USD Magazine, Winter/Spring 1997

Children

M ost children can credit their parents with exerting some influence over their career choice, and Dr. Sarita Doyle Eastman '65, whose parents both are physicians, is no exception. The strongest influ– ence on Eastman's career path came not from her parents, however, but from her son.

Deficit Disorder, an edu– cational and support group for families dealing with ADD. She current– ly is working to develop a countywide program for recognition and treat– ment of the problem. And while her education– al efforts sometimes seem daunting, she takes pride in what she has achieved so far. "At the very least, I know now that a child in my part of San Diego

"I became a pediatrician because I liked children, but my son, Ian, helped me find my special calling," says Eastman, who in 1972 joined the San Diego pediatric practice founded by her father. "When he was diagnosed with dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder, I began to educate myself about those problems. Eventually it became my specialty." In fact, Eastman's work on behalf of children suffering from ADD became more than a professional specialty. In the years since her son's diagnosis, she has conducted a one-woman crusade to edu– cate parents, teachers, counselors and the general public about the causes - and treatments - of ADD, a medical problem that affects an estimated 5 percent of all children. In 1988, she helped found the Winston School for elementary through high school stu– dents with learning differences. The school, named for Winston Churchill, who struggled with learning differences, is now consid– ered one of the best of its kind. "Most children at the school have been unsuccessful elsewhere, but go on to success there," says Eastman proudly. "It's a matter of teaching parents and teachers not to define the children by this problem, but to emphasize their talents and successes." Eastman's work with children suffering from ADD was a key reason for her selection as the 1996 recipient of USD's Bishop Charles Francis Buddy Award, given annually to an alumna or alumnus who demonstrates extraordinary commitment and devotion to humanitarian causes. At a ceremony during the Alumni Mass in December, she was praised for her pioneering work in the field of ADD and for making an immeasurable difference in the lives of children who benefit from her treatment. Eastman cites a very sim– ple reason for her success and dedication. "There is nothing quite so educational as facing a problem in your own family every day," says the physician and mother of three, who recently completed a biography of her mother, Anita Figueredo, a prominent surgeon and USD trustee. "The wisdom you gain in solving that problem for yourself is invaluable, and it helps you make the connection to others with the same problem." Eastman has made that connection in many different ways. She serves as medical adviser for Children and Adults with Attention

Sarita Doyle Eastman '65

County suffering from ADD has a good chance of the problem being recognized by a teacher or parent," she says. "Once the prob– lem is recognized, the child can be helped." Eastman is most impassioned when making the point that chil– dren with ADD can be successfully treated with medicine and counseling, but only if the problem is recognized. Her passion seems to come from the realization that although ADD is more widely understood now than it was when she began talking about it years ago, there is still a long road to travel. "The positive change is that now people recognize ADD as a possible cause of their child's problems," she says. "The challenge is that many medical insurance plans still see this as a behavioral problem, not a medical problem, and exclude it from coverage. One of my goals is to change that perception." Eastman also says she would like to write a manual for medical practitioners to follow in treating children with ADD. That may have to wait, however, as the majority of her time is spent working with her own patients and their families. When she talks about her work, it's clear that Eastman continues to derive her greatest joy from treating the children she sees every day. "The most remarkable part of what I do is being able to change children's lives almost overnight," she says, noting that her son, Ian, now flourishing in art school, is a perfect example. "When families that are torn apart begin to heal, when parents can enjoy their chil– dren for the first time, and when children who are outcasts become happy and successful, it's very fulfilling. To see it happen over and over again is incredibly gratifying."

- Michael R. Haskins

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