Sue Scheff: New Book Details Comprehensive Plan To Deal Effectively with Kids with ADHD

March 4, 2009

For Immediate Release
Contact: Michele Robinson
HWM Communications
301-530-1845
Mrobinson48@earthlink.net

New Book Details Comprehensive Plan
To Deal Effectively with Kids with ADHD

School Success for Kids With ADHD, published this month by Prufrock Press, is a new resource that offers parents and teachers the latest information to support the total child at school, at home and in social situations. If parents have only one book to read about ADHD, this is it.

Written by three Washington, D.C. experts in child psychology and education, School Success for Kids With ADHD offers a 12-point plan–a wrap around approach—that includes parents, teachers, physicians and school counselors in supporting the child or teenager with ADHD.

School Success for Kids With ADHD sorts out the current confusion over ADHD medications by providing the latest information about which medications works best. Because 34 percent of Americans now use alternative or complementary medical therapies, the authors include the latest information about diet and stress management.

The book is organized so that no matter where you are as a parent–first diagnosed, veteran or skeptic—you can open the book and find your place. School Success for Kids With ADHD has been described as “one stop” reading about kids with ADHD because all information presented is updated and comprehensive.

The book walks the reader through the steps to develop a comprehensive plan about what services are needed to support a student with ADHD. The book’s authors strongly believe that the more information that parents and educators have, they better equipped they are to make decisions.

Topics covered include recognizing the causes and types of attention deficits and how they appear in the school context, requesting school evaluations and diagnoses, understanding the laws regarding students with special needs, advocating for these students in the school environment, and coaching students with attention deficits to success.

The authors also include a brief overview of research and medical perspectives on attention deficits, strategies used by teachers of children with ADHD, and helpful tools for parents and teachers to employ, such as homework checklists and self-advocacy charts.

School Success for Kids With ADHD is now available at Border’s, your local bookstore
or from Prufrock Press Inc., (800) 998-2208; www.prufrock.com .

About the authors

Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D., served as a school psychologist for 30 years, specializing in the treatment and instruction of children with attention deficit disorders and learning disabilities. He is the coauthor of the best-selling School Success for Kids With Asperger’s Syndrome.

Jacqueline S. Iseman, Ph.D., runs a private practice specializing in treating children and adolescents in Washington, DC. Her areas of expertise include working with children, adolescents, and families providing psychotherapy, consultations, and assessment.

Sue Jeweler, a retired teacher, spent her 30-year career working with children in the Washington, DC area. She is the coauthor of the best-selling Smart Kids With Learning Difficulties.

Sue Scheff: ADHD School Behavior

How teachers and parents can inspire better ADHD school behavior with help from these impulse-controlling exercises for children with attention-deficit.

by ADDitude Editors

The problem: The student with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) interrupts the teacher and classmates by calling out answers or commenting while others are speaking.

The reason: Children with ADHD have difficulty controlling their impulses. Scientists believe that a problem with dopamine, a brain chemical, causes them to respond immediately and reflexively to their environment — whether the stimulus is a question, an idea, or a treat. That’s why they often seem to act or talk before thinking, and ADHD school behavior suffers as a result.

The obstacles: Children with ADHD may not be aware that they are interrupting. Even if they are, they have difficulty understanding that their behavior is disturbing or disruptive to others.Simply telling them their behavior is wrong doesn’t help. Even though they know this, their impulsivity overrides their self-control. Many ADHD children can’t understand nonverbal reprimands, like frowning, either.

Read entire article here: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1977.html

What Is ADHD? Diagnosis and Treatment Information

Source: ADDitude Magazine

An expert on ADHD and learning disabilities talks about the biology behind attention deficit disorder and why it’s sometimes so difficult to diagnose and treat ADHD symptoms in children.
by Larry Silver, M.D.

In my 40 years as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I have treated thousands of youngsters. With some children, I am able to make a quick evaluation about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and outline a course of treatment. With others — more often than I care to admit — I have to tell parents that it’s not clear what is wrong. It’s not that I lack the expertise or diagnostic skills. It’s just that psychiatry isn’t quite as far along as other medical specialties.

A pediatrician can do a throat culture and tell at once whether a child needs an antibiotic; appropriate treatment follows the diagnosis. In contrast, psychiatrists are often required to initiate a specific treatment and worry about clarifying the diagnosis later on. As I often tell parents, we must “put out the fire and blow the smoke away” before we can figure out what started the fire.

If a child is having problems in school, he may have attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD), but it’s also possible that he has a learning disability. Or depression. Or anxiety. Sometimes what looks like ADHD is the result of family tensions.

If ADHD seems to be even a part of such a “mixed clinical picture,” I typically prescribe medication. If this solves the problem, terrific. But in many cases, another intervention is needed to address persistent academic, emotional, or family problems. Only weeks or months after treatment has been initiated will the full clinical picture become clear.

I understand parents’ concern about medicating their children. My clinical knowledge notwithstanding, I agonized over whether my granddaughter, who has ADHD, should be on meds. (Ultimately, we decided she should.) I have found, however, that parents often feel better about ADHD meds when they understand a bit about neurotransmitters, the remarkable compounds that govern brain function.

How neurotransmitters work
Before I tell you about these special brain chemicals, let me explain a bit about brain anatomy.

There are millions of cells, or neurons, densely packed into various regions of the brain. Each region is responsible for a particular function. Some regions interact with our outside world, interpreting vision, hearing, and other sensory inputs to help us figure out what to do and say. Other regions interact with our internal world — our body — in order to regulate the function of our organs.

For the various regions to do their jobs, they must be linked to one another with extensive “wiring.” Of course, there aren’t really wires in the brain. Rather, there are myriad “pathways,” or neural circuits, that carry information from one brain region to another.

Information is transmitted along these pathways via the action of neurotransmitters (scientists have identified 50 different ones, and there may be as many as 200). Each neuron produces tiny quantities of a specific neurotransmitter, which is released into the microscopic space that exists between neurons (called a synapse), stimulating the next cell in the pathway — and no others.

How does a specific neurotransmitter know precisely which neuron to attach to, when there are so many other neurons nearby? Each neurotransmitter has a unique molecular structure — a “key,” if you will — that is able to attach only to a neuron with the corresponding receptor site, or “lock.” When the key finds the neuron bearing the right lock, the neurotransmitter binds to and stimulates that neuron.

Read entire article here: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1572.html

Parents Universal Resource Experts (Sue Scheff) Standing Up for Your Child's Educational Rights

By ADDitude Magazine

Learn your child’s educational rights to get him the support he needs in the classroom.
In an ideal world, teachers and school administrators would be as eager as parents to see that children with ADD get what they need to succeed in school. Unfortunately, teachers are pressed for time as never before, and school districts are strapped for cash. So it’s up to parents to make sure that their kids get the extra support they need.

“The federal government requires schools to provide special services to kids with ADD and other disabilities, but the school systems themselves bear much of the cost of these services,” says Susan Luger, director of The Children’s Advisory Group in New York City. “Though they’ll never admit it, this gives the schools an incentive to deny these services. The process of obtaining services has become much more legalistic over the past 10 years.”
Click here for the entire article.

Sue Scheff: Safeguarding Teenage Drivers with ADD

By ADDitude Magazine
Young motorists with ADD need to be extra careful on the road.

Here's how they can drive safely.

Motorists with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) - especially teens - need to be extra careful on the road.

Here's how to help them minimize distractions and stay safe.

Pick a safe car. Larger cars offer greater protection in the event of an accident.

Help your teen with ADD learn to drive. Practice sessions should cover a variety of situations.Ask that he drive with an adult for at least his first 500 miles behind the wheel.

Don't let your teen drive at night. Most fatal crashes involving young drivers occur between 9 p.m. and midnight.

Don't let your teenager chauffeur other teens.

Remind your teen that he must wear a seat belt at all times ...and that he must never drive after drinking or using drugs.

For more on keeping teenagers safe behind the wheel, see AD/HD & Driving: A Guide for Parents of Teens with AD/HD, by J. Marlene Snyder, Ph.D. (Whitefish Consultants, 2001).

Sue Scheff: The Truth about TV and ADHD

By ADDitude Magazine

Is watching TV linked to a rise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Here's what you should know about the causes of ADHD in children.

If you're like a lot of parents, you've probably used your television as a baby-sitter. Anxious to grab a few moments to fix dinner, straighten up, or take a breather, you've turned to the flashy colors and graphics of SpongeBob or Rugrats to mesmerize your child.

Read the entire article here.

(Sue Scheff) ADHD and Heart Problems

By Connect with Kids www.connectwithkids.com


Approximately 2.5 million American children are on stimulant medication for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) -- medication that, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), could potentially trigger heart problems. That’s why the American Heart Association has a new recommendation.

Read the entire article here.

Parents Universal Resource Experts - Sue Scheff - Standing Up for Your Child’s Educational Rights

By ADDitude Magazine

Learn your child's educational rights to get him the support he needs in the classroom.
In an ideal world, teachers and school administrators would be as eager as parents to see that children with ADD get what they need to succeed in school. Unfortunately, teachers are pressed for time as never before, and school districts are strapped for cash. So it's up to parents to make sure that their kids get the extra support they need.

"The federal government requires schools to provide special services to kids with ADD and other disabilities, but the school systems themselves bear much of the cost of these services," says Susan Luger, director of The Children's Advisory Group in New York City. "Though they'll never admit it, this gives the schools an incentive to deny these services. The process of obtaining services has become much more legalistic over the past 10 years."

Click here for the entire article.

Parents Universal Resource Experts (Sue Scheff) Discipline Do’s: Creating Limits for ADHD Children

By ADDitude Magazine

5 ways for parents of ADHD children to establish a reliable structure and solid limits.

Your child with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) is loving, intelligent, cute, creative — and often wants his own way. He has the talk and charm to out-debate you, and will negotiate until the 59th minute of the 23rd hour. Like salesmen who won’t take no for an answer, he can wear you down until you give in to his wishes.

Sound familiar? Children with ADHD are more often slave to, than master of, their wishes and feelings. Those who are exceedingly impulsive and distracted seem to have a greater need for interaction and attention, even if getting it means battling with their parents. While all children require reliable structure and solid limits, ADHD kids need them more. Holding your ground is not mean or unreasonable. Here are some strategies for hanging tough.

Click here for the entire article.

Sue Scheff: Parenting Children with ADHD

As a parent of an ADHD child, I know the struggles and frustrations I had endured as well as the rewards. Now there are so many new resources. ADDitude Magazine and websites offers volumes of fantastic and educational information for parent of ADD ADHD kids.

Visit their Parenting Forum.

http://www.helpyourteens.com/
http://www.witsendbook.com/

Parents Universal Resource Experts (Sue Scheff) Better Discipline for ADHD Children

By ADDitude Magazine

Tired of nagging and yelling at your children? Here's an easier way to discipline children with ADHD.

Like all kids, children with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD) sometimes make bad choices regarding their own behavior. No surprise there. But to make matters worse, parents often err in the way they discipline misbehavior from children with ADHD. Instead of using firm, compassionate discipline, they move into what I call the ignore-nag-yell-punish cycle.

First, the parent pretends not to notice the child’s misbehavior, hoping that it will go away on its own. Of course, this seldom works, so the parent next tries to urge the child not to do such and such. Next, the parent starts yelling and scolding. When this doesn’t produce the desired result, the parent becomes extremely angry and imposes harsh punishments. I think of this fourth stage as the parent’s temper tantrum.

This four-part strategy (if you could call it that) isn’t just ineffective. It makes life needlessly unpleasant for every member of the family.

How can you avoid it? As with any other pitfall, simply being aware of it will help you steer clear of it. At the first sign of starting on the wrong path, you can stop what you’re doing and make a conscious decision to try something else. Take an honest look at how you respond when your children misbehave. What specific situations are likely to cause you to go down this path? How far down the path do you typically proceed? How often?

Let’s examine the ignore-nag-yell-punish strategy more closely to see why it doesn’t work — and come up with some strategies that do.

Why ignoring doesn’t work
By ignoring your child’s misbehavior, you send the message that you neither condone nor support his misbehavior. At least that’s the message you hope to send.

In fact, your child may read your silence as “I won’t give you my attention or concern” or even “I reject you.” That can wound a child. On the other hand, your child may assume that your silence means that you approve of his behavior or will at least tolerate it. “Mom hasn’t said I can’t do this,” he thinks, “so it must be OK.”

Even if your child correctly interprets the message that you’re trying to send by ignoring him, he has no idea what you want him to do instead. In other words, ignoring your child doesn’t define better behavior or provide guidance about how your child should behave next time.

Instead of ignoring him when he does something you disapprove of, I recommend another “i-word”: interrupting. That is, quickly move people or objects so that your child is unable to misbehave.

For example, if Alex and Maria start quarreling over a toy, you might say, “Alex, sit over there. Maria, stand here. I’ll take this and put it up here.” Similarly, if your teen comes for supper with dirty hands, immediately take his plate off the table and silently point to his hands. If you feel the need to tell your child what you expect of him, tell him once, very clearly. Then stop talking.

Sue Scheff: ADDitude Magazine and Website

LIVING WELL WITH ADD AND LEARNING DIFFERENCES

Wow - what a great informational website and magazine. ADD/ADHD is widely diagnosed among many children. Learn more about ADD/ADHD and other learning differences - click here.

Sue Scheff: ADHD is Real by Connect with Kids

“Kindergarten is when we started with the diagnosis. His kindergarten teacher noticed it, said he just couldn’t focus, couldn’t stay on task.”

– Katherine, mother

Hundreds of thousands of kids have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and many are taking stimulant medicine to help them succeed in school. Will these kids have to take pills for the rest of their lives? New research says maybe not.

Nine-year-old Mitchell has ADHD.

“Kindergarten is when we started with the diagnosis. His kindergarten teacher noticed it, said he just couldn’t focus, couldn’t stay on task. So we took him to his pediatrician and he noticed it right in his office and said, ‘Let’s try to get him on some medicine,’” says Katherine, Mitchell’s mother.

Since then, Mitchell has been on a stimulant ADHD medicine. But will he need the medication forever? Not necessarily, according to new research. Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health performed brain scans of more than 400 children. They found that children with ADHD had a three-year delay in development of the frontal lobe -- the area of the brain responsible for attention and planning.

“This study is important because now it links the behavioral disorder with a more medical or organic finding on brain development. I think it should also help parents to feel that it is a true disorder and is something that we’re trying to treat and to help the children get on task,” says Thomas Burns, Psy.D., Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

What’s more, says Burns, that three-year delay means some children with ADHD may outgrow their disorder.

“There’s a subset of kids that appear to catch up over time and for those children, it would fit with a small subset of the kids diagnosed with ADHD that appear to grow out of it in their teens,” says Burns.

Mitchell hopes he’s one of those kids.

“I think I might outgrow it,” says Mitchell.

”Yes, I’m thinking with our help we can overcome it and eventually get him off the medicine,” says Katherine.

Tips for Parents
Children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home, school and relationships with peers. If untreated, the disorder can have long-term adverse effects into adolescence and adulthood. (National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH)
NIMH reports that symptoms of ADHD will appear over the course of many months, and include:
Impulsiveness: a child who acts quickly without thinking first.
Hyperactivity: a child who can't sit still; walks, runs or climbs around when others are seated; talks when others are talking.
Inattention: a child who daydreams or seems to be in another world, is sidetracked by what is going on around him or her.
If ADHD is suspected, the diagnosis should be made by a professional with training in ADHD. This includes child psychiatrists, psychologists, developmental/behavioral pediatricians, behavioral neurologists, and clinical social workers. (NIMH)

For children with ADHD, no single treatment is the answer for every child. A child may sometimes have undesirable side effects to a medication that would make that particular treatment unacceptable. And if a child with ADHD also has anxiety or depression, a treatment combining medication and behavioral therapy might be best. Each child’s needs and personal history must be carefully considered. (NIMH)
Some people get better results from one medication, some from another. It is important to work with the prescribing physician to find the right medication and the right dosage for your child. For many people, the stimulants dramatically reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve their ability to focus, work and learn. The medications may also improve physical coordination, such as that needed in handwriting and in sports. (NIMH)
References
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta