|
|
For Immediate Release |
| August 27, 2002 | |
| Contact: Carol McKay | |
| 202-835-3323 ext.114 | |
| media@nclnet.org |
Americans
Need Help Understanding AD/HD
National
Consumers League, ADDitude, and “The Brady Bunch’s”
Chris Knight Team Up for National Education Campaign
Linda
Golodner, president of the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s
oldest consumers advocacy organization, said thousands of children and adults
who have AD/HD are not getting diagnosed or treated. “An important barrier to
treatment is misinformation,” Golodner said. “Go on the Internet, and
you’ll be told that AD/HD is the parents’ fault or that too much TV is to
blame. That is fiction. AD/HD is a brain disorder and it requires the help of
parents, teachers, and health professionals. That’s why we’re providing
straightforward information—to get people the facts they need so they can get
the help they need.”
Studies show up to 7 percent of children and adults in the United States have AD/HD, symptoms of which include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. Children with untreated AD/HD are at increased risk of dropping out of school, while adults with AD/HD are at an increased risk of losing their jobs. AD/HD is not curable, but it is treatable. The nation’s leading healthcare authorities agree that properly diagnosed AD/HD is best treated with behavior therapy, and if necessary, medication. But the general public remains confused, especially about treatment. A new nationwide survey of 1,007 adults was commissioned by NCL and conducted Aug. 2 through Aug. 6.
The survey revealed:
· A third of respondents feel there is still much debate among medical experts about whether AD/HD is a genuine medical disorder;
· 43 percent of respondents said a lot of students with AD/HD would do better in school if they tried harder; and,
· More than half of respondents said vitamin or herbal supplements are a good way to treat AD/HD, and nearly two-thirds say reducing the amount of sugar that kids consume will help.
A
key part of the campaign is a set of AD/HD Principles drawn up by NCL and
prominent members of the AD/HD community. “The AD/HD Principles represent the
knowledge of dozens of experts and children’s advocates, who are weary of
unscientific theories,” said Ellen Kingsley, editor in chief of ADDitude Magazine, a publication dedicated to helping those with the
disorder.
“The
Principles put the facts about AD/HD—and the rights and responsibilities of
those who have the disorder—in one place and in consumer-friendly language,”
added Kingsley, whose son has AD/HD. “They are a powerful weapon against the
stigma surrounding AD/HD.” Plans call for the AD/HD Principles to be sent to
elected officials, parents’ organizations, health Web sites and the news
media.
Those who support the Principles include AD/HD researchers and doctors from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Columbia University, Mount Sinai Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as well as the Children’s Defense Fund, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved.
Also
supporting the AD/HD Principles was Knight, who starred on “The Brady Bunch”
from 1969 to 1974. Knight said he struggled for years with Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD), a variant of AD/HD, and wasn’t diagnosed and treated until
five years ago. “My real life was a lot like Peter’s was on ‘The Brady
Bunch,’” said Knight, now a successful technology entrepreneur. “Peter was
the one who was always getting into trouble. He got fired from the ice cream
shop and the bicycle shop.”
"No one should suffer like I did," he said.
The AD/HD Principles and survey results are available at www.nclnet.org.
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