About the Author

ABOUT THE BOOK

Can you tell us what ADHD Potatoes is about?

It's a story that starts out as a memoir of myself as a young mother trying to find answers to a puzzle. The puzzle is why my two boys appeared to behave so differently from other little boys of their own age. Later in the book, this personal quest broadens out into a larger story about the struggle for acceptance of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder during the1990s in Australia.

What made you want to write a book about ADHD?

Largely it was my own experiences as a mother. Nowadays, there are plenty of academic references and parent manuals out there, but I wanted people to know what it actually feels like to be in the situation of bringing up a child with ADHD. For most people, it's a really confusing thing because society has all sorts of myths about these children and their parents.

You were also a teacher, weren't you?

Yes. I had nine years of experience as a teacher, and the perspective of parents and teachers is often quite different. I think this needs to be reconciled, and I hope that my book might go some way towards helping this to happen. And apart from these two reasons, there were some very interesting aspects to the way in which change in the understanding of ADHD came about in Australia. This is a story that needs to be told.

What changed in the understanding of ADHD?

During the 1980s, most people had never even heard of ADHD, and those who had, mostly were skeptical. In fact, most children with ADHD were treated as just unco-operative and disruptive. But by the year 2000, ADHD was taken seriously. Nowadays, across Australia, it's one of the commonest reasons for children being referred to mental health clinics.The amazing thing is that it all happened so fast.

What brought about this rapid change?

Well, it wasn't just the academics and the clinicians. The surprising thing is that it was a grass roots movement. The parent support groups, working with a few forward-thinking clinicians and academics, brought about the change. It's a remarkable story.

Who will buy this book?

It will appeal to parents, of course, but also to teachers, medical practitioners and psychologists who work with children, and anyone with an interest in learning how communities respond to the challenge of new ideas.

Canberra & Queanbeyan ADD Support Group Inc.
Phone: (02)6290 1984 http://www.addact.org.au

The Attention Disorders Association of South Australia (ADASA) Phone: (08)8232 0685
http://www.communitywebs.org/AttentionDisordersSA

Hyperactivity Attention Deficit Association (NSW)
Phone: (02)9411 2186
http://www.users.bigpond.com/hyperadd

Learning & Attentional Disorders Society of WA Inc.
Phone: (08)9346 7544 http://www.ladswa.com.au

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Geraldine Moore was born in Ararat, Victoria in 1949, and grew up in Melbourne. She graduated in Arts, at Monash University, and then completed a Diploma of Education in 1971.In 1987 She completed a Master of Education by thesis at Monash. Geraldine taught English, History and Politics in several secondary schools in Melbourne for nine years. She is married to Garry Moore, and their two sons, Stephen and Richard were born in 1978 and 1980 respectively.

From 1985 to 2000, Geraldine worked on the committee of ACTIVE Inc, the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Association of Victoria, as a committee member, secretary and newsletter editor. Her duties involved office management, member support, arranging speaking events with academics, researchers and clinicians, speaking at schools, on radio and at conferences. Geraldine was also on the committee of ADDnet, the first national association for ADHD. In 1995 she was invited to become a foundation member of the Victorian Community Advisory Group on Mental Health. [VICCAG] where she served until 1998.

Geraldine's interests include writing, travelling, films, electronic publishing, Japanese language and nature study.