed the medication and it was decided to confirm the amount of medication I should take.

There is a waiting list of about 12 months for an appointment to come through but it is well worth the wait. The staff at the clinic are very considerate and helpful.

Dr Young suggested to me that as the waiting list for an appointment is about a year I should ask for a referral for Richard now so that his care can be continued by themselves when he leaves the paediatric service."

For those children approaching 16 we have been informed that they will continue to receive care under the current provision for a couple of years until they formally have to leave the paediatric services. It would be worth discussing with their current doctor about a referral to the Clinic at the Maudsley so that this can be arranged before they leave the paediatric service locally.

Kid In The Corner

Is now available on video from ADD Information Services at £15.99 a copy plus £2 p&p.

To reserve you copy please contact Andrea on 020 8906 9068 stating that you are from Thanet ADDers or get in touch with us and we will be able to get copies. We can obtain copies direct if people wish us to do so.

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