(HealthDay is the new name for HealthScoutNews.)
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- If you need information about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), pick up your phone on Tuesday.
That's when experts will answer questions from parents of children with this disorder. It's the fifth annual ADHD Experts on Call event, which runs from 8 a.m. to midnight.
When you call the national toll-free hotline at 1-888-ASK-ADHD, you'll be able to talk with English- and Spanish-speaking ADHD experts, including doctors, school nurses and educators, who can answer your questions about ADHD.
Or you can ask questions and get information at this confidential one-on-one online forum.
This year's on-call program features three-time Emmy Award-winning actress Kathy Baker, whose 13-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD four years ago. She'll talk about her own personal experiences dealing with a child with ADHD.
"I know how important it is to access to accurate information about ADHD -- there are so many conflicting reports about the condition that sometimes it's hard to know what's fact and what's fiction," Baker says in a news release.
"I'm so pleased to be involved with ADHD Experts on Call, and I hope that by sharing my family's experience, I'll help other parents understand that there is something they can do to help their child," she adds.
ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in children and adolescents. About 2 million school-age children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD.
Children with ADHD often are inattentive, impulsive and hyperactive to the point where these traits can interfere with their ability to function normally at home, school and in social settings.
Over the last four years, the ADHD Experts on Call have handled more than 14,000 inquires, helping people better understand the condition and how it may affect families.
"Of course, this program doesn't replace a physician visit, but as a start, parents can learn valuable information regarding ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, support groups and treatment options that can help them better understand the disorder," Experts on Call participant Dr. Frank Lopez, a developmental pediatrician at the Children's Developmental Center in Florida, says in a news release.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about ADHD.
