Tag Archives: guns

Disorder of the Day (1)

Illnesses such as depression, ADHD, and anxiety and behavioral disorders are being diagnosed in increasing numbers throughout First-World countries. While there is little doubt that people are being more up-front about mental illness, is this trend a true reflection of what is really happening in the lives of everyday people? A concerning aspect in this upswing in the use of medication to “solve” these conditions, is the accompanying upswing in the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. While most people have always traditionally wanted a “magic bullet” to solve their health problems, in the area of mental health, the pharmaceutical industry … Continue reading →

Four Roadblocks to Learning

Is your child struggling with school? Does he or she seem to be drowning in work without making much progress? Sometimes the real cause of a child’s failure to thrive academically is simply the teaching methods employed at school. Here are four “roadblocks” which can interfere with a child’s ability to learn effectively. As you analyze your child’s progress, watch for these barriers: 1. World of Worksheets. Chances are, if you examine an average classroom at a random time of the day, you’ll see children sitting at desks completing worksheets. Worksheets seem to come tumbling down from the ceiling, filling … Continue reading →

Ten Ways a Special Needs Child Will Change You Forever

Having a son or daughter with special needs transforms us. There is just no way around it—we are shaped and chiseled from the inside out. It’s a process not without pain, but the ultimate rewards are great. Here are ten ways that a special needs child will change you forever: Perspective shift. There’s something about having a child who is struggling to master simple language, develop motor skills, or maintain basic health that changes your perception of things. Now, whether or not you get a new pair of shoes to wear to the Brewster’s Christmas party doesn’t seem to matter … Continue reading →

The Genetic Risks for Inheriting (or Passing Down) ADHD

Sometimes when a child is diagnosed with ADHD, the parent thinks, “I remember having similar problems in school,” or “My brother and I had the same behaviors when we were kids.” Often people don’t recognize their own symptoms of ADHD until their child is diagnosed. Yet statistics show that when a child is diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) there is two to eight times increased risk that one of the parents also has the condition. Evidence has shown a strong genetic link indicating that ADHD is passed through families. Even though some environmental factors may play a minor role … Continue reading →

Your Child Could be BOTH Gifted and Learning Disabled

Is your child bright and intelligent, yet still struggles in school? Are you often amazed at your child’s creativity and talents, but can’t figure out why certain things aren’t getting through academically? It’s not often understood that a person can be both gifted and learning disabled. We assume that a child who is gifted has no learning challenges, and a child with ADHD or a specific learning disability is “slow.” It’s hard to imagine that both conditions could exist at the same time. But they can. The classification is “Gifted and Talented/Learning Disabled” or “GT/LD.” These children require a whole … Continue reading →

“Mom, I need the car keys.” The ADHD Teenager & Driving

As a mom of teenagers, I soon face the dilemma of sharing the car keys. It’s a scary thing to think about. In just a few months, I’ll be able to watch my oldest child get into a vehicle and drive down the street. Yikes! I can already imagine the thoughts I’ll be grappling with… ”Will he remember to drive responsibly? Is he going to be distracted? Will he come back home, safe and sound?” As parents, we have very good reason to be concerned. The scary reality is that vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among youth … Continue reading →

Will My Child Outgrow ADHD? Looking Ahead to the Teenage Years

Since many of the behaviors associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are child-like, including impulsivity and forgetfulness, often parents suppose (or hope) that their child will eventually grow out of it. But statistically, your son or daughter with ADHD is likely to struggle with the condition well into the teenage years and beyond. And some children are not even diagnosed until adolescence. That’s because what seemed initially like childish recklessness becomes a more obvious concern as the child matures and cannot stop the behaviors. Studies have shown that 80% of children with ADHD will continue to have symptoms of inattention, … Continue reading →

Ten Signs that Your Child May be Gifted

Gifted and creative children often have behavioral problems in school which resemble ADHD, ODD, or other disorders. Sadly, many of these children are reprimanded, medicated, and denied the ability to reach their full potential. When this happens, our entire society suffers. Imagine if Einstein, Churchill, Edison, and other great thinkers who struggled in school were held back and forced to be ordinary. What if we had labeled them as slow learners and medicated them? How might the world be different today? I wonder why we assume children who misbehave are unintelligent. For some reason we’ve adopted this thinking in the … Continue reading →

The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You…

Has your child got rhythm? Sounds like a strange question. But have you ever contemplated how your child’s sense of rhythm might be affecting every aspect of his life? Ka-thump, ka-thump… Each of us has an internal mechanism in our brain that enables us to use rhythm and timing for nearly all the things we do. When we play sports, type on a keyboard, dance, play an instrument, ride a bike, and engage in conversation, we are using timing. The inner-meter in our brain tells us when to start something and when to stop. We know how to do everything … Continue reading →

Hope with Ritalin

I was told early on that my son showed signs of ADD. Being one of those people who feel ADD is over diagnosed, I had a mental laundry list of all the other things that could be attributing to my son’s behavior. My son is a 5 year old high energy little boy. He is not what I consider to be hyperactive. Due to prenatal drug exposure and family medical history, there could be any number of neurological issues contributing to his behaviors. We have looked at Sensory Integration Dysfunction (DSI) because he appeared to be seeking sensory input by … Continue reading →