Posted on February 11, 2004 at 12:55 p.m.

This summer, UAB will offer a 6-week Summer Treatment Program for children ages 6 to 12 who have been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and associated disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) and learning disabilities (LD). The program, the first of its kind in Alabama and one of only six in the country, is a comprehensive approach to treatment provided in a therapeutic summer day camp setting.

“ADHD is a major mental health disorder in children,” said Bart Hodgens, PhD, a clinical child psychologist with UAB’s Civitan International Research Center and director of the new program. “Children with ADHD have difficulty paying attention and self-control. They are highly active, which can lead to problems with classroom performance and in their relationships with family members and peers.” The program will focus on social skills and problem solving training, improving academic performance, sports skills training, assessing children’s medications and behavior therapy. “The Summer Program also may be combined with a follow-up program for interested families, including consulting with the child’s schools and ‘booster’ sessions for families,” Hodgens said.

Each group of students will spend 3 hours a day in classroom sessions — art, computer lab and academic skills. The rest of day, kids will participate in recreational activities, like soccer and softball. “Throughout the day, a variety of behavioral treatments, tailored to the specific needs of each child, will be integrated into activities,” Hodgens said. “These will include social and problem solving discussions, time out, daily report cards, reward systems and weekly parent education meetings.”

Parents with questions concerning ADHD medications can request a systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of medical treatment that employs a double-blind procedure and observation throughout the day. “This is an important but optional part of the program,” Hodgens said. “The assessment will provide a highly refined medication recommendation for each child. Comprehensive reports provided to children’s referring physicians enable them to determine whether the medication is effective and what dose should be prescribed long-term.”

More information about the program is available online at www.circ.uab.edu/sparks/adhd or by contacting Bart Hodgens, PhD, at bhodgens@uab.eduor Angie DeVaux at (205) 934-5471.