Families Struggling With ADHD Issues - Some Needed Relief

As informed citizens and of many parents of pre-school and school-aged children are aware, the subject of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has been fiercely debated, more fervently in recent years with regard to whether a diagnosis should be followed up by rigorous medication. However, irregardless of where you stand on medication, extended treatment for this now agreed on frequently inherited, physiological condition* which may persist through adulthood does not stop with a doctor's prescription.

So where does a parent of a child with ADHD (or fully grown adults) go to connect with resources, to evaluate and make decisions appropriate for themselves or their particular young person. Where can they network with other families who have similar stories to share, a few that you'd be reluctant even in today's world of full disclosure, you might hesitate to share with the nice elderly woman at church, the do-it-all mom across the street and your cousin the Martha Stewart wanna-be?

Beyond Prescription Drugs - Where Does The ADHD Family Go?

Depending upon your time and financial resources national magazines like ADDitude (a bi-monthly publication by New Hope Media LLC.,$19.99 per year, www.additudemagazine.com.) share the latest news on research and developments in regards to ADHD, specialized information on private schools and even colleges designed especially for young people with ADHD.

The magazine also contains a wealth of interesting features about people whose ADHD has not prevented them from pursuing their dreams and tips for parents how to prepare your ADHD youngster for school, summer camp, college and getting a job in the workwold.

Tips for ADHD adults on how to avoid clutter from an ADHD perspective, balancing your checkbook, avoiding credit card debit and planning a hassle-free vacation with all of those special quirks the condition offers. ADHD adults in particular have frequently been completely without this kind of personalized information and even a sample can be a godsend!

Other less costly resources for parents of ADHD children include: counseling, behavior modification, biofeedback, personal coaches, books and the aforementioined magazines. Experienced parents may already know a check of the local phone book doesn't necessarily connect your family with the resources you need when you may need them. That's a bonus of networking with others in the ADHD universe.

ADDResources of Tacoma a Gem For Parents, Adults with ADHD

When it comes to a personal human connection there is nothing possibly with the same immediate impact and lasting satisfaction as having the resouces of a local support group. And thanks to a local woman, Cynthia Hammer, MSW, a professional social worker and surgeon's wife, who was diagnosed with the condition a number of years along with two of her three sons, went on to found Tacoma's ADD Resources a non-profit (501(c)(3) ) established in 1993 a virtual lighthouse in the darkness.



ADD Resources is a regional gem because not every city or even state in the country has compiled such an excellent repository of resources this organization has to share - many of which are available at no-charge. Yearly paid memberships starting as low as $35.00 per year plus a one-time initiation fee of $20.00, gives instant access to monthly newsletters, lending library, e-classes, monthly support groups for ADHD adults and parents of ADHD children in Tacoma, as well as Seattle, Olympia, and the Eastside of Lake Washington. Other resources include opportunities to meet and hear some of the nation's top authors and researches in this field at their annual confereces at substantial discounts.

One such conference is the 5th Annual Fall Conferece on ADHD which will take place on Saturday, October 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Foster High School in Tukwila, WA. This year's featured speaker is nationally recognized authority and author Dr. Thomas Brown, Ph.D. of Yale University whose address is entitled: " Strategies and Solutions: Helping Adults Maximize Their Potential". Co-conference sponsors include the Tourette Syndrome Association Inc. of Washington & Oregon and the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA).

In addition to Dr. Brown's address, the 5th annual conference include a book sale, silent auction and a host of informative break-out sessions on a wide variety of topics of general interest to persons with ADHD, their families, teachers and others who work with this population.

Conference price for members is a moderate $25.00 per person and $50.00 per person for non-members. On-line registration closes Sunday, October 7. On-site admission the day of the conference will be available at $65.00 per person. Add Resources is located at 223 Tacoma Avenue South, telephone is 253-759-5085. E-mail is: office@addresources.org. More details on membership and the upcoming conference agenda can be obtained by going to: http://www.addresources.org/membership.php.

Additonal note: * Readers interested in a very concise overview of the latest information for adults with ADHD which also may include parents of future adults can be found by reading through Lenard Adler, M.D. with Mari Florence book: "Scattered Minds: Hope and Help for Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, copyright 2006, Perigee Books, $14.95 US.