Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995                   TAG: 9509220119
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: F5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: L.M. SIXE HOUSTON CHRONICLE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ATTENTION DISORDERS CAN PLAGUE WORKING ADULTS, NOT JUST KIDS

But since Harris has gotten help, learning some management tips and taking the stimulant Ritalin, he focuses better and pays more attention to what his clients say in meetings.

``I hate to say it's a miracle drug, but it's been great,'' said Harris, a Houston salesman.

Attention deficit disorder is an increasingly recognized problem among youngsters. Physicians are treating more and more children with the disorder to help them better focus on schoolwork and get along better in social situations.

But the problem, often detected in children by schoolteachers, still is rarely recognized in adults. More and more adults, however, are seeking help.

Like other parents, Harris began to suspect he suffered from attention deficit disorder after his 9-year-old son was diagnosed with the illness.

Until then, Harris thought he just had a quirky personality that prevented him from finishing a book or a project around the house.

Many adults with attention deficit disorder have never been treated, said Bruce Holzband, director of education and evaluation services at Edu-Clinic in Houston. Schools moved them through the system. Now that they've grown up, many are having trouble at work.

The cause of attention deficit disorder is uncertain, but it probably stems from chemical imbalances in the brain, said Myron Friedman, director of psychological services at Edu-Clinic. Stimulants like Ritalin give the brain a jump start, so it's easier to focus.

Holzband said a secretary with the disorder may get only pieces of a job done. An advertising account executive may run from one sale to another without closing any of them.

It's a very frustrating problem, Friedman said. People who suffer from attention deficit disorder often feel incompetent, because they can't finish what they mean to.

Because there is no single test for the disorder, Holzband runs a battery of tests measuring intelligence, achievement, attention and reaction speed.

Drugs can help control the disorder, but Holzband also teaches patients key skills, such as ways to listen better. He taught one sales representative to take notes on a laptop computer and tape meetings, for example.

A person who has trouble finishing paperwork might offer to do an onerous task for a co-worker in exchange for help with the paperwork, Friedman said.

He recommends that people with attention deficit disorder tell their bosses. They might request some clerical help or dictation equipment. Maybe all they need is a quiet office.

Open office designs can cause problems for folks with attention deficit disorder, said Katrina Ricketts, who runs a support group for adults who suffer from the disorder. They may get distracted by conversations in the next cubicle or from the buzzing of a computer when it is turned on.

It's important for bosses and co-workers to understand characteristics of people with attention deficit disorder, Ricketts said. They may have a ``snap attack'' during stressful situations when they have to get something done quickly. They may have a hard time setting priorities, dealing with the last thing that falls into their laps rather than the most important thing.

On the positive side, afflicted workers can be extremely creative, Ricketts said.

Several of the people in Ricketts' support group are career hoppers. ``It's difficult to keep your job, because you can't keep focused,'' she said.