May 7th 2004
The second morning of the conference got underway at 9 a.m.
Dr David Coghill, head of the Development Research Group within the Department of Psychiatry, University of Dundee. He has recently completed a large study into the effects of stimulant medication on neuropsychological functioning and ADHD. Dr Coghill is also a member of the ADDISS Professional Board.
The first Keynote Session was ADHD & Autistic Spectrum Disorders: - Is there a comorbidity by Dr Paramala Santosh, Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London.
The second Keynote Session, Buoyancy & Resilience in the 21st Century - Professor Loretta Giorcelli who is currently involved in one of the largest national projects investigating the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classrooms in Australia. Professor Giorcelli is also a world renowned speaker who heads her own education consultancy company in Australia from this base she works extensively throughout Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK.
After a mid morning coffee break the third Keynote Session, The Neurobiology of ADHD was presented by Dr John Ratey.
This was the final Keynote Session of the morning so after this we broke for lunch.
After lunch Wendy Richardson gave the fourth Keynote Session of the day - The Link Between ADHD and Addiction: Food, Alcohol, Drugs, Behaviour and Shame. Wendy M.A. MFT, CAS is a Licensed Marriage, Family Therapist and Certified Addictions Specialist. She is also the author of The Link Between ADHD and Addiction.
The afternoon tea break followed this Keynote Session. After this delegates had to choose between 5 Parallel Breakout Sessions.
1. A Critical Approach to the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD - Dr Nikos Myttas, a full time NHS Consultant in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Finchley Memorial Hospital in London. He is a member of the ADDISS Professional Board and is also regularly consulted by Education, Social Services and the Legal Professionals.
2. The Relationship between Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and ADHD - Dr Stirling Clarren, is the Robert A Aldrich Professor of Paediatrics and Head of the Division of Hospital Medicine at the University of Washington.
3. Coping with Teenagers - Alan Roberts Dip SW, NNEB, Qualified Youth Worker who he worked for 17 years with children and teens from deprived areas who suffer with emotional and behavioural difficulties and has worked for the past 10 years in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team where he has been involved in setting up the ADHD Specialist Support Team.
4. ADHD & Social Skills: What Does Everyone Else Know that I Don't - Michele Novotini PhD, President of ADDA in the USA and author of best selling book with the same title.
5. This Breakout Session was chaired by Thomas Brown PhD and was split into 2 parts:
a) Computer Games and ADHD: Research findings and implications for theory and Education - Rebecca Shaw. Rebecca is currently a research fellow in the Centre for Childhood, Development and Learning at the Open University, she has strong links with the Learning Assessment and Neurocare Centre in West Sussex where she has been involved in their School Liaison Service, clinical research and the Development of Computer Based Assessment of the executive abilities of children with ADHD.
b) If my Child has an Attention Deficit Disorder How Come He/She can play Computer Games for long periods of Time - and Play them Successfully - Stephen Houghton PhD.
This concluded the second day of the Conference. By now it was about 5.30p.m. and this gave delegates time to retire to their rooms before some attended ADDISS Dinner at 8p.m.
The ADDISS Dinner was held in the Adelphi Hotel, a great number of delegates attended this and we all enjoyed a lovely meal.
During the meal we were advised that one of the delegates had donated a football signed by the Liverpool Football Team and this was to be raffled. Tickets were sold during the dinner and the raffle was drawn by Jerry Mills when everyone had finished. I am sure the lady who won the ball was highly delighted and I know she has a son who will treasure it.
After dinner and the raffle we were all treated to an evening of entertainment.
First there was a local comedian, Nige, click here for more details of Nige. I must say I did find him really funny - however I will admit I had a bit of difficulty following some of his act, I think this was due to his local accent - typical southerner!!
Speaking to one or two of the American Doctors who were at the dinner afterward they told me that Nige was one of the funniest comedians they had seen in a long time.
I have also copied below a short report from another of the delegates who was there:
"Congratulations to Andrea on the successful conference. Some controversy on the after dinner entertainment concerning the comedian (Nige) who adopted the ADHD character. Some delegates were upset and others felt it could have been their own ADHD child performing."
After this there was music from a local band.
To be honest I did not stay for the whole of the entertainment as I was absolutely exhausted so I actually managed to get to bed just after midnight - early for me!!
For Day 3 Click Here
for adders.org
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