LOVING ATTENTION; FAMILIES TACKLE DISORDERS TOGETHER.Byline: Angela Randazzo Daily News Staff Writer Little reminders and charts on how to dress for school dot the walls of the Stavropoulos household in Moorpark. Anthony and Peggy Stavropoulos' four children need these reminders because they have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity disorder. ``They have trouble focusing on specific tasks and we have to go step by step,'' said Peggy Stavropoulos, who is co-president of Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (ADD or ADHD) formerly hyperactivity Behavioral syndrome in children, whose major symptoms are inattention and distractibility, restlessness, inability to sit still, and difficulty concentrating on one thing for any , or Ch.A.D.D., of the Conejo Valley The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both Southeastern Ventura County and Northwest Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It was discovered in 1542 by Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and eventually became part of the Rancho El Conejo land grant by . Despite their ADD/HD-related problems, the Stavropoulos children have done exceptionally well at school. Trevor Stavropoulos, 12, was first diagnosed with ADD/HD when he was in the second grade. He is now a straight-A student at Chaparral Middle School Chaparral Middle School could refer to
``He skipped seventh grade because he wanted more of a challenge,'' his mother said. The family has lived in Moorpark for 11 years. Anthony Stavropoulos is an 18-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . and Peggy Stavropoulos keeps busy with her children's blossoming careers doing print work and bit parts in motion pictures. Their son Sean, 11, and daughter Alicia, 8, were both diagnosed with ADD/HD in second grade. At age 3, their daughter Emma is displaying some of the disorder's behavioral characteristics and finds it difficult to sit still and focus. The disorder and hyperactivity hyperactivity, excessive physical activity of emotional or physiological origin, usually seen in young children; one of the components of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. are the topics of the fifth annual Ch.A.D.D. conference ``ADD/HD: Challenges, Opportunities and Discovery.'' The event began Friday and will continue today at the Amgen conference center in Newbury Park. The conference offers parents, adults, educators and mental health professionals various methods of coping with ADD/HD, from behavior modification behavior modification n. 1. The use of basic learning techniques, such as conditioning, biofeedback, reinforcement, or aversion therapy, to teach simple skills or alter undesirable behavior. 2. See behavior therapy. to medications. The keynote speaker is Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., the best-selling author of ``Managing Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder A persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsiveness; the pattern is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in people at a similar level of development. in Children'' and ``Overcoming Underachieving: An Action Guide to Helping Your Child in School.'' ``ADD/HD children have trouble getting it together at school to do their assignments,'' said Peggy Stavropoulos. ``The more they get behind, the more frustrated they get, creating a snowball effect For other uses, see Snowball (disambiguation). Snowball effect is a figurative term for a process that starts from an initial state of small significance and builds upon itself, becoming larger (graver, more serious), and perhaps potentially dangerous or disastrous (a .'' While fidgeting, shifting from one uncompleted task to another and doing dangerous things without thinking of the consequences can be attributed to any child, it is the chronic and prolonged display of these activities that may signal ADD/HD. The disorder can lead to serious consequences, including school failure and dropping out, failed relationships and depression. Newbury Park resident Kay Gilmore is co-president of Ch.A.D.D. with Peggy Stavropoulos. Founded in 1989, the Conejo Valley group is one of the largest chapters of the national, nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. . Gilmore joined the group four years ago when two of her four sons were diagnosed with ADD/HD. ``Ch.A.D.D. has given me hope,'' Gilmore said. ``I've learned there's a lot that can be done to help these kids.'' For information on Ch.A.D.D., call (805) 520-4943. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Peggy Stavropoulos of Moorpark is the mother of Trevor, left, 12; Sean, 11, Alicia, 8, and Emma, 3. Michael Owen Baker/Daily News |
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