This Newsletter is a part of the ADHD Taking Control Through Knowledge Website At adhdnews.com/fmain.htm

For those of you who participate in the message board area, either as a poster or just a reader of the discussion going on there, we recently changed the boards over to a password protected site to insure privacy from outsiders who are using the boards to post spam. Getting a password is easy and all you need to do is drop me a note at brandi@adhdnews.com and let me know you want access to the message boards.

I apologize for this inconvenience but it was important to me that the message boards be used only as I intended them and it was time to take control back from those who only wish to use it for their own gain.

I also want to welcome 2 new sponsors to my site.

First I want to welcome back the ADDwarehouse. ADDwarehouse offers all sorts of materials for the parents of ADHD children as well as teachers. Be sure to check out their current special, a FREE GUIDE about Medications for ADHD. Explains what medications are used to treat ADHD, how to use ADHD medications properly, and what additional strategies can help kids with ADHD. Offer Expires 11/30/98 and is free with every order.

New to my site as a sponsor is the Center for Family Life Inc. They offer a book which offers never before published methods to teach parents how to help their children to behave at home and teaches parents how to help their children learn at school. "Living With ADHD Children" comes with two cassette tapes. The first tells you how to get your child to behave at home and learn in school. The second cassette tape tells you all about Super Foods and how they help children with ADHD. Check out their website at www.adhdbook.com

For those looking for alternatives treatments for special needs children including adhd, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, learning disabilities and other syndromes and disorders, check out the Yoga for The Special Child website at www.specialyoga.com/. They even offer a newsletter for those interested in this type of information.

Attention Feingold Members and Friends: The natural orange coloring which was mentioned in our last email newsletter is a salicylate product -- it contains paprika. This is important if you or your child is on Stage One of the Feingold Program or if you know you are salicylate sensitive.

Salicylates are a group of aspirin-like chemicals made by some plants, possibly as a pesticide to protect themselves. They are troublesome for people who are sensitive to synthetic food dyes, and they have also been connected with hives and asthma as well as behavior problems. The Feingold Association also offers this advice for those of you looking for alternative ideas and help with Halloween.

For a small child who wants very badly to dress up and go out collecting goodies, you may be able to "plant" natural candies and treats at the houses of certain neighbors. Steer your young one to these houses. Little toys may be as welcome as candies.

The slightly older child may respond well to the incentive of a buy-back. I used to buy all the candy my children collected at 5 cents per piece.

If you are having the Halloween party, you get to control which treats are available. Dressing up is fun. Ghosts are cool .... I'll never forget the party where we had to feel cold spaghetti noodles in the dark and were told it was somebody's intestines .... ugh. If you are into apple dunking but your child is on Stage One, (no apples) then dunk for pears ....... they might even be easier to bite into.

If you want to make an apple pie but your child is on Stage One (no apples, right?) try a pear pie. Use hard pears. Add a little more lemon juice, maybe some cinnamon. Should be fine.

I could tell you how to make natural pink icing (use beet juice), but I give up on orange icing. If you need orange, you can buy bottled natural food coloring from the Squirrel's Nest. You can reach them at (302) 378-1033 for a free catalog. If you want orange and black cup cakes or cookies or whatever, you can make chocolate icing (make sure you use chocolate with real vanilla, or use plain cocoa with real vanilla) and put plastic orange decorations on top.... maybe pumpkins, or whatever. Make sure the kids are old enough not to swallow them. Or you can decorate cupcakes using Sunspire Sundrops -- the natural M&M alternatives, found in many health food stores. If yours does not carry the Sundrops, (plain & peanut) you can ask your store manager to get them from Sunspire at 510-569-9731. These contain real chocolate and milk, but Sunspire also carries quite a selection of candy, including some with carob, if you prefer it. (Squirrel's Nest also carries them.)

For more information on the Feingold Association and their approach to disorders and behavior issues through diet visit them at www.feingold.org

Several well conducted studies have shown that children with ADHD are more likely than others to become depressed at some time during their development. In fact, the risk for developing depression may be as much as 3 times greater than for other children.

A study recently published in the Journal of Affective Disorders (January 1998, 113-122) examined the course of depression in 76 children with ADHD in order to learn more about the relationship between ADHD and depression. The authors were especially interested in whether depression in children with ADHD represents an actual clinical depression, or whether it may be better understood as a kind of "demoralization" that can result from the day to day struggles that children with ADHD often have.

Lets begin by reviewing what mental health professionals mean when they talk about depression. The important point to emphasize is that the clinical diagnosis of depression requires the presence of a collection of different symptoms - just because one is feeling down or depressed does not necessarily mean that the diagnosis of major depression would be appropriate.

According to DSM-IV, the publication of the American Psychiatric Association that lists the official diagnostic criteria for all psychiatric disorders, the symptoms of major depression are as follows:

* depressed mood most of the day nearly every day (in children and teens this can be irritable mood rather than depressed);
* loss of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities;
* significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or a decrease or increase in appetite
* insomnia or hypersomnia (i.e. sleeping too much) nearly every day;
* extreme restlessness or lethargy (e.g. very slow moving;
* fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day;
* feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt;
* diminished ability to think or concentrate nearly every day;
* recurrent thoughts of death and/or suicidal thoughts;

For the diagnosis of depression to apply, 5 or more of the symptoms listed above need to be present during the same 2 week period (i.e. the symptoms must have persisted for at least 2 weeks), and at least one of the symptoms must be either 1) depressed mood (irritable mood in children can qualify) or 2) loss of interest or pleasure. In addition, it must be determined that the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment, are not due to the direct physiological effects of a medication or general medical condition, and are not better accounted for by Bereavement (i.e. loss of a loved one.)

As you can see, the important point is that true clinical depression is indicated by a collection of symptoms that persist for a sus- tained time period, and is clearly more involved that feeling "sad" or "blue" by itself.

Let me also say a few words about depression in children. Research has shown that the core symptoms for depression in children and adolescents are the same as for adults. Certain symptoms appear to be more prominent at different ages, however. As already noted above, in children and teens the predominant mood may be extreme irritability rather than "depressed". In addition, somatic complaints and social withdrawal are especially common in children, and hypersomina (i.e sleeping too much) and psychomotor retardation (i.e. being extremely slow moving are less common). What, then, would a "typical" depressed child look like? Although there of course would be wide variations from child to child, such a child might seem to be extremely irritable, and this would represent a distinct change from their typical state. They might stop participating or getting excited about things they used to enjoy and display a distinct change in eating patterns. You would notice them as being less energetic, they might complain about being unable to sleep well, and they might start referring to themselves in critical and disparaging ways. It is also quite common for school grades to suffer as their concentration is impaired, as does their energy to devoted to any task. As noted above, this pattern of behavior would persist for at least several weeks, and would appear as a real change in how the child typically is. With this brief overview of depression behind us, lets get back to the study. The authors of this study started with 76 boys who had been diagnosed with both major depression and ADHD and followed them over a 4 year period. Because depression can be such a debilitating condition they were interested in learning what factors predicted persistent major depression, and how the course of depression and ADHD were intertwined.

The results of the study indicated that the strongest predictor of persistent major depression was interpersonal difficulties (i.e being unable to get along well with peers). In contrast, school difficulty and severity of ADHD symptoms were not associated with persistent major depression. In addition, the marked diminishment of ADHD symptoms did not necessarily predict a corresponding remission of depressive symptoms. In other words, the course of ADHD symptoms and the course of depressive symptoms in this sample of children appeared to be relatively distinct. The results of this study suggest that in children with ADHD who are depressed, the depression is not simply the result of demoralization that can result from the day to day struggles that having ADHD can cause. Instead, although such struggles may be an important risk factor that makes the development of depression in children with ADHD more likely, depression in children with ADHD is a distinct disorder and not merely "demoralization". Depression in children can be effectively treated with psychological intervention. In fact, the evidence to support the efficacy of psychological interventions for depression in children and adolescents is more compelling than the evidence supporting the use of medication.

The important point that can be taken from this study, I think, is that parents need to be sensitive to recognizing the symptoms of depression in their child, and not to simply assume that it is just another facet of their child's ADHD. In addition, if a child with ADHD does develop depression as well, treatments that target the depressive symptoms specifically need to be implemented. As this study shows, one should not assume that just addressing the difficulties caused by the ADHD symptoms will also alleviate a child's depression.

If you have concerns about depression in your child, a thorough evaluation by an experienced child mental health professional is strongly recommended. This can be a difficult diagnosis to correctly make in children, and you really want to be dealing with someone who has extensive experience in this area.

David Rabiner, PhD
Licensed Psychologist

NOTE: In addition to writing this column in Added Attractions, Dr. Rabiner publishes an electronic newsletter called ADHD RESEARCH UPDATE that helps parents stay informed about new research on ADHD and how new findings can be applied to help their child. To receive a free trial subscription to ADHD RESEARCH UPDATE, click on this e-mail link: , type "Free Trial" in the subject line, and hit send. Your first sample issue will be sent within several days.

Parents planning to coach their children to social and emotional success need more than tools, such as Parent Coaching Cards, to get the job done. Along with the virtues of patience, determination and insight, is the need for an often overlooked, but key coaching ingredient: support for autonomy. In this context, I define autonomy as the child's capacity to independently achieve healthy and desirable goals in life. Among these goals include completion of homework, satisfactory resolution of a peer problem, or choosing a sensible course of action from a variety of options. The ability to attain these goals without parental involvement allows children to take complete ownership of the pride that flows from them. This pride translates into fuel for the developing sense of autonomy, a critical building block to self esteem.

The dilemma for many parents begins with the fact that children's path towards autonomy doesn't take place without our help. As we strive to guide our children towards independence we must provide some of the necessary "scaffolding" within which they can grow. Some of these external supports include rules, expectations, consequences for misbehavior, and so on. Coaching is also included within this framework since it helps children develop self-management skills. Each parent shares a similar goal: for their child to develop the skills to be self-sufficient in a challenging and unpredictable world. Yet, the goal is much clearer that the individual steps we must take in assisting children in reaching this destination. As we provide "parent coaching" we must be mindful of the need to step back and allow our children the chance to venture forth on their own.

The delicate balance between coaching skills and supporting autonomy was recently epitomized by the mother of Kenny, a seventeen-year-old boy with AD/HD, "There's a real fine line between coaching and not coaching. My husband and I are not sure which side to be on. Sometimes we get it right and Kenny accepts our help but a lot of times he rejects it. This confuses us because we're not aware of doing anything different each time; it's more like he's the one who feels differently about receiving our help. And when we blow it, and try to force our help upon him, it's liable to backfire." This astute mother's comments highlight several issues that parents are wise to consider when approaching their child with coaching help: children's mood, parents' presentation, and the potential for coaching backfires.

Mood acts as a filtering mechanism, coloring a child's internal experience of external events. Therefore, it plays a pivotal role in how children interpret help. If a child's mood is on a downturn due to a recent disappointment, or even on an upswing after a success, a parent's help may be perceived more like a hindrance than a help. For the parent, the child's rejection of help is confusing and frustrating, emotions that don't peacefully combine with the child's fragile mood. In the exchange of verbal crossfire, parents may get easily sucked into the role of attempting to enforce "help" upon the unwilling child. This coaching backfire results in distance and distrust between parent and child, leaving both feeling wary of offering or asking for help.

To minimize these backfires I recommend that parents "take their kid's emotional temperature" before being generous with help. This means asking open-ended questions or making non-threatening observations to find out how receptive the child may be towards help. Comments such as "Maybe we could talk about that since I think we could both learn a thing or two," doesn't present the parent as the one with all the answers. Instead, it places parent and child in the same role of learning from events. Of course, some kids don't offer a lot about what's happening in their lives, but they may demonstrate how they're feeling about those events. Angry expressions, attempts to discredit parents' help, and/or rampant justifications for why they don't need help, suggest that the coaching bridge between parent and child may be closed for the time being. Parents are wise to back off in the face of these barriers to help, but they should stress that help remains available should the child be ready at some other point. The importance of how parents present their offers of coaching can not be overestimated. It's much easier to send a child reeling away from our offers than it is to establish a safe dialogue within which to receive it. Comments such as, "I want to give you some help with that," or even "Let's talk about that," can quickly send a child into a defensive mode. Some children are so sensitive to having their autonomy threatened that they experience a parent's coaching as the imposition of control. When the child sounds off with protests such as "You're pressuring me!" or "Stop pushing so hard!" this signals the need for some preliminary groundwork. The groundwork can be likened to preparing soil for cultivation; don't expect a child's self-management skills to grow and flourish without the proper environment. The proper environment for coaching considers the whole child, not just their areas of need. A forthcoming article addresses the many concerns inherent in the "whole child" concept. For the purposes of this column I will continue to confine my comments to autonomy.

Cultivating acceptance of coaching in a child whose feelings of autonomy are easily threatened is a daunting task. One of the first steps is to establish a dialogue wherein the two of you can safely discuss what coaching is supposed to be and what it isn't supposed to be. It may even be helpful to write down two headings, such as "good coaching" and "bad coaching" and then start placing examples under each heading.

For example:
GOOD COACHING BAD COACHING

1. When Mom prepared me in the car for 1. When Mom didn't ask if I wanted some of the things that happened at the help, barged into my room, and then sleep-over. expected me to say, "Hi, mother dear, are you ready to help me now?"

The "bad coaching" example is offered to underscore the point that a little self-effacing humor on the part of the parent can go a long way towards helping to cultivate a more receptive mood in your child. Humor can also effectively set the stage for parent and child to reflect upon some of the coaching backfires in the past, and unearth what went wrong and why. For instance, in the "bad coaching" example, it provides the parent with the opportunity to suggest that in her zeal to help, she actually made the child feel controlled by her approach.

Another important step in "coaching cultivation" is to talk about every child's need for autonomy. Many children experience relief to hear parents say something like the following: "Being a kid who needs help every once in a while but also wants to be able to do without it, is not an easy position to be in. And sometimes when you need help the most, you want it the least! That's because a lot of kids reject help when they're feeling touchy about not knowing something as well as they think they should." These words convey a parent's empathic understanding of the Catch-22 that kids find themselves in.

Once a child acknowledges that this is true of them, parents might follow with a comment such as this one: "Maybe you could tell me a way that I could let you know that I've got some help to offer without you feeling like I'm trying to take control away from you?"

Such a comment diminishes the child's feelings of being controlled by placing them in the advice-giving role. Apart from the various factors that parents can weigh in considering their "coach approach," there is the option of not offering help. Sometimes this choice is made by default because circumstances require it, while other times it can be voluntarily determined by parent and child. If a particular situation arises that lends itself to a child "going solo," parents can highlight that perhaps this time the child might want to handle things on their own from start to finish. For instance, in the case of a child who has always relied on the parent to format a study plan for upcoming tests, the parent might suggest that this time they do it alone and give themselves the directions that they have relied upon the parent to give them in the past. In fact, the expression, "Give Yourself The Directions," may be the only coaching advice the parent offers in those situations that lend themselves to such tests of autonomous functioning. Much more can be said about supporting our children's needs for autonomy. As Kenny's mother put it, parents must walk that "real fine line" that tends to keep moving as the child's mood and surrounding circumstances shift it's position. Parents are advised to pay particular attention to the balance between coaching and supporting autonomy by not emphasizing one side to the exclusion of the other. Many factors will help you stay abreast of where the line is, especially an open communication channel between you and your child.

Recently, I was emailed about a lady with Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome and her child who has Attention Deficit Disorder. She stated that the diet worked for her son and helped her also.

This month's article is dedicated to Debbie and her son to show the correlation between diet and various health conditions. Also, to help give options available to others facing similar conditions.

Common Vitamins needed:

Common Minerals needed:

Common Herbs used:

**These herbs are used to work with the immune system and improve the blood flow to the brain improving the overall health continually. These also boost the amount of allergens produced.**

• Astragulus
• Echinacea
• Garlic
• Ginseng
• Gingko Biloba
• Primrose oil
• Borage seed oil

Factors to consider looking into:

• food intolerance
• thyroid
• preservatives
• prescription drugs (negative influences)
• mineral deficiencies
• environmental intolerances
• trace elements deficiencies
• heavy metal poisoning
• additives
• vitamin deficiencies
• prostaglandin imbalance
• chemical intolerances

food intolerance - an adverse response to food that is mediated by an immunologic mechanism and occurs consistently after consumption of a particular food.

Tests common to both:
complete blood count with:
leukocyte differential
erythrocyte
sedimentation rate
serum levels of lanine aminotransferase
total protein
albinuin
globulin
alkaline phospatase
calcium
phosphorous
glucose
blood urea nitrogen
electrolytes
creatinine
determination of thryroid-stimulating hormone
urinalysis
Suggestions to try:
a varied diet of fresh, refined foods
a trial of vitamin B6 and magnesium supplements
a gluten free and casein free diet
a yeast/mold free diet
a diagnostic trial of avoidance of all commonly allergenic foods

E'OLA puts out smart longevity and amps 2 which have had wonderful success with both ADD and CFIDS due to the common components of Gingko Biloba, DMAE which works with the neuro transmitters, and by being in drop form they go directly into the blood stream.

My son and I have been on the drops for years and I recommend them highly. I have information on how to get E'OLA and can send that to you by mail or by fax.

My book covers theory/controversy, personal favorites, tests available, misdiagnosis, documentation, Attention Deficit, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Compulsive behavior, Autism, Tourettes, Vitamins, Minerals, Trace Elements, Organizations, and much more. The price is $30.90 which includes price, tax, and shipping. Send to Michelle Davis P.O. Box 10757 Prescott, AZ 86304. I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to write me with your situations. It's great to be able to give back what God has given me. Thank you.

Recently, I have become the director of a non profit organization called, "Thank God It's Hopeful" which enables me to reach out and do research for the many of whom do not have the time or the resources available to search out the many options available for each individual, such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, vegetables, fruits, tests, and more to direct each individual on the path to healing. This is the first step towards a lifetime of good changes. The organization is dedicated to help those with chemical imbalances and health conditions who are not satisfied with the only option of prescription drugs to better their condition. For this organization to get going I am relying on your donations to fund the phone calls, research, mailings, and more that it takes to get the information to you. Please send what God places in your heart. Together we can make a difference!

_______________________________________________________________________ Please fill out this form and mail with your donation:

Name:

Address:

Phone number:

Fax:

Email:

_______________________________________________________________________ List of prescription drugs:

Age:

Weight:

List of symptoms:

Family history(drugs, alcohol, caffeine, other health conditions) example: diabetes, heart problems, etc.

Were you diagnosed? Explain when, what age, and symptoms

If not diagnosed, when did you first remember exhibiting symptoms? Or does someone else remember symptoms and at what age?

Thank you for filling out this form and mailing your donation to Michelle Davis C/O T.G.I.H., P.O. Box 10757, Prescott, AZ 86304. The research and options are to help you know more about the medications you are taking and the natural alternatives available. Please realize that I am not anti prescription drugs but the public needs to be made aware of the health options available and also, how to implement good choices into their existing program. The research, options, and opinions are those of myself and the organization and you should not start any program or start implementing without consulting a physician or naturopath.

It wasn't all that long ago when "conventional wisdom" held that ADD/ADHD was a childhood disorder that we would grow out of as we became older. Those of us who live with Adult ADD knew better - and eventually the professionals caught up and recognized that fact. ADD in adults is now being diagnosed and treated in much larger numbers than ever before.

As we look at the lives of these ADDults, we begin to see some patterns. Those who believe in the "ADD is a Disorder" mindset might call these patterns "the natural progression of the disease". For those who think of ADD as a "Difference" rather than a "Disorder", like I do, these patterns reinforce the idea that when you try to force fit an ADD person into a non-ADD world, you are bound to create a lot of problems.

Look at the numbers:
*Depression - up to 70% of ADD people have been treated for depression
* bi-polar disorder 20% (vs 1% of the general population)
*sleep problems 50%
*social phobias 31%. (Brown)

These numbers represent those who have been diagnosed and treated as ADD people. We also know that among the UNdiagnosed ADD population there are myriad other problems - self medication with Cocaine or other drugs (an estimated 15-20% of cocaine addicts are undiagnosed ADDers), conduct disorders, and more.

One has to wonder if dementia in the elderly is not as least partially included as well. You forget where you put your keys when you're 30 and its ADD - you forget when you're 70, they ship you off to the nursing home.

I fear that we are missing the point here, when we bury our heads in the sand and insist on treating ADD as some kind of discreet disorder which does not change overtime. Current practice seems to be to keep adding additional diagnoses as they appear, creating some kind of alphabet soup of mental illness - ADD/OCD/BPD/whatever. Can we not recognize that at least in some of these cases, ADD is a precursor to other mental health issues?

I am firmly of the "Hunter/Farmer" mindset - I have a hard time thinking of our unique nonlinear brains as "disordered". However, I am not so naive that I cannot see the results of our differences over time. Why is this important?

If we understand the nature of the ADD brain; if we know that we may be predisposed towards depression or other illness, then we can better recognize and understand what is happening when these things occur. Rather than waiting until we are suicidal to face the fact that it is Depression that is killing us, we can recognize that Depression is part of living with ADD and be ready to begin treatment before it reaches that point.

These disorders do not occur in ever person diagnosed with ADD. But, they do occur in significant enough numbers that we can no longer ignore the evidence.

I usually write the "upbeat" stuff about ADD, and I realize that reading that your ADD child will probably develop Depression and may become Bipolar is not exactly in keeping with my reputation as "Mr. Happy". But, this can be a positive step. Knowing that you are not alone - that so many of us live with these "advanced stages" of ADD, is always encouraging. You are not a freak. This is simply part of the process. By understanding that, you and your child will be better able to seek and receive help before reaching critical levels.

Bob Seay
add.miningco.com

Beginning the new school year is always fun and exciting: new clothes, new classes, new notebooks, books, binders, a new grade level, new teachers, new friends, new activities, and possibly a new school! Most of us have high hopes for a great year and want to do well academically. However, many of us really don't think about specific plans for better academics. I'm talking about "strategic learning,", knowing the "how-tos" to earn higher grades.

The word strategy is the key here. Strategy simply means a well-defined and thought out plan of action. Strategy is used in the military (remember Desert Storm?) and certainly in sports (those little Xs and Os that the coach uses are strategies for wining.) You, too, can design a strategy for reaching higher academic goals and becoming a better student!

1. Plan to make studying happen. This means developing your own agenda and sticking to it. No phone calls, interruptions, and piddly little things that rob your time and put you at the mercy of someone else's agenda.

For instance, if phone calls are a problem when you are doing homework or studying, ask someone else to answer the phone and take a message for you. If a friend calls and you answer, politely say, "Let me call you back at such and such a time. I'm tied up now."

You are in control then. Believe me, when you go to college you will have zillions of distractions and interruptions and learning how to control and manage them is a real art!

Know the difference between homework and studying. Homework is what the teacher assigns. Studying is what you do even if homework is/is not assigned. If you learn this now, you will be 10 giant steps ahead of others when you go off to college.

2. Keep an organizer. This does not mean just a little assignment pad or pocket calendar, or even a group of little books, pads, and odds and ends you try to keep together. This means having a system that allows you to include your personal, social and school life - an organizer with various sections, such as phone network, goals assignments, yearly calendar, monthly calendar and projects.

3. Studying means you are creating the game plan. If you don't have homework, you still need to decide what you will do in the subject and write it down in your organizer. You can create a menu of options such as:

· Pre-read next section in text
· Highlight reading
· Re-copy and highlight notes taken in class
· Put important vocabulary, terms, information on "flash" study cards (3 X 5 inch index cards)
· Take notes from text reading
· Re-read material in text that was covered in class
· Make up possible test questions from lecture notes
· Answer questions in text that go with reading material
· Preview upcoming material to be covered

3. Make your text books user friendly. Highlight and write in your textbooks. Now before you hyperventilate and have a panic attack, it's OK. Schools and teachers do not want you to do this, but you can. It's not illegal and you won't be imprisoned for it. However, you probably will have to pay a damage fee, so get your parents' permission before you take this step. The damage fee is well worth the edge you will have in learning the material and developing this study habit before you enter college. In fact, you may want to simply purchase all your textbooks!

In the book, "Becoming a Master Student," a sales pitch is given for owning your own texts (and being able to highlight, write in, and mark in them). It goes like this: "Yes, my friends, textbooks are expensive and money is tight. However, when compared to the real value of education, it is ridiculously small. College graduates earn a lifetime average of $250,000 more than their less educated friends. So put your economics in perspective and do the smart thing. Start with a clean textbook and make it yours! Use it for everything it's worth!"

4. Learn "time-savers" and how to use little chunks of time. Time savers are ideas like placing a paper Clip in each textbook where you currently are (it's best to use the large plastic-coated clips) so you can quickly find your page, chapter, etc.

Post-it tabs are cool little tools. You can get them at most stores like K-mart and Walmart. Use those to mark frequently used areas in textbooks like the glossary, index, periodical chart in chemistry, answer keys, etc. These come in several colors, but yellow is the best.

Little chunks of time need to be respected. Think of what you can do in three to five minutes - update a monthly calendar, clean out the trash from your book sack, straighten your desk, bag the trash, empty the dishwasher, put away clothing, and other little diddly things.

5. Use a smart reading strategy. Never, never read a chapter in a textbook from the first word to the last Word . That's like using a handsaw when you could use a chain saw! Try these steps:

PREVIEW: Read title, introduction, headings, subheading, and summary.

HIGHLIGHT: Read and highlight the first sentence of each paragraph. If the book is divided into sections with questions at the end of each section, do the next step.

CROSS-REFERENCE: Go back and read aloud your highlights for the first section. Go to your questions, read the first one, pick out key words, and scan the area where the information will be found (you should have a good idea by now!) Mark this area with brackets {} and in the margin, put the number of the question. Continue this for each question. Proceed to the next section.

MARGINALIA: If the book is not divided into sections with questions, then use this step after your highlighting. Return to the first of the chapter and re-read the highlights of the first paragraph. As yourself, "What is this paragraph talking about?" Then, make a note in the margin. For instance, "Background on Abe Lincoln." This is making your textbooks YOURS, and you will see a big difference in quick reviews and studying. After doing this you can use those little chunks of time to scan your chapter!

As a responsible person, you are probably already a good student. You are bright, committed, and making good grades. You may not even have to work really hard to earn these grades (you may have the brain power edge) or your could be really busting your chops to make the grades and continue as a Beta Club member (you may have the achiever edge). Whichever it may be, you are not going to lose anything by improving your work strategies for school. What has been outlined above is precisely what you will need to make it in college! So be smart and start now with a plan to be your best!

Authors note: I had to learn these work smart strategies while in my doctoral program at the University of South Carolina. At the age of 26, I was juggling full-time work, a doctoral program, and being pregnant with my first child! Having to drive two and a half hours one way to attend school three days a week absolutely necessitated streamlining my life. Wish I had learned these things at your age! Dr. Alice D'Antoni-Phillips

For those of you who have an announcement you'd like to share with other readers, you can send it to me at brandi@adhdnews.com or you can fax it to me at 530-743-4230. Many of you have started mailing me your organizations newsletters so that I can mention them and important topics in this newsletter. If you would like to add me to your mailing list please do so at P.O Box 473, Browns Valley Ca, 95918. Also be sure to send me information on how to subscribe to your publication so that I can pass it on to my readers.
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