CHADD| |
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Mecklenburg County CHADDLocal Coordinators: Loretta Buckner |
PO Box 690753 Charlotte, NC 28227-7013 Phone: 704.551.9120 |
National News |
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Welcome!
"What They Didn't Teach Me in Class" Loretta Buckner, Coordinator, Mecklenburg County CHADD, North Carolina I will never forget how I learned about AD/HD and then about CHADD. I was a high school English teacher. But my education classes didn't teach me about AD/HD. My son was 5 years old when he was diagnosed with AD/HD. A friend whose children also were diagnosed with AD/HD told me about CHADD. I called our local CHADD Chapter and a volunteer answered all of my questions and helped me find answers in the areas where we had concerns about our son's education and treatments. She helped me when I didn't know where to go or what to do. I joined CHADD in 1995 because I knew I had found a reliable and science-based source of information about AD/HD. I didn't attend the local meetings right away. I was busy getting things in order for my newly diagnosed son. I looked forward to each new issue of Attention magazine that came with my membership. I read about issues that people and loved ones deal with when AD/HD is diagnosed and treated. I attended my first local CHADD Chapter meeting in 1998 when things with my son were also calming down. I met other parents and learned that I was in a place where I could share our situation without being judged. I began to attend the leadership training and the CHADD Conferences in 2000. I met many caring parents and foster parents, counselors and teachers, doctors, and attorneys. Each person was there to learn more about AD/HD and how to help people diagnosed with this neuro-biological disorder. After my experiences with CHADD, it is easy to reassure others that they are not alone because I have already "been there and done that" along with many other families. Our younger son was also diagnosed with AD/HD. Both of our sons have coexisting conditions. I have learned about the coexisting conditions, the latest scientific research that is being done, and so much more at the annual CHADD conferences. Now our sons are ages 12 and 17 and we educate both of them in our home school. I hope the knowledge I have gained through CHADD will help us help our sons avoid some of the pitfalls that others who either have not been diagnosed or who don't have the support. We hope our sons will find areas of success as they grow. We hope they will find a rewarding career and a happy, satisfying life when they grow up. I hope that by sharing our journey with others that they will be able to find the complete diagnoses for their children or themselves if they are adults. If it saves them a few years that it cost our sons, then maybe they will benefit sooner than our sons.
CHADD does not endorse or represent products, services, publication, medications or treatments. Meetings are free and open to the public, although membership with CHADD is strongly encouraged, since your local group will receive a portion of your dues to continue supporting your community.
Volunteer Opportunities:If you would like to volunteer your talents to this group, please send us an e-mail at CharlotteNC@chadd.net
This information was last updated on: 12/27/2007 |
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