Ellen sent a message using the contact form

Firstly, your website is outstanding and very helpful for what I do as a
living. I am a learning specialist at a local community college. The
reason I am writing,however, is because I have a 12 year old daughter whom
I have long suspected as having ADD like symptoms. Ironically, I find it
difficult to pinpoint the problem and be objective. I have took her to
DRAKE Institute who did a brain map and found that she
was a good candidate for bio feedback. After 2 sessions, she was showing
behaviors she had never before and getting serious headaches from what
they were making her do. WE stopped those treatments after 2 months.

In contacting other professionals, they want to give my daughter academic
assessments as the WISC, etc. even though I tell them that she has already
been tested and does have a bona fide learning disability.

I just want to find out for once and for all if we are looking at ADD,
depression or what have you so that we can have success during the ensuing
school year. Last year she was doing very well in the very beginning and
then stopped doing HW. Her aversion to academics is really tough on the
family. She is a busy body in her older sister's life (as my youngest has
very few friends, hangs around the family alot-especially me), doesn't seem
to pick up on social cues, etc.

Please advise. How can I get a practioneer to look at the picture I am
painting and not insist on educational assessments. Again, I just want to
know if we are seeing a problem or not.

THANK YOU

I think the best eeg biofeedback providers in the world are Susan and Siegfried Othmer,
in Encino. The office is EEG Spectrum (http://www.eegspectrum.com). Excellent people,
smart, caring. I'd call them, and see who is a good psych resource for an evaluation in
the Valley (there's got to be somebody good there). Get a TOVA, or equivalent test, from
EEG Spectrum or a psych provider. That will answer a lot of questions when combined with
the packet you already have.

Did the schools do a WISC? If not, I can see where someone would see that as useful
information.

See what Susan, or Siegfried, might be able to tell you.

Tell them Doug Cowan said "hi". I haven't seen them in years. If they remember me, tell
them that I'm well and working full-time as a pastor now. They are great people.

Doug Cowan
ADHD Information Library