ADD Finds Relief with Integrated Treatment

Dallas Five-Year-Old with ADD Finds Relief with Integrated Treatment Program
ADD Health and Wellness Center’s customized treatment program focused on the full range of medical and non-medical options



DALLAS, TX, May 10, 2007 – Five-year old Shelby couldn’t pay attention. She didn’t listen and always had that glazed-over look. Her parents worried she suffered from attention deficit disorder (ADD), just like her dad, and would need medication to help control the condition. They wanted to find alternative treatment options but had no idea where to turn.

A common condition in the U.S., ADD/ADHD is estimated to affect up to 7 percent of U.S. school children, or around 4 million. ADD has a strong genetic link so parents and children often share the condition. It’s estimated that 8 million adults have ADD, but only 25 percent know it. Many struggle to find the right treatment options.

“ADD is almost as inheritable as height,” said Theresa Cerulli, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for the national ADD Health and Wellness Centers. “In families, if a child has ADD there’s almost always a parent with the condition.” Adults and children with ADD can be forgetful, fidgety, distracted and have difficulty following through on instructions.

Drugs are the single-most common treatment for ADD/ADHD and related conditions in this country. Shelby’s parents Annette and Eric Miguez were familiar with the medical treatment options, but they wanted to know about other treatment choices for Shelby, including effective alternative therapies.

Based on a friend’s suggestion, they visited the ADD Health and Wellness Center in Dallas. The Center is a unique, one-stop care facility where medical treatment, testing and counseling for ADD and related conditions are integrated. At the Center, treatment tools include nutritional counseling, psychologists and social workers offering individual and group therapy, education and coaching as well as medical treatment.

After an initial evaluation and assessment, the Miguezes worked with Dr. Karen Friedman, a psychologist at the ADD Health and Wellness Centers, to create a customized treatment program for Shelby focusing on behavior modification. Through non-pharmaceutical treatments like coaching, counseling and nutrition therapy, an effective integrated program was created for their daughter.

The Miguezes quickly learned how to manage and modify Shelby’s behavior with positive reinforcement using a powerful technique called the “token system.” When Shelby achieved specific goals in her program, she received pink chips. The chips were special because her mother made them for her.

“The token system is an effective technique because it focuses on positive reinforcement and well-defined goals,” said Dr. Friedman. “It’s like giving a child with poor eyesight the glasses she needs to see. ADD/ADHD children need something external to help modulate their behavior.”

The ADD Health and Wellness Centers’ treatment programs generally involve the entire family, which doctors, therapists and counselors have found to be most effective. In Shelby’s case, Dr. Friedman worked directly with her parents to create the program and coach them on administering Shelby’s treatment in the comfort of their home. After the initial assessment Shelby never visited the Center.

Shelby and her parents noticed an immediate change when a few simple changes were made to her diet and daily activities. For breakfast, protein replaced sugars and processed foods. And Shelby’s day was structured around a programmed schedule so she knew what to expect and could remain comfortably focused.

“It’s amazing to the see the turnaround in Shelby,” said Annette. “It’s like night and day. She is much more focused. Her teachers immediately noticed an improvement, as did her Tae Kwon Do coaches. By focusing our time and energy on this treatment program, we’ve made huge progress.”

Other important treatment components available at ADD Health and Wellness Centers include:
• Neuropsychological evaluations and diagnostic clarifications
• Education and counseling
• Behavioral and cognitive treatment for ADD and other co-existing conditions
• Academic tutoring and placement specialists
• Coaching services
• Support groups
• Social skills groups
• Skills-based group treatment
• Intensive workshops
• Medication therapies
• Complementary and alternative non-medication therapies
• Nutritional counseling and supplementation

About ADD Health and Wellness Centers: ADD Health and Wellness Centers, Inc. is dedicated to individualized, comprehensive, accessible, results-driven treatment for ADD and related conditions. The ADD Health and Wellness Centers are located in Greater Dallas, Boston, Austin and Houston, and more than a half dozen Centers are scheduled to launch around the country in the next year.

For more information, visit www.ADDhealthandwellness.com.

More information about new ADD/ADHD treatments