 |
 |
Re: ADHD/LD For over 13 years I worked intensively with students with attention deficits and various degrees of learning disabilities. As time and research in these areas proved, most types are genetic, as you indicated. As my motor skills and pd symptoms progressed, I could see the students in myself. Simple fine motor skills became huge hurdles; I found myself reversing letters; my short term memory failed often; I often found a synonym taking the place of the word I was trying to write or say; awkwardness in gross motor skills plagues me, and on and on. At this point I had three reactions: profound sympathy for these children fighting an unknown enemy; thankfulness that I had "normal" abilities for the major part of my life; and the firm conviction that these are all chemical imbalances which when properly understood and treated will benefit us all. Yes, I have a sister with some ADHD characteristics and she has two children with overt symptoms and diagnosed; one is very seriously affected and remains a non-reader although very gifted in other areas. Two of her grandchildren are also affected and one is on ritalin. No others in my immediate family have yet to be diagnosed with pd although I strongly suspect at least one will be. In my extended paternal family there is pd. Also, to the one or two who requested the audio tapes of Dr. Duvoisin's lecture on heredity and pd, I did not receive the whole email message and the addresses were missing. Please send them again to [log in to unmask] Lucile Wright