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MYADHD.com ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF ITS SUBSCRIBER ADMINISTRATION TOOL FOR 2004!
myADHD.com was launched in the Fall of 2003 to provide a means by which parents, educators, health professionals, and adults with ADHD could communicate easily with one another to improve assessment, tracking, and treatment. Since its release, myADHD.com has attracted a great deal of interest as it is the only Internet site of its kind. Starting January 1, 2004, premium annual subscribers will be able to view, complete, send, and receive rating scales, history forms, and checklists online with the new myADHD.com .Subscriber Administration tool in their secure, encrypted private account.
Using our Subscriber Administration Tool you can send an email with a link to one of the myADHD.com rating scales to a parent or teacher. The recipient can view and complete the scale online and you will be notified by e-mail that the completed scale is viewable in your secure, private myADHD.com account. Completed forms are stored for future reference throughout the term of your subscription and they can be e-mailed to others.
You will have many of the scales you need for your next ADHD assessment or for monitoring progress (Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, SNAP-IV Rating Scale, DSM IV ADHD Rating Scale, ADHD Monitoring Form, and others). These scales are commonly used in ADHD research studies, provide measures of core ADHD symptoms, academic performance, social adjustment, developmental history, etc. and are available in child, adolescent, and adult forms online. And you can have the luxury of automated sending and receiving of forms and automated electronic scoring for most of the scales on myADHD.com if you are a Premium Subscriber.
WHAT IS NEW IN RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
Long-acting stimulants effective for the treatment of ADHD
A November 2003 article by child and adolescent psychiatrist, Joseph Biederman, M.D., points out that there is a new generation of long-acting stimulants that are changing the face of treatment for ADHD. There are currently four, rapid-acting, long-lasting stimulant medications available: three of these contain methylphenidate (Concerta; Metadate CD; and Ritalin-LA) and one (Adderall XR) is composed of a single-entity amphetamine. They can all be used to initiate treatment but their duration of action differs from six to eight hours (Metadate CD and Ritalin-LA) to 10 to 12 hours (Adderall XR and Concerta). Not only do those with ADHD get longer coverage using these medications, but potential for abuse or diversion is reduced when longer-acting medications are used. (From: Beiderman, J. Medscape Psychiatry and Mental Health Health, 2003)
Australian study examines the use of clonidine added to ongoing psychostimulant therapy for the treatment of ADHD
Problems of disruptive behavior such as ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD) account for about one half of all cases of mental disorder in children and adolescents. High rates of persistence of these problems along with potential for developing substance abuse, delinquent behavior, depression and anxiety make it quite important to provide effective treatment. While treatment with psychostimulant medication is generally effective in reducing the core symptoms of ADHD and can be helpful in reducing symptoms of aggression, the effect of psychostimulants is less robust in the presence of comorbid ODD and CD. A 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry by Hazell and Stuart supports the continued use of clonidine in combination with psychostimlant medication to reduce conduct symptoms associated with ADHD. They found that the treatment was well tolerated and unwanted effects were transient. Clonidine and other antihypertensive medications (i.e. Tenex) have been used for several years to reduce aggressive and highly impulsive behavior of children with ADHD, but the use of these medications in ADHD treatment have not been widely studied.
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Efficacy of a Single Daily Dose of Atomoxetine
Atomoxetine (trade name-Strattera) was approved in early 2003 for the treatment of ADHD in children and adults. Atomoxetine differs from stimulant medications which typically affect dopamine release or re-uptake. Atomoxetine acts as a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. A 2002 study by Michelson, D. reported in The ADHD Report (Vol. 11 (5), 2003), examined the efficacy of a single daily dose of atomoxetine in reducing ADHD symptoms. Atomoxetine treatment resulted in improvement in core ADHD symptoms, less inattention and improved settling down at betdtime. Side effects included gastrointestinal complaints (9.4% vs. 0%), appetite reduction (17% vs 5%), fatigue (10.6% vs 1.2%), and transient nausea or vomiting (15.3% vs. 2.4%). Atomoxetine was associated with increases in systolic blood pressure and pulse and a small decrease in weight but no change in height.
ADHD: A Difference or a Disorder?
What approach is best to take when explaining ADHD to families? Letters to the Editor in the December 2003 Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry discuss this point. Dr. Josephine Stanton suggests families may benefit from an explanation of ADHD as comprising a set of differences that people have much like eye color or hair color and emphasizes the importance of also focusing on the strengths the child or ADHD adult possesses. In her response, Dr. Mina Dulcan agrees with the importance of acknowledging strengths but not underplaying that this condition is a serious and maladaptive disorder.
JANUARY'S FEATURED MYADHD.COM TOOLS
Vanderbilt Teacher and Parent Rating Scale
The Vanderbilt Assessment Scale has two forms—one for parents and one for teachers. The scale is widely used by clinicians and researchers and provides information about symptom presence and severity and performance in the classroom, home, and social settings. Scale items are automatically scored for our Premium Annual subscribers.Click here to view a sample of the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale. For a list of additional myADHD.com Assessment Tools, please visit assessmenttools.html.
Workplace Accommodation Tools for Adults with ADHD
With the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations in the workplace to qualified employees. myADHD.com has several new treatment tools to explain how to request workplace accommodation, what accommodations are often requested by people with ADHD, and strategies to improve performance in the workplace. Visit our Treatment Tools section and see tools # 1203, 1204, and 1205 if you are a myADHD.com subscriber.
COMING ATTRACTIONS.
March 15th: Release of "Angry Children, Worried Parents" by Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., Robert Brooks, Ph.D., and Sharon Weiss, Ph.D. A manual for parents to help children manage anger. Visit www.addwarehouse.com
2004 NACE conferences and home study programs:
The National Association for Continuing Education (NACE) now offers online CE courses for psychologists, marriage and family counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals. For information on over 80 home study continuing education courses and new on-line courses, visit www.naceonline.com.
For additional articles and resources on ADHD visit the myADHD.com online library:
www.myadhd.com/librarytools.html
and Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
www.chadd.org
myADHD.com news is an e-publication of Health Link Systems, Inc. This publication is sponsored by myADHD.com, A.D.D. WareHouse, and the National Association for Continuing Education. Information presented here is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or other health care professional. Copyright 2004 by Health Link Systems, Inc. For comments or information, please send an email to: info@myadhd.com, subject line: myADHD.com News
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