types and myths about adult females
with ADHD.

Breaking Myths

Special Writer Ronelle Grier's excellent
article on Attention Deficit Hyperactivi-
ty Disorder ("Not Only Men," Sept. 1,
page 15) reminds us that ADHD is a
well-known disorder that is not known
well.
What is not known well is that gen-
der stereotypes contribute to missed
opportunities for identification and
effective medication and psychological
treatments for female adults with
ADHD.
For example, many females do not
present with the classic "Dennis the
Menace" triad of ADHD symptoms —
restlessness, distractibility and poor self-
control. Rather, females often suffer
severe chronic and pervasive difficulties
with predominantly distractibility — a
difficulty filtering out external distrac-
tions that is often misdiagnosed and
sometimes associated with disorders
such as anxieties, substance abuse and
depression.
A basic problem in the diagnosis and
treatment of ADHD is that scientists
know much about how brains and
minds work, but have no knowledge
about how brains produce minds. This
wide brain-mind gap is sometimes filled
by ideologues who know lots of things
that are not so.
Some citizens "believe" that ADHD
does not exist — it is just another myth
of mental illness; that doctors promiscu-
ously drug children with the help of
harried teachers and self-preoccupied,
permissive parents, that we mask the
real" problems of the ADHD child
with medication.
Until we have a medical test to identi-
fy ADHD, no amount of scientific
knowledge, clinical experience or testi-
monies from those with the disorder
will convince some citizens of the validi-
ty of neurophysiological disorders such
as ADHD in adult females or anybody
else.
With the knowledge and help of such
ADHD experts and authors you refer to
— Sari Solden, Terry Matlen, and
Wilma Fellman — your article does
much to clarify the influence of stereo-

"

Jewish.com

Reports Differ On Arafat
Two reputable newspapers have finally
obtained Yasser Arafat's medical
records in Paris — but the diagnoses
they offered were remarkably different.

Jig

9/15
2005

6

Steven J. Ceresnie
Plymouth

Plaudits For Coverage

Many thanks to Special Writer Ronelle
Grier for addressing the issue of
AD/HD in Women ("Not Only Men,"
Sept. 1, page 15)
This often "shameful" disorder has
been swept under the rug for so many
years, inhibiting many women from
reaching their potential — or even
from getting through the juggling act
of their normal day. While all women
experience stress and difficulties with
the complexities of modern life, those
with AD/HD often quietly hide the
extent of their struggle — affecting
their personal life, their family life and
their career.
Ronelle Grier put together a wonder-
fully graphic and informative article
that describes the problem and discuss-
es solutions. We applaud her and the
Jewish News for covering this subject,
which quietly affects so MANY in our
community

Wilma Fellman
West Bloomfield
Terry Maslen
Birmingham
Sari Solden
Ann Arbor

Misrepresenting The Mayor

It is extremely unfortunate that Jewish
News Editor Robert Sklar in his recent
Editor's Notebook ("Snubbing Detroit
Jewry," Sept. 1, page 5) chose to so pro-
foundly misrepresent the recent presen-
tation made by Mayor Kilpatrick and
the Detroit City Council to Nation of
Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Minister Farrakhan was in Detroit as
part of a national tour he is making to
highlight the upcoming Millions More
March Oct. 15, which will highlight
the 10th anniversary of the Million
Man March.

dotCOM SURVEY

The Millions
More March is
intended to gen-
erate the spirit
and energy of
the original
Million Man
March in a con-
structive effort to
build the African
American com-
Mayor Kilpatrick
munity in
America. It is
open to people from all racial and eth-
nic backgrounds. Its goal is to generate
mutual love and respect among all peo-
ple and to encourage all to take personal
responsibility to uplift African
Americans and others out of the devas-
tation of poverty and ignorance.
More than 150 key leaders and
groups in the African American com-
munity, including the NAACP,
National Urban League, National
Council of Negro Women, Progressive
National Baptist Convention, National
Rainbow PUSH Coalition and others,
all have voiced their support for the
redemptive message and agenda of the
commemoration.
Former President Bill Clinton has
described the march as "a very positive
idea." The former president said the
country must solve the racial and eco-
nomic disparity that still exists in this
country and said, "I think the country's
focus understandably has strayed a little
over the last few years."
Gov. Granholm also has spoken in
support of the Millions More
Movement. Yet you did not publish
such a vituperative broadside against
either her or the former president.
To characterize the council's and
mayor's endorsement of the march
"Snubbing Detroit Jewry" is to corn-
pletely misunderstand and misrepresent
the event and the spirit behind it.
As Mr. Sklar himself acknowledges in
the column, the mayor is a friend of the
Jewish community and has many sup-
porters from the Jewish community. He
would never engage in any activity that
he felt was disrespectful of the Jewish
community or any other ethnic group,

Last Week's Results

Now that Israel has pulled out of
Gaza, will Hamas or the Palestinian
Authority rule in the Strip?

Do you blame the Bush administra-
tion for the slow response to
Hurricane Katrina?

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JNOnline.com.

68% said yes
32% said no

for that matter.
The next time Mr. Sklar becomes
aware of an event, which he might want
to.question, perhaps he could take the
time to get more information rather
than using his position as editor to
launch into a heated tirade that is so far
off the mark of what actually happened.

Ceeon Quiett
communications director
Office of Mayor Kwame M Kilpatrick
Detroit

Embrace Of Farrakhan

Robert Sklar's Editor's Notebook
("Snubbing Detroit Jewry," Sept. 1,
page 5) captured many of the same con-
cerns felt by the Jewish Community
Council regarding Rev. Louis
Farrakhan's recent visit to Detroit. We,
along with many others, are incensed
that Detroit leaders would bestow the
Spirit of Detroit
award on this
man.
Even before
his arrival, our
associate direc-
tor, Allan Gale,
was quoted in
the Detroit Free
Press ("Million
Man Plans A
Repeat," Aug.
Rev. Farrakhan
15) saying:
"With Louis
Farrakhan's history of anti-Jewish and
anti-Israel statements, the Jewish
Community Council is disappointed
that the Detroit City Council would
lend legitimacy to Farrakhan's claim of
leadership."
It is extremely regretful that Detroit's
leadership did not distance themselves
from Rev. Farrakhan. However, their
failure to do so is even greater evidence
of the need to keep the lines of commu-
nication open and continue challenging
city leadership so that such an offensive
action does not occur again.
We intend to communicate with cur-
rent and future city leadership through
numerous channels to fully convey our
deep disappointment, in the hope of
strengthening an understanding of how
destructive Rev. Farrakhan and his fol-
lowers are to the Jewish community and
to Jewish relations with the black com-
munity.

Wendy Wagenheim
president
Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit
Bloomfield Township

Read about it on
Tewish.com.

LETTERS

on page 8

