Q: I am 57 years old and have been taking Concerta for 9 years with no problems. But I am almost afraid to take it anymore because of what I've been reading. Would you recommend Listol? What can you tell me about it?

A: Listol would fall under the category of taking a holistic approach to treating ADHD. Its benefit is more theoretical than research based. If you have been doing well with Concerta without side effects, I would suggest continuing with your current treatment rather than making a switch to Listol. If you have concerns about potential problems with stimulants, you may want to see your primary care doctor to check your heart rate, blood pressure and administer an EKG, as the recent issues covered in the press have centered around heart problems. This may give you some peace of mind.

Q: My son and I both have ADD. I need to teach him to read, but can read faster if books have bigger than normal letters. Any advice or suggestions?

A: Your public library can help you with this. Almost all books found in the young children's section where you will be starting out have large print. As for reading for yourself, look for the "large print" section in the adult reading area of your library and you should find a good selection.

Q: With my job and my family responsibilties mounting, I find I need some help getting the simple things done and staying organized. I've tried lists and they aren't really helping. Do you have any suggestions?

A: One option, particularly during the holiday season, is to hire a concierge service. These services can help you with lots of general household chores - shopping, paying bills, dry cleaning, driving, organizing a party for you, etc. To get an idea of what a concierge service might do for you, visit the Fini Concierge website below. This group happens to be in Boston, but this is a growing field and you may well be able to find similar services in your own area.

For those who don't want that type of help, remember to not be afraid to say "no" to extra things people want you to do during the holidays. Protect your time for the things most important to you.

Dr. John Ratey, author of A User's Guide to the Brain has recently been giving a course on the effect of exercise on the brain for Bluehorn. It has been a fascinating experience for all who have been taking it! Though we think about exercise as a way of strengthening our body's muscles, it turns out that exercise is also a way to literally strengthen the brain.

Research shows that aerobic exercise actually increases brain mass by growing new capillaries, which is associated with an increase in neural activity. In addition, exercise increases levels of many brain chemicals, including norepinephrine and serotonin (linked to improved mood, self esteem, impulse control, and greater focus) and dopamine, which is the major driver of the attention center of the brain.

In fact, according to Dr. Ratey, "There is nothing that affects brain neuroplasticity as much as exercise. It causes a rapid and persistent uptick in the factors and chemicals that enhance learning and mood. Every week, 4-8 papers are released in the neuroscience literature on the positive effects of exercise on the brain." Exercise literally "stresses" the brain in a good way, in part by restricting blood flow to the brain (because the blood is flowing to your muscles instead of your brain). Just as your muscles deal with the stress of exercise by becoming bigger and stronger, so does your brain. In this case, "bigger and stronger" means "neurogenesis" or the building of additional brain matter and synaptic pathways.

This means that everyone in your family should be incorporating regular aerobic and other kinds of physical exercise into your schedule. It helps keep your mood positive and also readies your brain for learning. Schools tempted to cut recess time and physical education should reconsider, as lack of exercise can actually decrease learning even as teachers spend more time on academic subjects.

Dr. Ratey's course has been so interesting to its participants that we are thinking of offering it again sometime in the first quarter of 2007. If you wish to be notified via email when it is scheduled, feel free to send an email to Melissa Orlov at morlov@HallowellConnections.com.

Extended Release Medications Less Likely to be Abused. A study released at the end of October by the makers of Concerta suggests that extended release Concerta is less likely to be abused than shorter-acting forms of the same drug (sold as Ritalin). They posit that the lower likelihood of abuse derives in part because extended release products are less likely to provide a "high" or "euphoria".

American Academy of Pediatrics Stresses Free Play - The AAP recently released a report entitled "The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds". The report defends the importance of unstructured play for the development of healthy social, emotional and cognitive skills. In addition, the report calls attention to factors it feels threaten unstructured play, including reduced recess and phys ed time, changes in family structure and the competitive nature of college admissions.

Why Wine Works - Earlier this month a report was issued stating that drinking a glass or less of red wine a day can help reduce memory loss. We asked Dr. Ratey why this is. It turns out that red grapes contain an ingredient that is a mild toxin. When we drink it, this toxin places minor, healthy stress on the brain that induces it to "respond" and become stronger. Cumin has the same effect, for the same reason. But in this case, more is not better. Drink too much wine and the toxins are, well, toxic. Hence the common phrase of "killing brain cells" when you drink too much.

Dr. Hallowell and Michael Thompson, Ph.D. are teaming up to give an exciting 6-session course, "Raising Boys in an ADHD World" starting January 11, 2007. We are now offering a shortened, 3-session version that relates specifically to raising teenage boys. Learn more about challenging and managing teen boys from two experts! For more information, click on the link below.

Rebecca Shafir, M.A., C.C.C. and a member of the Hallowell Center staff, will conduct a one-session phone seminar explaining some of the more technical alternative treatments for ADHD. Ms. Shafir is responsible for Quantitative Electroencephalograms (QEEG), Low Energy Neurofeedback System (LENS) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) at the Hallowell Center. She is an excellent speaker and has the ability to simplify the complicated.

If you wish to join this single session course, please register at our course web site. Tuition is $47.50; the course will take place at 8:00-9:15 pm EST on February 13, 2007.

Dr. Hallowell recently completed a three-session course on "ADD for Couples" that was extremely helpful for those who participated. The three- session format allowed time for the couples to do unique exercises between classes that helped them work through some of their issues, then come back and talk with Dr. Hallowell again with further questions.

Because the course was so useful, Dr. Hallowell has decided to run it again for anyone interested in helping their ADD-affected marriage become more joyful. The course begins January 16th, 2007 and runs for three weeks. Each session is 75 minutes, and the course cost PER COUPLE is $295 - Sign up now so you don't forget over the holidays!

email: morlov@hallowellconnections.com

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

web: http://www.drhallowell.com