I’ve always had a healthy respect for medication. As my mother used to say, “better living through chemistry.” But since I began blogging for the law firm and getting the FDA MedWatch alerts, I’ve become a little skittish. I realize severe adverse reactions are rare, so I still take my favorite painkiller Advil (I had banned it for a few weeks).
This week I received a Safety Communication from the FDA about stimulant medication to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that concerned me. I know several children who take or have taken these meds. Their parents tell me they make a …read more

I’ve seen it so many times. We will be playing at a park, shopping in a store or at a school function and we see a child who is being a complete brat. The mom will flush and say something like, “He has ADHD.” Oddly enough, that same child will be seen eating junk food for lunch and is known for the ability to quote whole episodes of Transformers. Hello? If the kid really does have ADHD, why isn’t he on a restricted diet? Why is he obviously consuming way too much television, known to worsen ADHD symptoms?
I know why and so …read more

Do you have a child who is medicated for ADHD? Did you know that some doctors advise an occasional break from their medication? Many parents of children with ADHD are opting to keep their kids off of the medication during summer break. However, this is a matter that must be discussed with your pediatrician or family doctor before commencing. There are are some seriously freaky side effects that can occur if you just stop giving the medication to little Johnny, cold turkey. I learned this the hard way with my own son.
We decided to stop using medication to treat my son’s ADHD symptoms. …read more

My son has been different from my other children, all his life. Even as a baby, I would notice that he was difficult to calm, impulsive, hyperactive and very angry. I discussed these matters with the pediatrician, very early in his toddler years. He assured me that it was probably just normal boy characteristics. Being that my oldest was a girl and my youngest was an infant, I had no idea what to expect from a toddler boy. So I dismissed my worries and figured that things would change. They did not.

As some of you know, I have recently taken my son off of his ADHD medication. Many factors contributed to this decision, too many to get into now. However, we are doing other things to combat his ADHD symptoms. We are no longer bandaging the problem, rather, searching for answers as to the cause of his symptoms. It is not an easy task, to say the least. Gayla can testify to how exhausting it is to be the mother of a child with a disorder. We love our children, dearly. The things we do for them are labors of love, for sure. We …read more

Countless children labeled hyperactive are being subdued with drugs like Ritalin. But many experts think they’re just naturally boisterous – and those needless pills are causing terrifying side-effects.
I’ll be one of the first to admit that I’m one of those people I think drugs like Ritalin are being WAY over prescribed.

Help may be on the way for Utah parents of children who rant,whine and throw tantrums.  “Supernanny” is looking for Utah families to appear on its fourth season.
Producers are holding an open casting call Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at Gardner Village, 1100 W. 7800 South in West Jordan. Bring your whole misbehavin’ brood! For more info, call the show’s casting hotline at 877-626-6984 or visit www.abc.go.com/primetime/supernanny.
“Supernanny” producers are eager to cast in Utah after last week’s episode, featuring the Goins family from Sandy and their hyperactive 7-year-old, garnered the highest ratings of the show’s third season.

On this weeks episode, Jo Jo visited The Goins family. The family consisted of Mom, Dad and three children with mom being pregnant with her fourth.Khalin, the eldest child presented the biggest challenge having been diagnosed with A.D.H.D. I was particularly interested in seeing how Super Nanny would deal with the unique daily challenges a child with this disorder presents.  (A.D.H.D. discussion following this message)
I can’t imagine even trying to place myself in Karolee’s shoes. The poor woman has her hands so full and a complete male chauvinistic pig of a husband who offers up very little …read more

As the mother of twins who relied heavily on “video time” in order to get anything accomplished around the house when the kids were little, I’d like to challenge this study that says:
 
 
A study from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that watching videos as a toddler may lead to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, also called ADD in UK) in later life.
TV watching “rewires” an infant’s brain, says Dr. Dimitri A. Christakis lead researcher and director of the Child Health Institute at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, Wash. The damage shows up at age 7 when children …read more