CADDAC Canadian ADD network meeting in Vancouver part 1

See also CADDAC Canadian ADD network meeting in Vancouver part 2 and part 3 and CADDAC Conference

Went to the CADDAC (Center for ADD Advocacy) national ADD networking event today at the Marriot Pinnacle hotel in Vancouver.

Really enjoyed it. Very informative, and it’s nice to meet others who either have ADD or are interested in helping to advocate for others with ADD. Never boring hanging around ADDers.

Here are some notes from the network meeting.

Heidi Bernhard, the National Director of CADDAC gave a good presentation on why we need a national ADD advocacy organization. She talked about the problems facing ADDers of all ages in a variety of environments, educational, medical, career etc. In Canada there’s a real shortage of awareness of ADD, negative misinformed stigma about ADD and a shortage of services in every province in the country for all ages of ADDers.

One problem I think is we have no Canadian celebrities who have the courage to publicly said they’ve got ADD. Sad to even have to think like this but I believe it’s true. We need a credible articulate celebrity spokesperson (or more) for ADD like people with other conditions have i.e., depression, bipolar etc. They can say they’re addicted to heroin, but having ADD is worse?

In BC and some other provinces your child has to have a coexisting or comorbid disorder to get treatment, they won’t give the child treatment if they only have ADD. Insane.
Update clarification. In this case I’m talking treatment from the education system i.e., accommodations and asssistance for ADD etc, not medication. Medications you can get from your doctor/psychiatrist regardless of comorbid conditions.

2 perspectives on behavioral problems in children.

“Behavior is a result of a need not being met”
“Behavior is a symptom”

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