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New ADD Health and Wellness Centers Emphasize One-Stop Individualized Care and Comprehensive Therapies

Posted on: Thursday, 5 April 2007, 09:00 CDT

AUSTIN and DALLAS, April 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advocates a comprehensive, individualized approach to treating ADD/ADHD -- a condition that affects up to 7 percent of U.S. school children, or around 4 million. However, with limited access to resources, parents and pediatricians alike are often limited to treating ADD/ADHD with prescription medications alone. The recently-opened ADD Health and Wellness Centers in Greater Austin and Greater Dallas are changing the treatment equation and now offering a free evaluation program which is open to the public with no restrictions regarding age or income level.

For the first time, parents with children suffering from ADD/ADHD have access to comprehensive, high-quality treatment all in one place. "Leaders in the field of ADD/ADHD are urging parents and physicians to take an integrated, customized approach to treatment," said Robert S. Baurys, II, CEO of ADD Health and Wellness Centers, Inc. "Because treatment of these conditions requires a cross-functional team of professionals -- including medical doctors, psychologists, coaches, and support services -- the traditional healthcare community has been ill-prepared to deliver an optimal treatment package."

Comprehensive treatment plans like those advocated by the AAP require multiple providers and services commonly found at different locations. This presents a logistical nightmare for parents of patients to manage. As a result, patients are often under-treated. To improve diagnostic evaluation and treatment efficacy, the ADD Health and Wellness Centers provide a unique one-stop care facility where medical treatment, testing, and counseling are integrated.

To take advantage of the Centers' free evaluation, an individual who suspects they may suffer from ADD/ADHD -- or the parent of a child who may -- can register online or by telephone (512) 380-1232 in Austin, and (214) 245-5417 in Dallas. This community service is intended to help provide parents a sense of direction to help make better choices for effective treatment options.

Unlike most medical doctors who treat ADD/ADHD as part of their busy practice, ADD Health and Wellness Centers exclusively treat ADD/ADHD and related conditions.

Drugs continue to be the single-most common treatment for ADD/ADHD and related conditions in this country. However, a comprehensive individual treatment plan from ADD Health and Wellness Centers may not require medications as a permanent regimen, or even at all. "The benefit of providing comprehensive, individualized programs is that there are multiple treatment options to prescribe that may make pharmaceuticals less necessary," said Theresa Cerulli, MD, previously a Harvard Instructor for eight years, and Chief Medical Officer of the ADD Health and Wellness Centers. "Medication is often an important tool, but it certainly is not the only tool for delivering positive results. We believe that for optimal clinical results, doctors must be well versed and involved in all treatment options -- including medical, counseling, and nutritional."

Other important treatment components parents and patients can find at ADD Health and Wellness Centers include:

-- Neuropsychological evaluations and diagnostic clarifications -- Education and counseling -- Behavioral and cognitive treatment for ADD and other co-existing conditions -- Academic tutoring and placement specialists -- Coaching services -- Support groups -- Social skills groups -- Skills-based group treatment -- Intensive workshops -- Complementary and alternative non-medication therapies -- Nutritional counseling and supplementation

Because this specialized approach to ADD/ADHD treatment is unique in the healthcare system today, ADD Health and Wellness Centers maintains an outcome database to track patient results. This database will be the first of its kind to quantitatively monitor and measure patient results in the Greater Austin and Greater Dallas area, and ultimately, in markets around the country.

The ADD Health and Wellness Center of Austin opened in late February, the Center in Dallas opened in October 2006, and at least four more Centers are scheduled to launch around the country in the next year. The Houston Center is scheduled to open in May.

About ADD Health and Wellness Centers: ADD Health and Wellness Centers, Inc., is dedicated to individualized, comprehensive, accessible, results- driven treatment for ADD and related conditions. The ADD Health and Wellness Centers of Greater Austin is located at: 13915 N. Burnet Road, Suite 310, Austin, TX 78728, (512) 380-1232. The Greater Dallas Center is located at: 7500 Preston Road, Suite 100, Plano, TX 75024, (214) 245-5417. For more information, visit http://www.addhealthandwellness.com/ .

ADD Health and Wellness Centers, Inc.

CONTACT: Dean Draznin, +1-641-472-2257, or dean@drazninpr.com , or BethMoore, +1-502-396-9646, or beth@drazninpr.com , both for ADD Health andWellness Centers, Inc.

Web site: http://www.addhealthandwellness.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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