New ADHD Center Helps Children With Attention And Learning Problems

Philadelphia, Pa., November 15, 1999 - Three to 5 percent of all children have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), making it the most common behavioral disorder in childhood. Symptoms of ADHD include excessive activity, impulsive behavior, difficulty concentrating and socializing, school performance problems, and poor interaction with peers and family. To address this growing problem, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has developed the region's largest and most comprehensive center for diagnosing and treating attention and learning problems in children and adolescents - The Center for Management of ADHD.

"The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is a world leader in pediatric research, and our new multidisciplinary ADHD Center benefits greatly from that commitment, " says Madeline Cleary, vice president of Clinical Resource Management and Family Services at Children's Hospital. "We are dedicated to linking scientific investigation with clinical practice, which can help us better understand ADHD and develop more effective treatments."

Because ADHD is a complex disorder, the Center offers families a unique multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment, bringing together professionals and resources from developmental pediatrics, neurology, psychiatry and psychology.

"Each child who comes to the Center receives an extensive evaluation. From there, highly individualized strategies and treatments are devised for each child," says Thomas Power, Ph.D., one of the Center's principals and a pediatric school psychologist. "The Center treats children from ages 3 to 18 years. Our staff concentrates on early diagnosis, because timely treatment can help overcome long-term problems, such as low self-esteem, associated with ADHD."

The Center offers a comprehensive range of treatments including child and family behavior therapy, school consultation and advocacy, medication management and follow-up, group counseling in behavior change strategies, and group counseling in homework strategies.

The Center also features a number of research initiatives that will benefit children who are currently diagnosed with the disorder as well as children who have yet to be diagnosed. "Researchers at the Center are studying the effects and side effects of new medications, genetic and metabolic contributions, ways of refining diagnostic procedures, and interventions to help students with school and home work," says Marianne Glanzman, M.D., one of the Center's leading developmental pediatricians and researchers.

"We want to reassure physicians, educators and parents that comprehensive, expert diagnosis and treatment for attention and learning problems is within easy reach," says Cleary. "Therefore, the Center provides services throughout the Children's Hospital pediatric network. Families can receive services at the main center, located in Philadelphia at 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard, but also at the Hospital's conveniently located Specialty Care Centers in Bucks County, Exton, King of Prussia, Princeton, Voorhees and the Atlantic Region."

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the nation's first children's hospital, is a leader in patient care, education and research. This 373-bed multi-specialty hospital provides comprehensive pediatric service, including home care, to children from before birth through age 19. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia admits more than 16,000 patients, and cares for more than 50,000 emergency and 500,000 patients annually. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia operates a pediatric healthcare network that also includes The Joseph Stokes, Jr. Research Institute, eight outpatient specialty care centers, four primary care centers, inpatient units at three community hospitals, a poison control center and 28 Kids First physician practices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

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