Ohio Walmarts add educational kiosks about ADHD

From The Columbus Dispatch:

By now, Americans are used to encountering health-care messages in the mall or grocery store.

Flu shots are everywhere. Information on diabetes and other common conditions isn't hard to find.

But it still might surprise some people when Walmart stores begin offering mental-health help this month.

On Sept. 18 and 19, Walmart customers will find information on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder at the Columbus store at 3900 Morse Rd. and at stores in Lewis Center, Reynoldsburg, Canal Winchester and Marysville.

These "awareness centers" are being set up in partnership with Shire Pharmaceuticals, which makes one of the medications approved for treating the disorder.

The kiosks will include guides on how to recognize signs and symptoms of ADHD in children. Doctors will not be available to discuss concerns, but customers will be encouraged to make appointments with their doctors if they have more questions, said Kara Holmes, a Shire spokeswoman.

Mental-health experts welcome more information on ADHD but caution that actual diagnosis is complex, and the decision to enter into treatment should be made carefully with the help of a doctor who understands the disorder and the various medications that can be used to treat it.

Any effort to identify those suffering from a condition through a list of signs and symptoms will catch more people than those who actually have the disorder, said Dr. Daniel Coury, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

He said the kiosks will be useful as long as people use them as a starting point.

"It does take careful evaluation, or people can be misdiagnosed or over-diagnosed," Coury said.

A careful evaluation should include interviews with the child, the parents and other adults who know the child, including teachers, he said.

An estimated 3 percent to 7 percent of the population has ADHD, Coury said.

Laura Moskow Sigal, executive director of Mental Health America of Franklin County, said she welcomes educational materials in retail settings.

"A lot of times, (ADHD) goes undiagnosed because parents think kids are supposed to be wild and running around the room. Anytime you can educate folks about some possible treatments, it's a good thing," she said.

The Walmart kiosks will focus on children but might also be helpful for those adults who suffer from ADHD and don't realize it, Sigal said.

Like Coury, Sigal said nobody should make a snap diagnosis about ADHD.

"It's important to explore all the possibilities that may explain the child's behavior. It could be a depression, or a family going through job loss or divorce."

She applauded Walmart for partnering with Shire to educate customers and possibly help people seek help and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.