IEPadvocate4you

Carol Sadler
Special Education Consultant/Advocate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA 30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
www.IEPadvocate4you.com

I am a lay Parent Advocate assisting parents of children with disabilities in school IDEA, 504 and SST meetings. I am a former CHADD and LDA Coordinator, graduate of the 1st GA Advocacy Office PLSP legal training course and most importantly parent of two children with various disabilities.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

1/26/2003 - Two New Studies Conclude that Stimulant Medications do not Contribute to Risk for Later Substance Use, Dependence or Abuse

FYI
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 10:08 PM
Subject: Two New Studies Conclude that Stimulant Medications do not Contribute to Risk for Later Substance Use, Dependence or Abuse



Two New Studies Conclude that Stimulant Medications do not Contribute to Risk for Later Substance Use, Dependence or Abuse
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2003 08:37:16 -0500

News From CHADD
Volume Three, Issue One

For Immediate Release
January 6, 2003


TWO KEY STUDIES HIGHLIGHT DECREASED RISKS FOR SUBSEQUENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE
AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS USING STIMULANT MEDICATION FOR TREATMENT
OF AD/HD
-----------------------------------------------------------
Results Conclude that Stimulants do not Contribute to Risk for Later
Substance Use, Dependence or Abuse


Landover, MD-Stimulant therapy for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder (AD/HD) may actually reduce risks for subsequent drug and
alcohol use disorders according to two key studies featured in the
January 2003 issue of Pediatrics, the medical journal of the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


Despite the well-documented efficacy and safety of stimulants for the
treatment of AD/HD, questions and confusion about potential risks for
subsequent substance abuse persist among the general public. Both
studies independently conclude that treatment of AD/HD with stimulants
does not lead to substance use disorders; rather it actually produces a
"protective effect" from subsequent drug and alcohol abuse.


"These research studies have critically important implications for CHADD
and its 20,000 members," said E. Clarke Ross, CHADD Chief Executive
Officer. "Families want reassurance that the treatment options they are
using are safe and effective. Both studies will arm our members andothers with the data, statistics and facts they need to make sound and
confident decisions when discussing one aspect of the risks and benefits
of medication intervention for AD/HD."


The first study, a prospective led by Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D.,
formerly of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and
currently a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in
Charleston, followed 147 children with AD/HD for approximately 13 years.


The second study, a meta-analysis led by Timothy E. Wilens, M.D., of
Massachusetts General Hospital, examined over the course of from 4-15
years, more than 1,000 youths with AD/HD who had participated in one of
six long-term studies designed to determine if stimulant therapy for
AD/HD can lead to substance abuse disorders.


Summary and Highlights of Studies


Study One: Does the Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder with Stimulants Contribute to Drug/Use/Abuse? A 13-Year
Prospective Study by Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., Mariellen Fischer,
Ph.D., Lori Smallish, M.A. and Kenneth Fletcher, Ph.D.


"Our goal was to examine the impact of stimulant treatment during
childhood and high school and its risk for substance use, dependence and
abuse by young adulthood," said Barkley. "Our results are consistent
with 11 previous studies that likewise found no association between
stimulant treatment and an increased risk of later drug use, including
stimulants and cocaine, among children with AD/HD."


Among the highlights:

* Stimulant-treated children had no greater risk of ever trying
drugs by adolescence or any significantly greater frequency of drug use
by young adulthood (Barkley et al.).


* Stimulant treatment in high school also did not influence drug
use in high school or adulthood except for greater cocaine use. At
first blush, this finding may raise concern; however subsequent analyses
demonstrated that this e! levated risk was primarily explained by the
severity of co-occurring conduct disorder (CD) in both adolescents and
adults (Barkley et al.).


* Children who had received stimulant medication for more than one
year were no more likely to use drugs as adolescents or young adults
than children who had received stimulant medication for less than a
year. Indeed, stimulant treatment for one year or more may contribute
to a protective effect concerning the risk of hallucinogen abuse
disorders in adults (Barkley et al.).


Study Two: Does Stimulant Therapy of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder Beget Later Substance Abuse? A Meta-Analytic Review of the
Literature by Timothy Wilens, M.D., Stephen V. Faraone, Ph.D., Joseph
Biedermann, M.D., and Samantha Gunawardene, B.S.


"Concerns exist that stimulant therapy of youths with AD/HD may result
in increased risk for subsequent substance use disorders," said Wilens.
"We therefore investigated all long-term studies in which
pharmacologically treated and untreated youths with AD/HD were examined
for later substance abuse disorder outcomes. Our results suggest that
stimulant therapy in childhood is actually associated with a reduction
in the risk for subsequent drug and alcohol disorders."


Among the highlights:


* Stimulant treatment in youths reduced the risk for substance
abuse in half (Wilens et al.).


* The protective effect of stimulant medication use in reducing
risk of substance abuse was more robust in adolescence (5.8-fold
reduction in risk) than in adulthood (1.4-fold reduction in risk)
(Wilens et al.).


* Of similar interest, untreated adults with AD/HD have twice the
risk of developing substance abuse disorders, while it appears that
treatment reduces the risk to that observed in young adults who do not
have AD/HD (Wilens et al.).


To obtain additional information on both studies, please visit the
America! n Academy of Pediatrics website at www.aap.org.


Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is characterized by
developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, attention, and in some cases,
hyperactivity. AD/HD is a neurobiological disorder that affects
three-to-five percent of school-age children and approximately
two-to-four percent of adults.


CHADD advocates a multimodal approach to the treatment of AD/HD
including parent training in diagnosis, treatment and specific behavior
management techniques, an appropriate educational program, individual
and family counseling when needed, and medication when required.


SB10 News from Sen Johnson

FYI - Very exciting news from Sen. Johnson below regarding SB10.  This is a victory for special needs children!! 
 
Also, here are a couple other websites on SB10
 
 
 
 
 
Advocacy & Consulting Services - IEPadvocate4you
Carol Sadler, Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA  30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
www.IEPadvocate4You.com
 
CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED
Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged.  It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest.  Please do not forward without my permission.
 
 
May 17, 2007
 
Dearest Advocates:
 
I wanted you to be aware of this announcement that was just released today:
 
We have just been notified that the Governor will sign SB 10 tomorrow--Friday-- at 9:30 a.m. in his office at the Capitol.  You are welcome to come.  It is an open event.  The ceremony itself will probably take no longer than 15 minutes.  But the law will go into effect on his signature.  If anyone is planning on attending, please let me or my office know.  If there is a large enough crowd of families, we can ask that the ceremony be moved from the office to the steps to accommodate more people.
 
SB 10 is the beginning of a significant shift in the way we provide public education.  The benefits of this bill will be seen for many years to come.
 
Melanie Davis Stockwell
Chief of Staff and General Counsel
Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore
Georgia State Senate
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-5109
404-657-9727 (FAX)
==============================================
 
In addition: I received this information from Stuart Bennett who is the Chief Deputy State Superintendent for Policy and External Affairs:
 
Since the passage of Senate Bill 10 on April 22, we have received a number of inquiries from interested schools and parents. For that reason, we have launched a very preliminary Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program website. Once the bill becomes law, this new website will serve as the one-stop shop for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program.  Over the coming weeks and months, the Department will add critical program information as soon as it becomes available, so we ask that you check the website frequently.

Until then, we ask that all interested parents and private schools use this website to file an “Interest to Participate” form.  The information provided through these two forms will help the Department as it moves forward to implement this new state program for the 2007-2008 school year.


The website ur l is: http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx
 
 
 
Previous news.......
SB10 News from Sen Johnson
   
Dear friends
 
We are still waiting for the Governor to sign SB 10.  However, I wanted to let you know that the DOE is moving forward with implementation.  They have announced a new website where private schools and parents can sign up with their intent to participate in the program.  I encourage everyone, schools and parents, to fill out these forms, if you even think you might be interested in applying this year.  Part of the purpose of this website is to see what kind of support and interest there is for this scholarship.  There will be follow up applications once the Governor signs the bill.   We expect there will be more parents who wish to apply than available schools this year.  But we also expect the number of available private schools to grow over the next few years.  In Florida, the program started out in its first year with two private schools participating.  In six years, the number has grown to over 800.  The website is  http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx 
 
Also, if you did not thank your Senator and Representative if they voted for the bill I encourage you do to so.  They continue to be beaten up by their local school boards and teacher union representatives.
 
I will be sure and let you know when I know something about the bill signing.
 
Melanie Davis Stockwell
Chief of Staff and General Counsel
Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore
Georgia State Senate
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-5109
404-657-9727 (FAX)
melanie.stockwell@senate.ga.gov

My Statement to House Education Committee on SB 10

 
----- Original Message -----
To: Mark.Williams@house.ga.gov ; Earnest.Williams@house.ga.gov ; Brian.Thomas@house.ga.gov ; Rob.Teilhet@house.ga.gov ; Willie.Talton@house.ga.gov ; LaNett.StanleyTurner@house.ga.gov ; Freddie.Sims@house.ga.gov ; Ed.Setzler@house.ga.gov ; Tony.Sellier@house.ga.gov ; Bobby.Reese@house.ga.gov ; Barbara.Reece@house.ga.gov ; Alisha.Morgan@house.ga.gov ; Howard.Maxwell@house.ga.gov ; Edward.Lindsey@house.ga.gov ; Mike.Keown@house.ga.gov ; Margaret.Kaiser@house.ga.gov ; Darryl.Jordan@house.ga.gov ; Jan.Jones@house.ga.gov ; Jeanette.Jamieson@house.ga.gov ; Penny.Houston@house.ga.gov ; Doug.Holt@house.ga.gov ; Hugh.Floyd@house.ga.gov ; Melvin.Everson@house.ga.gov ; Tom.Dickson@house.ga.gov ; David.Casas@house.ga.gov ; Amy.Carter@house.ga.gov ; Tommy.Benton@house.ga.gov ; Fran.Millar@house.ga.gov ; Brooks.Coleman@house.ga.gov
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 1:39 PM
Subject: [GA-ADHDe-news] Re: [GA-ChildrensNetwork] My Statement to House Education Committee on SB 10

Date:  March 28, 2007

 

To:  House Education Committee

RE: SB 10

 

I am writing to encourage you to support SB 10.  Children with disabilities need SB 10, they need choice.  Because our public school system is failing these children, they need choice to be educated.

 

In Kindergarten, I was in the classroom as a volunteer parent weekly letting all the students in the class read to me for extra support.  This is how I first realized my daughter had a problem learning to read.  She could not learn sight words on flash cards, no matter how much we practiced.  We practiced so much, she cried nightly, she hated to try to read.  I worked with my school district for four years to teach my daughter to read and write.   During the summer of her 3rd grade year, they even gave her 156 hours of 1:1 reading instruction with their reading specialist, and she still virtually made no progress.  Grandparents who worked on homework with her attended her IEP meetings and reported to the school that she could not read, and she cried when had to read and write.  We video taped her reading to show her impairment.  In 4th grade when her special education teacher told me she was then losing instruction in all content areas and could no longer keep up with grade level work due to her inability to read, I finally pulled her out of public school and placed her in a private school (Lindamood-Bell-LMB) to remediate her reading, spelling, writing and math.  In just THREE months, they taught my daughter to read and spell, something the public school was unable to do in four years, even with their intense intervention.  My daughter made 2-4 years progress across the board in reading, spelling, writing, and math.  After three months of reading remediation at LMB, we put her back in public school.  They tested her the first day on her return and found her to be exactly on grade level (actually a little above) for the first time in her life (I have their testing as proof).  Today in 7th grade, she is reading above grade level, and reading for pleasure, something she never did in her early years.  Reading before private school-LMB was torture.

Last week I advocated for a 9th grade high school student in Cobb County who's mother is a teacher in the same county.  She has been telling her special education IEP committee that her son could not read, and she was having to help him do all his homework every night, spending sometimes as much as 5 hours a night.  The school had been telling her he was doing fine, making all A's and B's, and there was nothing to worry about.  At this child's IEP meeting last week when I saw his psychoeducational testing and it had some of the lowest scores I had ever seen in my career as an advocate, I asked the school how in the world was this student making all A's and B's in his 9th grade curriculum when his reading and language scores placed him in in some areas in the 1st%.  We called in both his Language Arts teachers (regular and special education)  and asked this question.  They both responded that his reading was in fact severely impaired.  His basic reading skills are on a 4th grade level and his comprehension skills are on a 3rd grade level.  However he worked so hard, was compliant, and attempted all his homework/classwork, they stated they would NEVER fail a child like this, that it would be unfair, so they pass him with A's and B's.  Looking back at his CRCT's, he had failed all his CRCT's up through 8th grade, yet the system kept promoting him and just kept adding more and more accommodations to make up for his severely impaired reading and language deficits.  Now in High School, it is clear, that this child can simply not keep up with the curriculum, nor will he be able to pass End of Course tests, and more importantly, the Graduation Test.  Where is the accountability???  There is none.  The Special Education Supervisor for this County called me after this child's IEP meeting and asked why this child's mother, who is a teacher in the same county, did not teach her child to read.  I simply told him she made a terrible mistake, like any other parent she relied on her school system to educate her son, and it was apparent that they knowingly had failed to do so.  She had repeatedly sent e-mails asking for help and making them aware of these problems, and they merely viewed her as a problem parent.  I asked him, "Are you saying it was wrong for her to rely on the school system to teach him reading and language?" 

Unfortunately, I represent children like this over and over again.  Schools refuse to identify and remediate Dyslexia in GA, eventhough it is clear under IDEA (Special Education) they are suppose too.  I've been told in IEP meetings that making only 3 months progress a year is acceptable, even for very bright Dyslexic and language impaired children who are above average in intelligence like my daughter.  At that "acceptable" rate, these children are NEVER taught to read.  Please do not doubt this happens, I can provide documentation and case after case where this is evident.

For any student the school systems knows cannot pass CRCT's, they make them take the test as non-standard and read the test to them, so the scores don't count, and they say they are doing this for the child because they don't want to frustrate them.  Our educational system is broken in GA.  We are not teaching children to read, write, or compute math, in comparison to other States.  Our special needs children, most who have average IQ's, simply give up and drop out, or graduate with a worthless special education diploma.  It is no wonder we are 49th in the Nation in education. 

Last week I also advocated for an autistic child who was place in the Gwinnett County Psycho-Ed center.  After just 4 days of being in this environment, he came home with a black eye, bruised forehead, bruises all over his body, and a hand print bruise across his rib cage due to improper daily restraints.  When this child reported to his teacher while being restrained that he could not breathe, she told him to "STOP BREATHING"...............    The very same day I received the call regarding this client, another parent called me to report that she had witnessed at the same facility in Gwinnett, a 6 year old autistic child being restrained for going to snack table to get a cupcake.  Two full size adults jumped on this child to keep her from getting a cupcake, and she was screaming that she could not breathe.  Getting a cupcake is not life threatening, and she should have never been restrained for this natural behavior.  What has happened to our educational system when we are restraining and punishing severely disabled children because they merely want to eat a cupcake??

I've advocated for an autistic child in Commerce City schools that was also improperly restrained and severely bruised all over his body.  I've advocated for a child in Cobb County where his special education teacher was pinching him and the other students when she didn't like what they were doing, leaving bruises.  I advocate for children all over this state who have ADHD and are being punished daily for behaviors related to their disability.  I've advocated for children where their teachers announced to the entire class intentionally embarrassing them that they were ADHD and stated "Boo Hoo".

I am asking you, the House Education Committee, to pass SB 10.  Please give our most vulnerable children another choice in education, since our system here is quite clearly failing them.  I'm sure the public educators are fighting this bill to protect their interest.  Perhaps if we pass this bill, and parents begin to use this money for private education, our public school systems will make a better more concerted effort to actually "teach" our special needs children using proven scientifically researched methodology, instead of programs like SRA, which was never designed to remediate children with Dyslexia.

Where is there accountability in Private Schools?  More importantly, I ask you where is there accountability in Public School?  There is NONE!  If any of you think for one minute that there is, you are fooling yourself.

Respectfully,

Advocacy & Consulting Services - IEPadvocate4you
Carol Sadler, Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA  30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
www.IEPadvocate4You.com

 
CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED
Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged.  It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest.  Please do not forward without my permission.
 

 

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