Linda Ellerbee and Dr. Phil Investigate Brain Disorders on Nick News ”What’s Wrong With Me?”
Airs Dec. 19, 2004, 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon with Linda Ellerbee
New York, NY-Dec. 3, 2004-Award-winning journalist Linda Ellerbee and special guest Dr. Phil McGraw take a look at kids who experience a variety of learning disabilities and neurological disorders, in Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: What’s Wrong With Me?, airing on Nickelodeon Sunday, Dec. 19, 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
Kids across the country live with various forms of brain disorders.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects three to five percent of all kids in the U.S. - perhaps as many as two million American kids. At least one kid in every classroom in the United States needs help for the disorder.
“This show focuses on some brain conditions which, if not recognized or understood, can make a kid feel isolated or abnormal,” said Ellerbee. “These kids are normal and smart. Their disorders may differentiate them from their peers, but it’s the differences that make them human.”
Ellerbee and McGraw talk with kids about their various conditions including OCD, ADD, depression, dyslexia and other learning disabilities (LD), how they make them feel, and how others perceive them. Thirteen-year-old Tucker suffers from OCD, depression and mood swings, and discusses his dark days before he was diagnosed. Adam finds that his ADD has him playing catch up with students and teachers in school, while Zina’s dyslexia results in her difficulties with math. ADHD makes it hard for A.J. to focus in school, whereas Jasmine suffers from depression and finds it hard to smile.
“Being different is okay,” says psychologist Dr. Phil. “It’s the manner in which we deal with our differences that makes each of us special. It is a matter of accepting oneself and learning how to live with individual differences.”
There are ways to handle the disorders and several suggestions are given within the program. Fifteen-year-old Holly, who lives with LD, depression and anxiety, and sixteen-year-old Cody, who has ADHD, OCD and depression, participate in Youth Encouraging Support (YES), a group of Nebraska kids who aim to change people’s perception about brain disorders. From music, to sports, to poetry, the kids in the special each found an outlet to express themselves.
Medicine and people’s understanding can also affect these kids’ lives. With the right support and treatment, parents and peers can help kids with brain conditions achieve success by encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, understanding the educational system, working with professionals and learning strategies to deal with specific difficulties.