RESILIENCY AND AD/HD: HOW DO YOU SPELL SUCCESS?

When Dr. Sam Goldstein, Ph. D., asked nine year old Michael what makes a good day, Michael said a good day is when bad things don't happen.  He proceeded to list the bad things!  It's as if a good day would be a day spent in bed!   Dr. Goldstein talks about what causes people to become "failure avoidant," to just want to escape.   He has been studying "resiliency," about what makes some individuals more able to function when faced with adversity, than others.   What factors insulate them, that allow them to beat the odds?  

(If you would like to see Dr. Goldstein's presentation, it is on January 4th, at the CHADD Adult Group meeting at Calvin College, in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall off of the library lobby, from 7-9 p.m.  There is no cost or pre-registration required to attend. All are welcome.  Membership to CHADD is encouraged but not required.  www.chaddgr.org)   

 What factors do you believe are most important in promoting or preventing resiliency, and why?   
Genetics/temperament?  Medication?  Beliefs?  Self-Awareness?  Family expectations?  Support?  Therapy?  Insurance coverage?  Early diagnosis?  Verbal skills?  Socio-economic status?  Spiritual faith?  Strengths?  Intelligence?  Social skills?  Education?  Family relationships?  Substance abuse?  Being in a committed relationship?  Stigma due to being treated for a mental disorder?  Peers?  Friendships?  Stable, secure environment?  Understanding of ones disability?   Others' understanding?         "How do you spell success?!"

 

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www.chaddgr.org

September 21, 2010 ~ Problems of Executive Function

September 21st, 2010, Dr. Rochelle Manor, Ph.D., co-founder of B.R.A.I.N.S., (Behavioral Resources and Institute for Neuropsychological Services), will be presenting: "Problems of Executive Function."  

"How can my child spend all evening on his homework, but then forget to turn it in the next day?"  

"Why doesn't my 5th grade son use cursive writing when he writes reports, or tie his shoes?  Is he just lazy?"

   "Why does she make so many careless mistakes?" 

Whether a child has AD/HD, Asperger's Syndrome, or a Learning Disability, even a child with a high IQ  may not do very well in school if they have a processing problem.  

Dr. Manor says we are wrong to assume that our goal should be to just treat symptoms. She says being distractible and fidgety aren't what cause impairment; we must treat the whole person.  She says problems of Executive Function cause impairment and need to be treated, whether someone has AD/HD, Aspergers, or a Learning Disability, though they are often not even identified.

Chris Dendy says that symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg, that you still need to look below the surface.

Does your child:
Forget to turn in finished homework?
'Make careless mistakes?
'Lose track?
'Have difficulty anticipating consequences?
'Writing a report?
'Knowing where to start,
'What to save and throw out?  or with
'Knowing what to study for a test?
Do they know the material, but fail the test?

Executive Function requires being able to coordinate skills, not just demonstrate you can do them on a test or in an isolated situation.

October 18th, Interactive Discussion on Topics That Best Meet the Needs of the Group

November 16th, Tammy Finn, Director of ARC, will discuss "Getting Help for Your Child at School."

CHADD of Grand Rapids: August 3rd, Richard Ten Hoor "Anger, HMMMM..."

CHADD of Grand Rapids: August 3rd, Richard Ten Hoor "Anger, HMMMM...": "PLEASE COMMENT ON OUR BLOG BEFORE OR AFTER THE MEETING - WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK!August 3rd, Richard Ten Hoor, will facilitate a discussion o..."

Richard facilitated a great discussion, starting with what the dictionary and sages from the past have said about anger, to sharing how anger was expressed in our family of origin. We talked about identifying feelings that may be masked by our anger (such as feeling out of control), what can trigger our instinctive, fight or flight response (such as a belief that nobody cares or that you can never do anything right), whether anger is a good or bad thing, the difference between being assertive and aggressive, and how anger can help you if expressed in the right way, at the right time (after both parties have cooled off enough to be rational), with the right person, in the right amount, for the right reason (such as when someone has treated you unfairly). We talked about how skills such as reflective listening and I-messages can help everyone keep a cool head. We talked about how to control anger instead of letting it control us! I was impressed with how genuine everyone was, and wanting to learn from each others experiences.

CHADD of Grand Rapids: June 1- Mary Dykstra, MBA, CPO, "You've Kept It, B...

CHADD of Grand Rapids:

July 7- "Access to Care" survey and a facilitated, interactive discussion requesting input on upcoming meeting topics, and issues that best meet the needs of the group.

June 1- Mary Dykstra, MBA, CPO, "You've Kept It, B...: "Turn your next spring cleaning into a spring CLEARING! Join us June 1, 2010, 7:00 to 9:00PM “You’ve Kept It, But Now Can You Find It? I..."

How has CHADD of GR Helped You?

How has CHADD of Grand Rapids been helpful to you?

Misunderstandings About AD/HD

What problems do you see being caused due to misunderstandings about AD/HD?  

You’ve Kept It, But Now Can You Find It? It’s Time to Refocus

Turn your next spring cleaning into a spring CLEARING!
Join us

June 1, 2010,

7:00 to 9:00PM

“You’ve Kept It, But Now Can You Find It? It’s Time to Refocus!”

Mary Dykstra, Certified Professional Organizer for Office, Home, & Life, has been helping corporate, residential, and entrepreneurial clients get organized since 1984, including individuals with AD/HD! Mary speaks and consults nationally. Join us for a great conversation and some very practical tips.

To find out more about Mary, visit: www.withinreach.biz or call 616-453-2976

CHADD Joins Coalition Advocating TSCA Reform

CHADD Joins Coalition Advocating TSCA Reform
Seeks Expansion of Chemicals for Regulatory Examination under the Toxic Substances Control Act

CHADD has joined a coalition of more than sixty organizations in urging congressional leaders to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in order to protect children and other vulnerable populations from chemical and environmental threats.

In a letter sent to chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the coalition urged them to support the inclusion of provisions that prioritize human health in legislation currently being drafted to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Pesticides and ADHD

Turn your next spring cleaning into a spring CLEARING!
Join us

June 1, 2010,

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

“You’ve Kept It, But Now Can You Find It?

It’s Time to Refocus!”

Mary Dykstra, Certified Professional Organizer for Office, Home, & Life, has been helping corporate, residential, and entrepreneurial clients get organized since 1984, including individuals with AD/HD! Mary speaks and consults nationally. Join us for a great conversation and some very practical tips.

To find out more about Mary, visit: www.withinreach.biz or call 616-453-2976

Bullying

"Bullying"

Kids with AD/HD are 10 times more likely to 

be bullied and 4 more times more likely to bully another child. 

Teasing vs. Taunting

Telling vs. Tattling

  

"Innocent Bystanders?" 

"Words Will Never Hurt Me?" 

"Hit 'Em Back?"

What's a parent to do?!

Kevin's Story of His Journey of Self-Discovery

May 4^th: One member of the Adult Group, who found his niche in creative design, has graciously accepted our invitation to share his journey of self-discovery.  Please join us to hear Kevin's Story.

AD/HD Friendly Environments at Home and at School Part II

March 16th and April 20th: Does your child tend to be chronically bored and craving stimulation, or are they more often overwhelmed by too much? Keynote speaker at this year's CHADD International Convention, Sydney Zentall, Ph.D., was one of the pioneers in the concept of "optimal level of stimulation." She will be discussing ways to create "AD/HD Friendly Environments at Home and at School."

Social Skills in Adults with AD/HD

April 6th: Nicole Beurkens, Director of Horizon's Developmental Remediation Center, http://www.horizonsdrc.com, will be discussing Social Skills in Adults with AD/HD. If someone is impatient, they may interrupt. If someone can't remember a sequence of instructions, they may be viewed as irresponsible. If they fidget, they may appear disinterested. Nicole has found that there is more neuroplasticity in the brain than people realize. It's never too late!

AD/HD Friendly Environments at Home and at School

March 16th & April 20th: Does your child tend to be chronically bored and craving stimulation, or are they more often overwhelmed by too much?  Keynote speaker at this year's CHADD International Convention, Sydney Zentall, Ph.D., was one of the pioneers in the concept of "optimal level of stimulation."  She will be discussing ways to create "AD/HD Friendly Environments at Home and at School."

AD/HD in Adults: Impact on Major Life Activities and Implications for Intervention

March 2^nd: Russell Barkley, Ph.D.'s presentation will be shown, "AD/HD in Adults: Impact on Major Life Activities and Implications for Intervention."  Do you know when AD/HD was first recognized in adults?  Barkley and a team of researchers took 91 of the most common symptoms of AD/HD and found 9 that could best differentiate AD/HD from some other disorder.   In what three areas of life does AD/HD cause the most impairment?

Social Development and AD/HD

February 16th, 2010: Social skills are a better predictor of positive outcomes in adulthood than IQ scores!  Does your child realize when they are getting too loud, bossy, or are monopolizing the conversation?  Or do they appear unfriendly and too preoccupied?   Is it hard to have a reciprocal conversation with them, about an important matter, that doesn’t suddenly make them defensive and hostile?    Are you concerned that when they grow up that they may never know what it means to have a best friend?  CHADD’s Parent Group will be welcoming Nicole Beurkens, Director of Horizons Developmental Remediation Center, http://www.horizonsdrc.com, who will be discussing Social Development and AD/HD. She will provide strategies for improving social skills for individuals with AD/HD and related disorders. If you missed it, she will be discussing this topic again, but will be tailoring it for our adult group meeting on April 6th.

AD/HD is considered a disability in children but not in adults...

February 2nd:

Did you know that AD/HD is considered a disability in children but not in adults?

We have been invited to provide comment on How AD/HD Impacts Occupational /Functioning to the Occupational Information Development Panel of the Social Security Administration.

Have you ever lost a sales job because you can't memorize, let alone stick to, a prepared script?

Have you ever lost a job because you were late, absent, had forgotten appointments, or missed deadlines?

Do you have trouble filling out call reports?

Has ambient noise from co-workers distracted you, or have you quit because you were bored beyond belief?

Do you suspect you lost a job because your boss may not appreciate all of your advice about how he or she could do things better?

Some individuals, who are severely affected by AD/HD, go from one temp job to the next and can't live independently. They may be bright in many ways, but are still living in their parents' basement or ailing relative. Come join the discussion!

Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline

January 19th, 2010, we will show "Kids Are Worth It! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline," presented by Barbara Coloroso, internationally acclaimed author and speaker. This was the keynote presentation at the most recent CHADD annual conference. Her dry humor and illustrations provide excellent food for thought in this jam-packed presentation.

"Problems of Executive Function: A New Understanding of ADD"

January 5, 2010:  Oren Mason, M.D., author of a recently published book, will present: "Problems of Executive Function: A New Understanding of ADD."   Just as an executive at a company has to coordinate everyone's efforts to get the job done, parts of the brain have to work together, too.  A person may have a great memory, but not when they most need it!  Problems of Executive Function usually persist throughout life.   Dr. Mason will explain how they can affect people and how to address them.