Parents and teachers of children with Attention Deficit Disorder are being urged to attend the first session of what facilitators hope will become a regular coping support group for anyone dealing with ADD.
ADD, which usually shows up in children before age six, is characterized by impulsive behaviour, an inability to focus, high activity levels, and difficulty interacting with peers, among others.
ADD must be diagnosed by a physician.
The ADD support group, slated to meet tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Knox United Church, will provide an channel for people to talk and exchange ideas on the subject of ADD, as well as open the doors to what resources are available, said co-facilitator Heather Whitburn.
“We want the group to be a supportive and educational one, and for the [majority] to decide how it will develop,” she noted last week.
“Even if it’s just a place to exchange phone numbers so you have somebody to talk to,” she added. “We’re just going to throw it up in the air and see what the need is.”
Whitburn said the lines of communication between families with ADD children should be opened up, and the stigma of embarrassment over the issue dropped.
That’s an opinion shared by Cynthia Donald, who is helping get the group up and running.
Donald, a teacher at Robert Moore School, also has a child with ADD and admitted she was in denial about it for quite a while before realizing there was no need to be.
“I denied it with Drew for a long time but I finally realized he’s in good company,” she said yesterday. “A lot of famous people have it, like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and Robin Williams.
“ADD doesn’t mean you’re stupid,” she stressed. “And you can [have it] and be a very product part of society.”
Michael Whitehead, children’s mental health therapist at Family and Children’s Services here, said yesterday an ADD support group headed up by parents and other concerned individuals is a very positive step towards better communication and understanding of the disorder.
He also noted it is an especially good outlet for parents with ADD children.
“It is very important for parents. They have a very difficult time,” he added. “Children with ADD can be very demanding and often very draining on parents.”
“[FACS] is very supportive of the support group and want to assist them in any way possible,” Whitehead stressed.
A psychometrist who will address the topics of ADD assessment and evaluation also is slated to attend tomorrow night’s meeting.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
