October is ADHD Awareness Month – an international movement to educate the public and create greater awareness and understanding about attention deficit disorder. I am determined to help spread the word – and you can spread the word too!
The ADHD Awareness Month Coalition has put together a rich array of resources to use in getting the word out. These include a press kit, posters, fact sheets, a calendar listing 31 ways to spread the word… and more! Here’s an idea from their calendar.
DAY 13 OPPORTUNITY!!!
Here’s one thing you could do to help spread the word: write a letter to the editor of your local paper to raise awareness about ADHD. Don’t feel intimidated! The ADHD Awareness Month Coalition has made it easy for you.
Here are two options:
You can simply adapt the ADHD Awareness Coalition’s sample letter to the editor and send it to your local paper.
Or, write your own – and the Coalition has lots of information you can use to do so.
1) Here’s the sample letter (you can link to it in .doc form, under the heading “Step Up and Speak Out!, at http://www.adhdawarenessmonth.org/downloads/)
To [insert either the editor’s name or write “To the editor”]
October is ADHD Awareness Month. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects children, adolescents, and adults in the United States. Did you know…
· Millions of people in the United States are affected by ADHD
· Nearly 9 % of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD
· About 4.5% of adults have been diagnosed with the disorder
ADHD’s core symptoms include problems with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
This year’s theme for ADHD Awareness Month is “The Many Faces of ADHD.” An ADHD diagnosis not only challenges affected individuals but also their families and friends. That’s why I have joined the movement to raise awareness about the condition.
Consider these facts:
· Individuals with ADHD experience more challenges in school, at work, and in social relationships.
· They have higher rates of emergency room visits and automobile accidents, are at greater risk for substance abuse.
The good news is that when children, teens, and adults are diagnosed early and receive treatment, they can lead more fulfilling lives.
I hope you will visit the ADHD Awareness Month coalition’s website at ADHDAwarenessMonth.org, to learn more about this real and serious health condition. The website has a wealth of information to help affected individuals, and their families, cope with the daily challenges of life. While you’re there, click on the calendar of free events and activities that are being held across the country in honor of ADHD Awareness Month.
Thank you,
[insert your name here]
[insert town/neighborhood/community]
2) Here is some information from the press kit the ADHD Awareness Month Coalition put together, in case you’d like to include any of it in a letter to the editor in your local paper or share it in some other way(s). Feel free to customize it, including your own words.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) is one of the most prevalent and misunderstood conditions in the world, according to Sarah D. Wright, ADHD Awareness Month Coalition Chair. “You may not be aware of it, but whether you are affected by it yourself, or someone you love or work with is affected by it, ADD/ADHD has touched your life.”
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder, affects millions of Americans regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Recognized widely by medical organizations as varied as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), ADHD causes significant impairment at work, in school, and throughout the daily lives of those affected by it.
ADHD Awareness Month is an international movement to educate the public and create greater awareness and understanding about attention deficit disorder. “Our goal is to help women and men learn the facts about this disorder and to dispel myths that keep people affected by ADHD from seeking appropriate treatment,” said Wright.
The ADHD Awareness Coalition will recognize ADHD Awareness Month throughout October 2014 by joining with millions of adults, families, and children living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, as well as health care professionals, psychologists, and other thought leaders, to promote greater awareness about ADHD.
Ruth Hughes, former CEO of CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), referred to current research, saying, “ADHD has many faces. It affects people of all ethnic backgrounds and all socioeconomic classes. This is an important month when our community comes together to rally around the cause of ADHD awareness.”
And, however you choose to do it, thanks for taking some time this month to spread ADHD Awareness!
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