ADDA...20 Years and Counting!

By Marian Bryant
Founding Board Member

Could it possibly be that 20 years have elapsed since that small group of parents first gathered during the winter of 1987? We were meeting at the invitation of concerned staff of the Texas Childrens’ Hyperactivity Assessment and Treatment Center in Houston. Each family represented had a unique and special story to tell, but we all shared one important bond in common: our children had been diagnosed with an attention disorder. Little did we know that as a result of that initiative, the ADHD Association of Texas, giving voice to the challenges and needs of children with ADD, would soon emerge.

Our grassroots group began to meet often. Officers were elected and a professional advisory board was established. Monthly support group meetings featuring informative speakers were scheduled at an area school. Parent volunteers shared information on ADD at community health fairs and offered telephone support, educational advocacy and professional referral.

As our membership grew, area chapters began to form. In 1992 we merged with a Dallas group, The Association for Parents of Hyperactive Children and we became The Attention Deficit Disorders Association-Southern Region (ADDA-SR).

ADDA developed lending libraries and began distributing a quarterly newsletter featuring informative articles, research and new developments in treatment and management of ADD. Volunteers continued to network with other concerned professional organizations, legislators, and leading experts in the field. ADDA conducted numerous educational workshops throughout the region, and in November 1987 hosted our first of 20 annual conferences!

Since that time, we have participated in the production of an educational video, “Never a Dull Moment”, added chapters devoted to addressing the needs of adults with ADD, collaborated with numerous professional groups to offer “focus” workshops and continuing education training, and have initiated a web site.  The list goes on...

As you can clearly see, I am both proud and grateful to have been associated with the ADDA community over the years. Not only did it serve to rescue my family from isolation and confusion some 20 years ago, but it provided an invaluable opportunity to grow, learn, develop meaningful relationships and reach out to others who are traveling a similar path. Thank you for the opportunity to work alongside so many dedicated and talented volunteers and to share the tears, the milestones, and the joys along the way.

ADDA has accomplished so much and yet many challenges continue to face us for the future. So what’s in store for the next 20 years? Only time...and the continued enthusiastic support and participation of each of us will tell.