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ADDvisor |
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For People with ADHD & Those Who Love Them |
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| Subscribe Me to the ADDvisor Newsletter | Bill Benninger | Alan Graham | ||
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Cogmed Working Memory Training Outline: Everything You Want To Know About ADHD
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Return to ADDvisor Volume 1 1999 Index Number 9, December 15, 1999 ================================================ In this issue: 1. The Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health: What it tells us about ADHD ================================================ THE SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH: WHAT IT TELLS US ABOUT ADHD ================================================ On Monday, December 13, 1999, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, released a comprehensive new report on mental health in the United States. The report reviewed hundreds of studies and includes a full section on ADHD. If you want to read the report in its entirety, go to www.mentalhealth.org/specials/surgeongeneralreport/home.html The report quotes the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's ‘practice parameters' for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. These parameters state that "the cornerstones of treatment are support and education of parents, appropriate school placement, and pharmacology." Multimodal treatment which incorporates these cornerstones will be most effective when treating ADHD. Numerous studies are cited to support the need for psychosocial interventions. Both parents and teachers need training in behavioral techniques which often include time_outs, point systems and contingent attention (adults paying attention to appropriate behavior, thus reinforcing that behavior). Support groups such as CHADD are vital adjuncts to treatment and participation in parent training and support groups can be quite beneficial for both parents and their children. A section on treatment controversies suggests that there is little evidence to indicate that medication is overprescribed or that ADHD is overdiagnosed. Recent studies indicate that more children suffer from ADHD than are actually receiving treatment for it. While there are no documented safety issues regarding stimulant medication, the report suggests that further research is needed to examine the long term safety of treatment and to investigate if other forms of treatment can be combined with stimulants to lower the dosages. The report also indicates that children who are treated with stimulant medication do not abuse the medication and the incidence of abuse has not significantly increased. In all, the major finding of the surgeon general's report is that many more Americans are suffering from mental disorders than are being treated from them and that those individuals with symptoms should seek help. CONTACT INFORMATION _______________________ Alan R. Graham, Ph.D. Bill Benninger, Ph.D. ADDvisor.com Voice: 1-866-ADDvisor Fax: 847-824-2386 Email: Alan@ADDvisor.com Bill@ADDvisor.com Web: www.ADDvisor.com
c) Copyright 1999 ADDvisor.com, Ltd. All rights reserved The above material may be retransmitted or distributed to whomever you wish as long as not a single word is changed, added or deleted, including the contact information. However, you may not copy it to a web site. Republication of "The ADDvisor" in paper media is encouraged and permitted by organizations and associations which serve parents of ADHD children at the national, state and/or local level as long as the issue is reprinted in its entirety without charge and includes the contact information. With advance permission, we are happy to edit an issue to fit your space requirements. Republication is also encouraged under other circumstances, however, the advance permission of Alan R. Graham and/or Bill Benninger must be obtained in the event that changes in the text are desired or republication is to be made by individuals or by organizations other than those mentioned above.
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Questions or comments? Send e mail to Alan@ADDvisor.com
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