Q: Do you know of any good sites for teens with ADHD?

A: Teens might be interested in visiting Dav Pilkey's site. Dav is the author of the "Captain Underpants" series, and talks about his ADHD on his site. Other than that we don't know of any, which is a shame! Marilyn Shank, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Education at the University of Charleston, recently did a search for websites for kids as it is an area of special interest to her. She reports "I would like to think that some major organizations might be interested in supporting putting together a great website for computer-savvy kids with ADHD. They could use a safe haven! I cannot create this myself, but I have created a new email address for people interested in seeing if we can make this happen."

If you have ideas about a possible sponsor or are just interested in helping figure out how to make a website for teens with ADHD come into fruition, send Marilyn a note at kidsteensadhd@charter.net.

Q: Do you have an info on teenagers wtih ADHD transitioning from high school to college? My son has the ability to do well academically, but mom worries about management skills.

A: Delivered from Distraction has a good chapter on how to prepare your high schooler for college. Some ideas include practicing being responsible for caretaking skills (such as laundry and cooking healthy food) before your child leaves home, considering hiring a coach to help your child with the transition, developing strategies for waking up and getting to bed without Mom to tell you, and much more.

In general, while you don't wish to interfere with your child's newfound freedom, don't be afraid to be involved. This includes making sure your child gets the accommodations that he might not ask for on his own.

Dr. Hallowell and Dr. Sorgi are pleased to announce the Hallowell Complementary Therapies division located in the Hallowell Center in Sudbury. Its purpose is to offer patients effective diagnostic and non-medication treatment options for ADD and its co- existing conditions. For more information on both programs, please visit our website at www.DrHallowell.com. Below is a description of the three services currently offered at the Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Mass. To inquire further about these programs or to make an appointment, please call us at (978) 287-0810.

Quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) is the only objective test for determining the presence or absence of ADD in children and adults under age 30. It is a non-invasive measurement of brain waves in a focused and resting condition. Results are 90% accurate and are available in 24 hours. We use the QEEG as an adjunctive tool to arrive at the most accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment approach for our patients.

The DORE Program is a drug-free, exercise- based program for the treatment of ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning difficulties. Clients are assessed using state-of-the-art equipment to determine cerebellar function. DORE has found that those affected by learning difficulties exhibit very poor use of auditory and/or visual senses. DORE believes this delay in the development of the cerebellum is the root cause of learning difficulties. Based upon the assessment results, an individualized cerebellar stimulation exercise program is prescribed which minimizes or eliminates Cerebellar Development Delay (CDD), a condition where the connectors that link the thinking brain (cerebrum) are not fully developed.

The exercises are simple to perform taking five to ten minutes, twice a day, but complex in their effect on the cerebellum. DORE exercise combinations and sequences stimulate the cerebellum, allowing the client to process information more efficiently and rapidly. The results are improvements in cognitive skills, motor skills and the reduction or elimination of a host of other symptoms associated with learning difficulties. The average program takes from 12 to 15 months.

Low Energy Neurofeedback (LENS) created by Len Ochs, Ph.D. is a form of brain wave biofeedback, or neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a non-invasive procedure that monitors and analyzes EEG (brain activity) using the EEG information as feedback. The feedback is delivered through the same cables that are used to monitor brainwaves. The feedback signal is of profoundly low power, safe and invisible, but produces measurable changes in brain activity. The EEG signals that are recorded via the surface/non-invasive electrodes influence the feedback, and the feedback, in turn, normalizes the brain activity. The results have been very good. Patients (ages 12+) with ADD have reported significant improvements in executive functioning and reduced symptoms of restlessness, distractibility and impulsivity within 12-15 sessions. Mild to moderate brain injury patients have been seen to easily recover ability to take in information, improve in short-term memory, organization, sequencing, prioritizing, sensory discrimination, initiation, confidence, assertiveness, and sense of humor by approximately 6 sessions. Depression, irritability, and explosiveness respond within the same 6 sessions. More severe problems require longer treatments. Visits are usually 1-2 times a week; the frequency and intensity will vary based on patients? reports at each session.

Barring a new head trauma, there have not been any relapses or regressions after treatment. Other conditions that improve with LENS training include bipolar depression, anxiety, OCD, fibromyalgia and Asperger?s. It is important to note that the results from the LENS treatment are the same as those from other forms of neurofeedback, but LENS accomplishes improved functioning in approximately one quarter the time, with the same durability of treatment effects. The LENS system is FDA approved.

?The best way to change a life of frustration into a life of mastery is by developing talents and strengths not just shoring up weaknesses.?
- Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.

When considering a first career or embarking on a new career, there are a few things to keep in mind. Robin Roman Wright, Career Coach at the Hallowell Center, offers the following tips to career seekers with ADD:

• If you are considering changing careers, first consider whether you really need to change careers or if you are better off fitting your current job to your skill set.
• If a job move is not your choice, don?t take it personally. Instead see the change as another chance to meet a challenge head on. Remember that past failures do not mean future failures.
• Understand yourself ? the more you know about yourself, the better when it comes to picking a career or selecting a particular job opportunity. Take self-assessments in order to understand such things as your interpersonal style, your career interests, and the environment that motivates you and your values.
• Check these self perceptions out with a few close friends. Ask them, ?What do you think? Do you see me this way?? Be prepared for honest feedback. Remember their feedback is to help you figure out your strengths, what you need and where you might thrive in the world of work. Thank the people involved and review their comments; they may help you avoid a wrong turn in your career search.
• Find out about ?your kind of mind.? Some people with ADD find it helpful to obtain a neuropsychological evaluation. This can give you further insight into your cognitive strengths and any limitations.
• Identify your strengths. We all have them and have exhibited these functional skills in the course of our lives, by the things we have accomplished, challenges we have overcome or problems that we have solved. Richard Nelson Bolles, author of ?The 2006 What Color Is Your Parachute,? calls these transferable skills. Find out what yours are. The structured life story writing method that Bolles describes in his book is an excellent place to start.
• Identify the fields of knowledge that most interest you (i.e.: you are enthralled by them, you can?t get enough information about these things). Once you have identified your eight top transferable skills and the fields of knowledge that most interest you, you are ready to begin identifying where these transferable skills are valued and to start your Job Search and Networking.
• As you proceed, remember Dr. Hallowell?s advice that finding the right boss is key. You will have the most success in a future job where you get to know the person who you will be working for before you take the job. Networking is a powerful job search tool and is also a great way to spend time with the person who has the power to hire you before you are offered a job. You can be informally interviewing them, while they are interviewing you.
• The Job Search process can be long, tedious and discouraging. Develop a supportive group of people around you. Find healthy, life-affirming ways to reward yourself for doing the tasks involved in the job search each day. Use a coach if that fits your style and budget, or turn to a friend or a community job-hunting support group.
• When you land that job, enjoy. Keep learning and growing and keep those networks strong.

For more information or to schedule a complementary 15-minute inquiry session with career coach Robin-Roman Wright, call the Hallowell Center at 978-287-0810.

An article in the September 13th Chicago Tribune talks about the positive impact that physical education has on reading and test scores. Research to assess the impact of physical activity on learning is taking place in Illinois and California.

Dr. John Ratey, co-author with Dr. Hallowell of Delivered from Distraction, is an expert in the new study of how exercise affects the brain. He calls exercise "Miracle-Gro for the brain" because it so positively impacts the growth factors in the brain and readies the brain to learn. Dr. Ratey is writing a new book on the subject, and will be giving a course starting October 16th called "Harnessing the Psychiatric Effects of Exercise". For more information, go to the Bluehorn educational website.

The New York Times reported on August 22nd that federal drug regulators ordered that strong warnings be put on the labels of Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin to caution against their use in adults or children with heart problems and to alert doctors that the drugs cause one child in a thousand to experience hallucinations.

"We're not trying to scare people out of using these drugs," said Dr. Robert J. Temple, director of the Office of Medical Policy at the drug agency. "Still, I would be extremely reluctant to put people with heart failure on one of these drugs."

Dr. Hallowell concurs that patients with known heart issues should not take these medications, but also notes that in his 25 years of practice he has found them to be both very safe and very effective provided they are properly monitored. And, in the face of more news about these medications, he wants to make sure that those considering any medications for ADHD do a risk/benefit analysis before starting medications. Don't forget to ask these two questions - what are the "side effects" of not taking a medication? Do you have other, alternative, options?

A number of courses by phone (or "tele-courses") are being offered by Dr. Hallowell and his staff this fall. They include:

• ADD for Couples, starts Sept. 18
• ADD for Parents and Educators, starts Oct. 18th
• Harnessing the Psychiatric Effects of Exercise, starts Oct. 16th
• Succeeding at College with ADD, starts Nov. 14th
• Raising Boys in an ADHD World, starts Jan. 10th

email: morlov@hallowellconnections.com

phone: 508-545-2250 Hallowell Connections or 978-287-0810 Hallowell Center (medical)

web: http://www.drhallowell.com