VOLUME 6, NO. 1 JANUARY 25, 2001
NJ ADD/ADHD ADULT NEWSLETTER
ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP
FOR ADD/ADHD ADULTS
AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS
MEETING: THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP WILL BE ON JANUARY 25, 2001 AT 7:30 PM AT MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER, ROOM 114 STEINAM HOUSEMAN, LONG BRANCH, NJ. GO TO THE RECEPTION DESK IN THE MAIN LOBBY AND GET DIRECTIONS. THE TOPIC WILL BE: GOAL MANAGEMENT WHEN YOU HAVE ADD PART TWO e.g. STARTING, STEPS, PROCESSING, EVALUATION, ENDING.
MEDICATION UPDATE: ALZA CORPORATION THE MAKER OF CONCERTA (RITALIN) HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE FDA TO OFFER A 54mg TABLET. THIS MEANS THAT YOU CAN NOW GET RITALIN FROM CONCERTA IN A SINGLE SLOW RELEASE DOSE OF 18mg, 36mg OR NOW 54mg. FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU NEED TO TAKE 40 OR 60 mg OF RITALIN A DAY IN SEVERAL DIVIDED DOSES, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE ONE TABLET IN THE MORNING AND HAVE COVERAGE ALL DAY LONG. THE EFFECT IS SUPPOSED TO LAST 12 HOURS. SEVERAL PHARMACIES IN THE AREA ALLEGEDLY HAVE THE 54mg TABLETS AVAILABLE OR CAN GET IT FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE A PRESCRIPTION. YOU WILL NEED TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR MEDICAL DOCTOR.
NEW ADHD TREATMENT: A COMPANY CALLED SYNAPTEC, LLC. OF GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN HAS PATENTED A TREATMENT FOR ADHD THAT INVOLVES THE USE OF AN "INTERACTIVE METRONOME" THAT ALLEGEDLY IMPROVES ATTENTION, MOTOR CONTROL, LANGUAGE PROCESSING, READING, ABILITY TO REGULATE AGGRESSION AND SEVERAL OTHER TRAITS. FIFTEEN SESSIONS ON THIS COMPUTER CONTROLLED INTERACTIVE METRONOME APPARENTLY IMPROVES INTERNAL TIMING, SEQUENCING, AND PLANNING. ONCE LEARNED THE SKILL LIKE MANY MOTOR SKILLS IS RARELY FORGOTTEN. A DOUBLE BLIND CONTROLLED RESEARCH ARTICLE ABOUT THE SYSTEM IS SCHEDULED TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. RESULTS TO DATE APPEAR SIGNIFICANT. AT PRESENT THERE ARE VERY FEW THERAPISTS WHO ARE TRAINED IN THE TREATMENT. THE TREATMENT APPEARS TO BE A COMBINATION OF BIOFEEDBACK, ENERGY THERAPY, SENSORY MOTOR LEARNING AND BRAIN GYM TREATMENTS FOR ADHD. LOOK FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS TREATMENT IN UPCOMING NEWSLETTERS.
RESEARCH: IN AN ARTICLE BY CEPEDA, N. etal., TASK SWITCHING AND ADHD, J. ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY, 2000, 28(3): 213-226, IT WAS REPORTED THAT TASK SET INHIBITION AND PREPARATION TO PERFORM A NEW TASK WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIRED IN ADHD CHILDREN. THE GOOD NEWS WAS THAT ON MEDICATION, THE TASK SWITCHING PERFORMANCE WAS NORMAL AND EQUIVALENT TO THAT IN CONTROL CHILDREN.WHO DID NOT HAVE ADHD.
COMMENTS: HERE IS ANOTHER BEHAVIOR WHERE ADDers CAN EXPECT IMPROVEMENT WITH TREATMENT. THE IMPLICATION IS THAT THE TREATMENT ALLOWS THE ADDer TO SWITCH TASKS MORE EASILY RATHER THAN GETTING STUCK; THERE IS BETTER CONTROL OF COORDINATION WHEN INVOLVED WITH MULTIPLE TASKS.
RESEARCH: IN A RESEARCH PAPER BY RUCKLIDGE, J & KAPLAN, B. ATTRIBUTIONS & PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDHOOD IN WOMEN WITH ADHD..., J. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, 2000, 56(6): 711-722, IT WAS FOUND THAT ADHD WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE MALADAPTIVE ATTIBUTIONAL STYLES THAN OTHER WOMEN. THE VIEW IS THAT ADHD WOMEN ARE SUBJECTED TO FAR MORE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM THEMSELVES AND OTHERS DURING CHILDHOOD. THE ADHD WOMEN REPORTED FAR MORE DISSATISFACTION IN CHILDHOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND PEERS AND FELT THEY HAD FAR LESS CONTROL OVER NEGATIVE EVENTS THAN nonADHD WOMEN. THESE ATTITUDES TRIGGERED NEGATIVE VIEWS OF SELF ETC.
COMMENT: THERAPY SUCH AS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY OR OTHER THERAPIES THAT TARGET THESE NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLES MAY BE BENEFICIAL. SUPPORT GROUPS ARE ALSO HELPFUL HERE.
PEACE!!!
Bob