SPARK had an eventful year for 2002. The Society concentrated on creating ADHD awareness and I am pleased to report the following achievements on behalf of the SPARK Exec. Committee :

1. ADHD Awareness Roadshow for Schools
Project Chairperson Cheng Kah Kee gave talks on ADHD and Classroom Management Strategies to teachers of 11 schools (9 Primary and 2 Secondary schools) through 2002. The overall feedback from teachers was very encouraging.

• 92% feedback that the talk helped them to better understand the problems faced by ADHD children in class
  
• 85% felt that the intervention classroom strategies presented would be useful
  
• 81% considered them practical and sensitive to resource constraints in the classroom
  
• 83% indicted willingness to try them out.
  

We have sent these feedback to MOE. Ms Cheng Kah Kee will continue with the Roadshow in 2003 to reach out to many more schools. SPARK parents are encouraged to help make contact with their children’s schools to facilitate arrangement of the talks.

2. New SPARK website ( http://www.spark.org.sg )
The society launched a new website which is now maintained by the Society Hon Secretary Mr Edmund Wee. The new website address gave the society greater visibility and prominence, and many new parents and external interested parties now get to know SPARK’s existence through the website.

3. Talk on ADHD to NIE Trainee Teachers
A Talk (similar to the Roadshow Talk) was given to NIE trainee teachers by invitation on 5 Nov 2002. Another talk will be given in 2003 to the Master Students of NIE.

4. Participation on News Radio 938 “The Living Room”
The Straits Times article on ADHD published on 23 Sep 2002 created even more awareness on ADHD and our SPARK website was published in the article. We were then contacted by New Radio 938 to participate in a Talk Show on ADHD on 9 Oct 2002 in “The Living Room” programme (10.30am – 12pm). Dr Ng Koon Hock and Ms Cheng Kah Kee represented SPARK and went on air for 1.5 hours in this programme, sharing their views and knowledge on ADHD and management strategies from a professional and parental viewpoint. Questions were also fielded from callers into the programme during this time.

5. Production of CD on Managing the ADHD Child in Class
Based on the ADHD Roadshow Talk to the schools, a CD (English version only) was produced with teachers as the intended audience. The CD is accompanied by a little booklet with the text of the presentation. SPARK will be promoting this CD to all the schools (at $5 to recover cost).

6. Production of ADHD Handbook for Parents, Care-givers and Teachers
A Handbook on ADHD was compiled by member Mr Lee Swee Huat (who is a management consultant by profession and who has an ADHD son). This comprehensive Handbook is the result of Swee Huat’s efforts in studying various books on ADHD, surfing many internet websites, attending ADHD seminars and interacting with ADHD specialists and parents. The Society has published and printed this Handbook which is available for purchase (at $5).

7. Participation at Book Launch “A Hand to Hold”
SPARK was invited to set up a Display Table to create ADHD awareness at the Book Launch for Special Needs Children organized by Student Care Services at the SPH Auditorium on 30 Nov 2002. We participated and special Posters were designed by Edmund Wee for the event. We rushed the production of the CD and Handbook in time for this event. The response for this event was very encouraging.

Parent Support Group Meetings
The monthly meeting of the Parent Support Group at Child Guidance Clinic on the 1st Saturday afternoon (2-5pm) continues to be a major activity of the Society. This meeting offers a forum for parents (especially new parents joining SPARK) to interact with one another and share information and tips with regards to management of their ADHD children. The group also gives one another moral support and encouragement.

The Society managed to invite a very interesting array of speakers for the monthly meetings for 2002 :

April 02 - Ms Mary Teo, Principal of Grace Orchard School
She introduced the school which caters for children with low IQ (between 50 & 70) and have Mild Learning Difficulty (MLD) or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
June 02 - Talk on ADHD Management by Dr Lam Chee Meng, Director of Autism Resource Centre (ARC). Dr Lam has an ADHD son and spoke in the capacity of an ADHD parent.

July 02 - Talk on Sensory Integration (SI) & Occupational Therapy (OT) by Mr Alvin Chan, KIDZ Pediatric OT Consultants
A number of ADHD children may also have Sensory Integration problems. Alvin’s talk explains what SI is and what OT treatments are available.

Aug 02 - Introduction to Brain Gym by Ms Brigget Boller
Medication and Supplements by Dr Ng Koon Hock

Sep 02 - Stress Management by Dr Victor Tai

Oct 02 - Hearing from an ADD Adult : Sharing on “ADD Childhood and Adulthood Challenges” by Mr Garth Aldrich (Guest Lecturer, Ngee Ann Polytechnic) and Ms Kristine Overfield on “Challenges in a relationship with an ADD Adult”

Nov 02 - Use of Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) in the Treatment of ADHD. Two Chinese Physicians were invited to speak on the use of Massage and Acupuncture in the treatment of ADHD. The use of Acupuncture was demonstrated on a child during the session.

Dec 02 - Music Therapy by Ms Angela Mae Lee

Jan 03 - Succeeding with ADD/ADHD by Mr Adrian Tan, CEO of AD Planet
An inspiring sharing from Mr Adrian Tan, successful businessman who overcame ADHD difficulties and believed in the “Gift of ADHD”.

We call on more members to come forward to help on project initiatives and to refer speakers for our monthly meetings. Membership of the Society has grown to about 100, and we need members coming forward to help the Society run its activities and take the Society to its next stage beyond creating awareness. What SPARK can achieve for our ADHD community depends on each and every one of us.

Reported by : Bella Chin (Mrs)
SPARK President, 2002 – Mar 2003
8 Feb 2003