The good folks at the LDAO (Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario) have caught the buzz already happening for ADD & Loving It?! and TotallyADD.com! Check out their latest edition of Communiqué for a fun article about Rick’s experiences as someone with ADD and creating the documentary ADD & Loving It?! The Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Communiqué can be ordered by clicking here.

“Undiagnosed and untreated, ADHD can ruin your life. But properly diagnosed and treated, this syndrome can usually be managed, and even become an ally. Education is the key. The people with ADHD are leading the way. They need a way to share their experience and what works.”

Quote from ADD & Loving It?!

Education is the key.

While shooting ADD & Loving It?! that became the mission – give the audience the facts in the most appealing way possible. Make it lively and riveting for the ADD mindset. The result is a groundbreaking documentary that is both entertaining and informative. It has been hailed for “getting it right” by those living with ADD, and by the experts who know the science behind ADD. Because of this, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation awarded producer/director Rick Green their prestigious 2009 CAMH Transforming Lives Award.

When he accepted the award, Rick revealed that he still has over 25 hours of interview footage that has not been used. And these aren’t bloopers and outtakes. The funny, fascinating and informative footage covers over 70 different areas of interest specific to ADD. The one-hour documentary could only address a fraction of these areas and even these were mostly covered in quick overviews.

TotallyADD.com will allow us to use the treasure trove of material for in-depth answers to the big questions about ADD. Using the same blend of warm humour and reliable information that made the documentary so appealing, the website will, as Patrick McKenna said, “carry on and finish what the documentary started.” We want users to interact with the content in the web community and create their TotallyADD experience.

Toronto Star

The  Reviews Page sums it up with… “Best is this documentary ends with a few uncomplicated and very possible solutions to manage life with this disorder.”

The Reviews Page

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ — A new nationwide survey released today

reveals that just 12 percent of parents with children under the age of 18

have spoken to their child’s doctor about complementary and integrative approaches
to medicine, yet nearly 90 percent say they want to know more. The survey,
conducted by Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota (Children’s),
assessed parents’ attitudes about various approaches to treating a child’s
illnesses. Integrative medicine combines the best conventional medical
therapies like drugs, chemotherapy and surgery, with complementary therapies
like massage, acupuncture and proper nutrition.

The survey showed parents are concerned about the overuse of prescription
medications with their children; 85 percent feel it’s important to minimize a
child’s dependence on drugs, especially for behavioral issues like attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or anxiety. Complementary and
alternative approaches can be a solution to this concern as more natural
treatments are being found to be effective in the management of a variety of
children’s health concerns.

Parents also feel strongly about eliminating their child’s pain and improving
quality of life; almost 90 percent feel both these factors are as important as
treating their child’s condition. Complementary and alternative medicine
focuses on non-drug, less invasive therapies like acupuncture, massage and
relaxation to help kids more effectively control pain, maintain mental health,
and improve quality of life.

“Many children with chronic or acute health conditions seek a complementary or
integrative approach only after they have exhausted all other conventional
treatment options,” said Timothy Culbert, MD, Medical Director of Pediatric
Integrative Medicine Clinical Programs at Children’s. “Parents should be aware
that integrative medicine can be helpful from the onset of disease and can
save time, money and most importantly, improve a child’s quality of life. This
is true for all kinds of conditions including acute illnesses like cancer or
chronic problems like migraines or behavioral issues.”

Children’s is among the country’s leaders in the integrative medicine field
with the largest, longest-running pediatric, clinical integrative medicine
program in North America. The program offers a holistic approach to care, and
helps children and their families manage the everyday struggles of illnesses
in a more comprehensive way. Currently more than half of patients at
Children’s use some sort of outpatient complementary or alternative medicine
to help manage their conditions.

Almost 90 percent of parents surveyed indicated they would like to find out
more information about integrative medicine whether it be from their
physician, going to a hospital that offers an integrative medicine program, or
seeking out more information on their own. Other interesting findings include:

– Sixty-eight percent of parents agreed integrative medicine was an
effective treatment approach.
– More than three-fourths of parents agree combining conventional and
complementary/alternative approaches to medicine is innovative and
that
hospitals should offer medical experts on both conventional and
complementary/alternative therapies.

– Almost two-thirds of parents who have children with serious health
issues had never considered an integrative approach because they are
unfamiliar with the subject.

The survey of 1,003 parents included 203 parents with kids who have serious,
chronic or acute health problems. This subset of parents had somewhat more
knowledge of integrative medicine (42 percent), but even these parents are not
hearing about the benefits an integrative approach can bring their child. Of
the parents that have used integrative medicine as part of their child’s
treatment, 95 percent had a positive experience.

“Parents need to consult and work with their child’s physician to determine
what integrative medicine options are available that may be helpful,” says Dr.
Culbert. “There are so many different kinds of complementary therapies, it’s
important to learn about options to find an approach that will work best for
each patient. I see first-hand every day the difference it can make in a
child’s life.”

More information about the Children’s Integrative Medicine Program can be
found by visiting www.childrensintegrativemed.org.