Center of Attention
Newsletter of CHADD of Northern California
Also at: http://www.chaddnorcal.org/newsletter
21 January 2002

CHADD Works to Improve the Lives of People with
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder through Education, Advocacy,
and Support

===== In This Issue =====

About the Newsletter
Calendar of Events
Feature Article: FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH ADHD
This Week: REDISCOVER YOUR AND/OR YOUR CHILD'S STRENGTHS
Please Tell Us

===== About the Newsletter =====

The Center of Attention is CHADD of Northern California's bi-weekly
newsletter. The newsletter is designed to keep you up to date with
CHADD of Northern California's activities and updates in the field.
It's a step toward bringing the members closer together.

======== Calendar of Events ==========

============================
1/23/2002, Wed. 6-8:00 PM PST - Online
Clare Jones, PhD - The Ins and Outs of Educating the ADHD Student,
CHADD Online Chat, Internet - Contact: Message Line: 510-291-2950
============================
1/23/2002, Wed. 7-9pm - San Francisco
Linda Pfiffner will discuss the "Hyperactivity Attention and Learning
Problems" program (HELP) just opened at UCSF. , HELP can be
contacted at 476-7365
CPMC Pacific Campus, San Francisco - Contact: San Francisco Warmline:
415-442-1944
============================
1/23/2002, Wed. 9:30-11:30am - Marin
Support Group for Parents of Children / Teens with ADHD, Share your
concerns with a parent who really understands.
30 Catalpa Ave., Mill Valley - Contact: Victoria Vogel: 415-383-6048
============================
1/23/2002, Wed. 7:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. - Santa Clara
Kitty Petty ADD/LD Institute Meeting, The Differences between ADHD,
Depression and Anxiety - Emily Harris, PhD
Friends Meeting House, Palo Alto - Contact: Kitty Petty ADD/LD
Institute: 650-329-9443
============================
2/6/2002, Wed. 7 - 9 pm - Sonoma
Julian Isaacs, Ph.D. - Advances in Brain Research: Identifying
co-morbidities and co-existing conditions with greater accuracy. ,
Bipolar Disorder, Tourette Syndrome and Asperger Syndrome share many
of the same symptoms with AD/HD. Dr. Isaacs will share insights into
how subtle changes in the brain can cause many different symptoms,
and how mapping these changes can give the health practitioner keys
to more accurate diagnoses and treatments. Dr. Isaacs is clinical
director of the ADD Clinic of the North Bay and Marin Neurodiagnostic
Imaging.
Kaiser Hospital Building, Santa Rosa - Contact: Thora Lares: 707-765-4863
============================
2/9/2002, Sat. 9am - 3pm - San Francisco
Paying Attention to Attention Deficit Disorder: a Saturday program
for parents, teachers, and counselors presented by University of
California, Berkeley Extension.
- Assessing ADD/ADHD
- Cooperative roles of behavior modification and drug therapy
- Teaching and learning strategies
- Classroom management techniques

Speakers Include: Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, Ph.D., Department of
Psychology, UC Berkeley and Dr. Glen Elliott, M.D., Ph.D., Director
of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UCSF. For Information: please
call (510) 643-2456 To Register: please call (510) 642-4111 and
enroll in EDP 203430. Cost = $35.00
Richardson Hall Auditorium; 55 Laguna Street, San Francisco -
Contact: University of California, Berkeley Extension: (510) 643-2456
============================
2/12/2002, Tues. 7-9pm - Marin
Parenting a child with ADHD - Mark Edwards, MFT, Come get some
practical suggestions for improving your parenting skills. Also learn
about PCIT, the new Parent Child Interactive Therapy. Mark works at
Family Services Agency in Terra Linda and has a private practice in
San Rafael. 415-499-6231.
Town Center Corte Madera Community Room, Corte Madera - Contact:
Beverlee: 415-789-9464
============================
2/13/2002, Wed. 7 - 9 pm - Alameda
Tri-Valley Parent Support Meeting,
Thomas J. Hart Middle School, Pleasanton - Contact: JoAnn Matone: 925-484-2173
============================
2/19/2002, Tues. 7-9pm - Marin
Drop in Support Group, for Adults and Teens with ADHD and Significant Others
Marin Community Mental Health, Greenbrae - Contact: Beverlee: 415-789-9464
============================
2/20/2002, Wed. Reg: 7pm, Meet 7:30pm - Santa Clara
Silicon Valley Adult, Parent and Spouse Support Groups, Separate
peer-facilitated groups let you share struggles and strategies with
each other. Includes video.
Friends Meeting House, Palo Alto - Contact: Silicon Valley Warmline:
650-949-5472
============================
2/21/2002, Thu. 6-8:00 PM PST - Online
Sandra Rief, MA - Success at School,
CHADD Online Chat, Internet - Contact: Message Line: 510-291-2950
============================

===== Feature Article ======

The following article and the "this week" section was published in
ADDvisor newsletter. We are grateful to Alan Graham and Bill
Benninger of ADDvisor for permitting us to publish this article in
our newsletter.

"ADDvisorTM is your link to trustworthy, reliable information about
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). If you would like
to participate in any of our calls or our other programs, or would
simply like more information, including times and fees, call us at:
1-866-ADDvisor

Or you can email Alan Graham at Alan@... or Bill Benninger
at Bill@.... We will give you the information you request."

FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH ADHD

In the following article I will quote extensively from an excellent
article written by Margaret Weiss, M.D. and Umesh Jain, M.D. This
article was published in The ADHD Report, edited by Russell A.
Barkley, Ph.D., Guilford Publications, Inc., Vol. 8, No. 6, Dec. 2000.

This month we will look at the functional impairments of adolescents
with friends, in activities of daily living and at home. Since it is
often difficult to distinguish "normal" adolescent behavior from
behavior in adolescents with ADHD parents must continually educate
themselves as to the differences.

Friends

"Children who have always had difficulties getting along with their
peers are likely to have particular difficulty in adolescence, when
socializing with peers becomes a central focus of development (Green
et al., 1997). ADHD adolescents may exhibit the following various
patterns of social adjustment: social isolation (i.e., the loner),
identification with a fringe group (i.e., the "geeks" or "druggies"),
or acting out behavior (i.e., class clown, joker, daredevil).
Parents are particularly concerned when they see their child team up
with delinquent peers who lead them into trouble. The ADHD adolescent
may become a willing accomplice, who is unfortunately also the one
most likely to get caught.

" Activities of Daily Living "

Functional impairment comes in many forms that are reflective of ADHD
adolescents developmental immaturity. Driving is a typical example.
Teens take great pride in their learners permit or driver's license
and having access to a car. However, this interest in learning to
drive is not associated with equal interest and learning how to drive
safely (Nada-Raja et al., 1997). We have been surprised by how many
ADHD adolescents impulsively take their parents car without
permission.

Substance use is a common comorbid factor in the ADHD adolescent....
Use of marijuana may be a form of self-medication... ADHD teens
describe marijuana as 'taking the edge off.' Adolescents with ADHD
may also suffer from other impulse based addictions such as gambling,
alcohol use, sexual promiscuity, bingeing, video games, compulsive TV
habits, or Internet addiction to chat groups and surfing. The result
of these various addictions may include academic failure, poor
self-care, lack of exercise, financial debt, social isolation, and
family conflict.

" Home "

The adolescents capacity to separate and individuate is predicated
upon the development of self-control. Adolescents in a 16-year-old
body with the inhibitory control of an eight-year old presents a
parenting dilemma. The parents become more and more controlling as
they assess the child's risk to be increasing. The teen may demand
more freedom, feeling that it is "only fair" for them to have the
same privileges as siblings or peers. They want this freedom
unconditionally.
Parents complain that the adolescent "does not deserve" to be given
privileges when they have not shown that they can take responsibility
for themselves. Since the adolescent does not see the relationship
between privileges and responsibility, the parents concerns seem
arbitrary and unreasonable. The result is an impasse...

Management of ADHD in adolescence requires specific accommodations.
These include providing the adolescent with as much control over
treatment as possible, so they perceive treatment as widening their
autonomy rather than limiting it. Ongoing psychoeducation may help to
minimize blame. Restructuring the adolescents school, family, and
peer environment to be "ADHD friendly" may enable him or her to be
able to successfully attain reasonable expectations. These
interventions may help smooth the transition through this critical
period, and establish a commitment to treatment that lays the
foundation for adult growth."
This information leads us to make a number of practical suggestions.
These suggestions are based on information provided in the newsletter
articles from 3/1/01 and from this one.

1. Work with the school to maintain as much structure and support as
your child needs. This is not necessarily the same as what the school
says they can provide. It is not uncommon for schools to have the
expectation of providing fewer services than your child needs. You
will have to educate the school as to what your child needs and how
to give it. You may have to be very persistent in getting your
child's needs met. It is usually in everyone's best interest to work
hard at maintaining good relationships during this ongoing process.

2. Help your children identify their "islands of competence". Help
them to focus on these two help them increase achievement and
self-esteem.

3. Closely monitor the "comings and goings" of your adolescent with
their friends and activities. Although this is necessary with all
teenagers it is particularly important with teenagers diagnosed with
ADHD. They will often protest, sometimes strongly, but do not let
that deter you from this very important task. You need to know where
they are, who there with, when they'll be home, what time they'll be
home, every time they go out. They will hate you for it now and love
you for it later.

4. You will need to provide structure for your adolescents daily
tasks and activities. Have a chore chart, closely monitor their
driving limiting them to familiar roads, short distances and a few
passengers. Expanded these privileges only when it is clear that they
have mastered their current level of responsibility. Provide daily
structure in the form of daily routines including; waking up at the
same time daily, having a similar afternoon and evening routine
throughout the week, and involvement in structured activities.

5. Look for ways to give them "structured independence". Give them
choices but make sure all of the choices are acceptable to you.

======== This Week ==========

REDISCOVER YOUR AND/OR YOUR CHILD'S STRENGTHS

In Chris Zeigler Dendy's 1995 book, Teenagers with ADD: A Parent's
Guide, she notes that Dr. Sydney Zentall's reframes the way we look
at the characteristics of teens with ADHD. By looking at some of our
children's traits as strengths, we can help them to properly channel
their energy in positive ways.

Ms. Dendy also presents a list of positive attributes of teens
created by Dr. Zentall and added to by a Georgia CHADD chapter. That
list is reproduced here. The same reframes can be applied to adults
with ADD as well.
Bossiness - "leadership"(albeit carried too far)

Hyperactivity - "energetic," "unlimited energy," able to conduct ten
projects at the same time, work long hours

Strong-willed - "tenacious"

Stubborn - "persistent"

Poor handwriting - "maybe they'll be a doctor one day"

Day dreamers - "creative, innovative, imaginative"

Question authority - "independent, free thinker, make own decisions"

Daring - "risk-taker, willing to try new things"

Argumentative - "persuasive, maybe attorney material"

Laziness - "laid back/Type B personalities live longer"

Instigator - "initiator/innovator"

Manipulative - "delegates/gets others to do the job"

Failure to follow directions verbatim - "creative thinking"

===== Please Tell Us! =====

We thank members for their responses to the Newsletter. Any comments,
suggestions, or criticisms will be greatly appreciated. Please
continue to help us make this newsletter more beneficial to you all.

We also invite readers to share their experiences with us and other
members. Please feel free to write to us about anything that you
would like to see published.

You can e-mail your comments to us at CHADD_Dimples@....
Simply replying to this e-mail will also send your message to the
right place.