tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77445286463254443312024-02-20T12:13:28.969-08:00Unusual and Usual SolutionsRashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-60864528604465103232011-12-30T15:15:00.000-08:002011-12-30T15:26:14.106-08:00Atypical Behavior or a Vision Problem?The small autistic children that I see sometimes have this apparently odd behavior of running with their eyes averted. They either look to the side, look down, or close their eyes. They do not do this while walking. These children are under three years old, and do not have the capacity to say that something is wrong with their eyes.<br /><br />I have started to wonder whether the behavior is a compensation for the inability to change focus as they run toward things, or whether the constant problem with focus is causing them to have a sensory disturbance of another kind. I think that a focus problem can be assessed by a clever pediatric eye care specialist.<br /><br />Another important thing to consider, if my hypothesis about the behavior being related to a vision problem is correct, whether other seemingly atypical behaviors might be related to another problem or problems.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-38148274188459589872011-03-31T10:29:00.000-07:002011-03-31T11:09:03.115-07:00Ethnocentric Weaning And ProblemsThere was March 11, 2011 weekly report from the Centers from Disease Control concerning the practice of adult caregivers chewing table food and giving it to their babies/toddlers. The report focused on HIV infected caregivers primarily young mothers from 9 different HIV treatment centers. The survey was inspired by an August 2009 issue of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pediatrics </span>that contained an article about three babies who acquired HIV from infected moms. The survey revealed that 152 out of 192 respondents having babies engaged in the practice. Two-thirds of those were African-American. One quarter were Hispanic. Only 7% were white. The remainder were "miscellaneous."<br /><br />It is important to consider some things about using pre-chewed food, often referred to as pre-masticated food to wean babies from breast milk or formula. First and foremost is the fact that HIV is not easily/usually transmitted in saliva. However, other disease organisms are known to be transmitted that way, notably Hepatitis B, Group A Streptococcus, Herpes, and the Epstein-Barr virus. Gertrude Petlo and others at Cornell University published a study in a 2010 issue of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Maternal and Child Nutrition </span>of pre-mastication in Han China. It was actually two studies. Remarkably, one found that 63% of university students responding had been raised on pre-masticated food. The article noted some important benefits of pre-mastication. One benefit was the reduction iron deficiency because of the iron rich food that is passed through pre-mastication. Another mentioned was the fact that saliva in infants under 9 months old is less efficient at digesting complex starches. The adult saliva in pre-masticated food prevents this.<br /><br />The behavior of pre-mastication is, as described in the G. Petlo et al. article, the second arm (following breast feeding) of providing nutrition to infants when considered on an international scale. Pureed food (aka, baby food) lacks exclusivity in so many cultures, and socio-economic groups. Many problems have not been consider concerning this practice.<br /><br />We know that there are pharmaceutical warnings about medications that are passed along in breast milk. We can honestly say that there are no such warnings concerning medications that are passed along in saliva with pre-masticated food. That is a huge problem. It is also less than certain that this is a consideration when ill toddlers present at the offices of pediatricians and at Emergency Departments of hospitals/medical centers.<br /><br />The next part of this involves tobacco. No one really knows how many mothers pass tobacco by products to children in pre-masticated food. It is known that nicotine and its by-products can make babies sick.<br /><br />It is probably reasonable to consider whether infants seen for illness have been fed pre-masticated food by caregivers who take medication, are infected with a transmittable disease, or use tobacco products. It is probably not something that is routinely done.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-86058802347773184792010-11-28T09:19:00.000-08:002010-11-28T09:26:02.488-08:00Stop CallingA developmentally delayed man would ask for a staff member's phone number, and call that staff member repeatedly. Admittedly, any staff member that would give a group home consumer their own number needs to re-define their priorities. It would also be helpful to teach such consumers that repeatedly calling a person is not a good idea.<br /><br />There are some useful phone numbers to give in such instances. Some phone numbers provide the time when you call, some phone numbers provide the weather, others give sports scores. Most of these numbers are easily distinguished from the 911 number that is used for an emergency.<br /><br />One controversy that might arise when using commercial recording is the possible loss of trust between the consumer and staff. However, the technique provides an important boundary between consumers and personal involvement with staff.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-46066738410066196442010-09-17T05:56:00.000-07:002010-09-17T06:06:13.870-07:00Not Looking At The ObviousAs strange as it might seem, we often miss valuable information by not looking at the obvious. I heard, long ago, that insects have the best chance of surviving a nuclear armageddon. The furthest aspect of considering the survival skills of bugs pertains to disease resistance, and how this might help people.<br /><br />This all comes back to the psychology of thinking and problem solving. We often miss the things that could enhance our own survival and biological well-being by not considering things that we consider to be gross or disgusting. Not many of us would dream of how the common cockroach could save the lives of many people.<br /><br />Cockroaches live in detritus that would cause people to develop very serious illnesses. Until recently no one thought of how their ability to live and even thrive in adverse environments could be of value. I would advise reading this: <a href="http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63286/title/Cockroach_brains%2C_coming_to_a_pharmacy_near_you">http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63286/title/Cockroach_brains%2C_coming_to_a_pharmacy_near_you</a>Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-88444469811685988392010-07-11T04:21:00.000-07:002010-07-11T05:29:10.897-07:00Smell and Behavior ManagementThe digestive administration of chemical intervention in behavior problems can be fraught with unexpected consequences and results. Many of the side effects that occur can be the result of parenteral (digestive) changes in the chemical structure of pharmaceutical and natural substances that are administered orally (pills, powders, liquids). Knowledgeable people are aware that these changes occur through different systems, including the intestines and microsomal liver processes. To put it directly, the mouth may not be the best way to take medicine.<br /><br /><br /><br />There are other ways to administer drugs. Intravenous injection is very direct. It has the short coming of being difficult to administer by the general public. Many non-medical people are aware of nose sprays, the recent innovation of administering flu vaccine nasally, and the use of asthma inhalers. The drugs enter the blood stream through the blood vessels in the nose or those that are in the lungs. Transdermal drug administration functions, for the most part, by capillary induction.<br /><br /><br /><br />This brings us to the issue of what some people might regard as intervention on the edge, or even strange. Aromatherapy is old news to people who like the so-called hippies of yesteryear. Law enforcement officers are aware of the self administration of THC (marijuana for one), and cocaine. Some of the more modern uses are quite dangerous, as in teenagers "huffing" glue, gasoline, aerosol propellants, etc. Those things cause brain damage in the same way that some substances can cause benefits for behavioral and emotional functioning.<br /><br />The smell of vanillin has been found to prevent apnea in premature infants who did not respond to more traditional treatment (Marlier, L., Gaugler, C., and Messer, 2005). The researchers monitored the respiration rates of 14 infants in the NICU at a University Hospital in Strasbourg, France, and noted that the frequency of apneic episodes occurred significantly less often when the smell of vanillin was introduced in their incubators. One of the major hypotheses about the mode of action of the vanillin was that the substance passed into the bloodstream through the nasal mucosa and was carried into the brain by nerves in the olfactory system.<br /><br />A more recent finding is based on animal research (the foundation for the discovery of virtually all psychopharmacological products). The smell of jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides) has the potential to soothe, relieve anxiety and induce sleep. Researchers (Sergeeva, O, Klerke, A, Poppek, W. Fleischer, S. R. Schubring, G, Goerg, H. L. , Hass, X., Zhu, H. Luebbert, H., Gisselmann, G., and Hatt, G, 2010) cited in <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708104320.htm">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708104320.htm</a> that the aromatic jasmine derivative Vertacetal-coeur (VC) and its chemical variant have the same neurological mechanism of action as barbiturates or propofol (which is suspected of being the cause of Michael Jackson's death), but with none of the known side-effects, including addiction. Scientists tested many fragrances when making their discovery. The substances had direct effects on the GABA receptors in the brain. Those effects were repeated five times, and cross checked on mice who had genetically modified GABA receptors. Finally, the scientists injected the substances using air with high concentrations of the substance into plexiglass cages of mice. The mice stopped all activity, and sat quietly.<br /><br />Prospective applications of the use a jasmine aroma spray are only limited by the imagination. To be sure, there is a potential for abuse. However, the potential benefits also abound. One can imagine pumping jasmine laced air into setting where various criminals or terrorists are holding hostages. It might facilitate resolution of a dangerous situation. What if Michael Jackson used jasmine instead of propofol? He might still be alive today.<br /><br /><u>References</u><br /><br />Marlier, L., Gaugler, C., and Messer, J. 2005. Olfactory stimulation prevents apnea in premature newborns, <u>Pediatrics</u>, 115, 83-88<br /><br />Sergeeva, O. A., Kletke, O., Kragler, A, Poppek, A., Fleischer, W., Schubring, S. R., Goerg, B., Hass, H. L., Zhu, W.-R., Luebbert, H., Gisselmann, G., and Hatt, H. Fragrant dioxane derivatives identify 1 subunit-containing GABAA receptors. <u>Journal of Biological Chemistry</u> DOI: <u>10.1074/jbc.M110.103309</u>Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-61035099617183302872010-07-08T06:18:00.000-07:002010-07-08T06:38:17.251-07:00Is Depression and Anxiety an Expected Consequence of taking Statins?Several years ago, when statins were all the rage, and there were television adds every ten minutes stating that the best thing to do to prevent heart attacks was take statins, I was waiting to check out at a major department store chain. I noticed that the person in front of me was purchasing many heart healthy items and foods. I complimented her on her choices, and we began to talk of the flood of statin advertisements and that these poisons were being touted as the cure for nearly everything. The woman said that she worked for a local neurologist who told people that statins were poisons to the human nervous system.<br /><br />This was something that I already knew. Lines of investigation are often too narrow. People who are told to take statins, were looking up statins. That has been the biggest mistake. I have often said that investigation is not planar or unidimensional. Doing a thorough search of cholesterol reveals its critical role in the proper functioning of the nervous system. Consideration of basic training in medical science forces one to consider the homeostatic functioning of the complex human body.<br /><br />Years later, a pediatrician asked me, a non-physician, whether I thought that the statins that she was taking could be causing her "brain fog." We discussed the neurological role of cholesterol. She modified her diet, and took very careful control of her intake of statins (as in stopping them). Her "brain fogs" stopped and she never had them again.<br /><br />Page forward to a recent publication (Shrivastaba, Pucadyil, Paila, Ganguly, and Chattopadhyay, 2010) cited by Science Daily. The summary revealed the finding that chronic cholesterol depletion using mevastatin impaired the functioning of serotonin receptors. Consider viewing this link <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630121130.htm">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630121130.htm</a> and discuss any changes in medication with your cardiologist, and any possible consideration of treatment for depression with your psychiatrist, mentioning this article before allowing him/her to reach for his prescription pad.<br /><br />In terms of practice, it would be especially wise to consider the importance of interprofessional consultation when practicing medicine. All too often, we tend to forget the homeostatic nature of the human body.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-25282703773755716942010-07-01T09:51:00.000-07:002010-07-01T10:19:25.524-07:00A Critique of Mainstream Psychiatry and Things Down on the PsychopharmThis article says a bunch: <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621111238.htm">www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621111238.htm</a><br /><br />My article is not intended to disparage the field of Psychiatry in general. There are many Psychiatrists who are highly ethical and judicious with service provision. The intent of the article is to point out that people have alternatives, and can seek out service providers who will not be quick on the trigger of the prescription pad. It is also intended to clarify some apparently missing aspects of treatment information.<br /><br />Too many Psychiatrists practice as if there is no alternative to manufactured chemical treatments. It would be nice if there were some practice standard that would concentrate on titrating treatment whenever possible. This would mean, of course, a start with interventions that do not involve prescriptions. It means a consideration of alternative medical causes of behavior problems as discussed in the book, <u>A Dose of Sanity</u> by Sydney Walker, III, MD. It is very easy reading, and can be readily obtained through book sellers such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">www.amazon.com</a> Dr. Walker has also written a book, <u>The Hyperactivity Hoax</u> that traces, in plain language, his ability to find and treat medical disorders that would reduce or eliminate the symptoms of the purported diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.<br /><br />It is high time that the pharmaceutical industry revise their television advertisements to conform with reality. Those nice pictures of a synapse with neurotransmitters in the gaps create the impression that nerve impulse transmission is linear. Neurons, in nature, are three dimensional. Synaptic transmission in each neuron is not narrowly confined to one set or even two sets of gap transmitters. Neurons are interconnected in so many ways. I wonder how many people have thought of why drugs, er meds, intended to treat purported psychiatric disorders have side effects elsewhere in the body, especially the digestive system? I wonder how many psychiatrists bother to explain, succinctly and clearly, why the meds that they prescribe for "mental problems" can also cause gut problems. It would, perhaps, be helpful if the industry paid for some primetime on commercial television to provide a true picture. I doubt that they would. Do all mental health problems originate at the synapse? I think not, and believe that many psychiatrists know this.<br /><br />Researchers know that some, if not many, mental health problems (those that are not associated with medical rule-outs) have to do with cell membrane ("skin") of the neuron. This is how some of the best natural and manufactured drug treatments work for Bi-polar Disorder. They regulate the passage of mineral particles throught that "skin."<br /><br />Texts have been written about the role of hormones and supplements in human mental health. Why have these been ignored or neglected when people visit a psychiatrist?<br /><br />I have a challenge. My challenge is for Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology to work on revising focus. Changing direction might reduce health care costs in the long run.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-44505623878875310952010-05-28T04:52:00.000-07:002010-05-28T07:06:55.584-07:00Just Breathe - The CPAP Industry Rip-OffI love my CPAP. I got it from Nationwide Medical, Inc., 28632 Road Side Drive, Agoura Hills, CA 91301<br /><br />I was not going to write this blog article, until I thought about the implications for others. I also thought that this might be a problem with other CPAP equipment providers, and for those who be using a CPAP in the future. It also has implications for national health care.<br /><br />We all know that most aspects of health care in the United States are currently profit making, profit taking concerns. There are times when profit making tends to over ride ethical practice when it comes to consumer money and healthcare insurance. I found one concern that needs to be addressed in a broader forum than a single complaint to a company. I hope that more people read this than one or two others. <strong>I strongly advise readers to share this post with as many people as possible.</strong><br /><br />Using a CPAP requires the periodic replacement of certain parts. Some parts clearly need replacement more frequently than others. The problem arises when the CPAP provider insists on replacing more durable parts on a more frequent schedule than necessary. This is the case with the CPAP mask AND straps. No one who cares for their mask by judiciously washing it with soap and water needs to receive a new one every month, six weeks, six months or even every year. My own physician confirmed this for me. He even went so far as to say that this was clearly a money making (taking!!!!) proposition for the company. Take good care of your plastic mask and it will last for a long time. Save money, and tell your CPAP accessory provider to stop sending a new mask unless you specifically request one.<br /><br />It is important to emphasize hygienic care of the accessories that accompany the CPAP. Keep the parts as clean and free from bacteria and other environmental pathogens as possible. Coincidentally, I recently received an e-mail about a website that discusses healthcare associated infections that is sponsored by Kimberly-Clark. All of the concerns were related to hospitals. It might be worthwhile to add something about the care of CPAP equipment. For those who are interested in healthcare associated infections, I recommend that you consider visiting <a href="http://haiwatchnews.com/">http://haiwatchnews.com</a> <br /><br /><strong>Once again, share this blog with as many people as you can. Forward it to your health care insurance provider.</strong>Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-12517028631560612362010-04-04T07:16:00.000-07:002010-04-04T07:39:56.196-07:00The Right-Handed DeskThere is a sinister problem that pervades American schools for up to ten percent of the student population that few people consider worthy of solving. The 10% minority faces bias because they are ignored and often forced to join the right culture.<br /><br />The word for "left" in Latin is "sinister." Student desks (and most other academic equipment) are almost always made for right-handed students. The unfortunate part about this problem is that people who are right-handed tend to minimize the problem for the roughly 10% of students that are left-handed.<br /><br />There are two issues to consider before we discuss the results of forcing left-handed students (or ignoring the needs of left-handed students) to write at right-handed desks. One issue is the availability of desks designed for left-handed students. Many school systems have left-handed desks available to students. Placing a left-handed student at a separate desk designed for them makes them "separate but equal." They stand out among their peers just as African American students stood out in their separate but equal schools. The second issue is the availability of unbiased seating that can be comfortably used by both right and left-handed students, thus integrating the 10% minority into the general school population.<br /><br />It is an easy matter these days to do a computer search (if you are left handed, use a left-handed mouse) on the effects of left-handed students sitting at right-handed desks. My young friend, Dr. Mayer Green, a chiropractor in Maryland, would undoubtedly support the fact that a left-handed student who contorts his or her body around a right-handed desk will suffer chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain. Thus, the issue is certainly worthy of a national campaign by chiropractors to stop school systems from abusing 10% of their students.<br /><br />There are surveys of things that happen to left-handed students during their school career. Do any parents of left-handed students hear complaints about their sons and daughters being fidgety, having problems paying attention, cheating on tests, taking too long to complete timed exams, etc? Would anyone in the mental health field be the least bit interested in finding out how many students who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Attention Deficit Disorder are left-handed. I doubt it, because fixing the problem by simply changing desks would probably result in a huge reduction in the number of prescriptions written for medicine to keep them focused (medication that is unnecessarily prescribed).<br /><br />Please do a search on the problem of handedness in the schools. You may save your child's school career. Start with <a href="http://handedness.org/action/fairdesks.html">http://handedness.org/action/fairdesks.html</a>Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-65445986179962402972010-03-14T11:26:00.000-07:002010-04-24T02:04:55.119-07:00Chicken or Egg, Sleep Problems Cause ADHDWorking with children under 3 years old, 40 hours per week for the last 5 years creates a unique opportunity to study the possible origins of ADHD. Most of the powers that be aver that it is strictly a neurological problem. There must be considerable doubt about this, because the common treatment with medication can cause more problems than it actually treats. Looking at older children, one notes that a high percentage of children (and adults) diagnosed with ADHD have sleep problems.<br /><br />There is something of a statement regarding sleep and ADHD at <a href="http://www.sleepfoundation.org/">http://www.sleepfoundation.org/</a> Another good website, with links to tons of educational articles is <a href="http://www.sleepeducation.com/">http://www.sleepeducation.com/</a> You can see it on that site if you look hard enough, or you can examine the results of a large survey of parents of children under ten years old at <a href="http://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2004SleepPollFinalReport.pdf">www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2004SleepPollFinalReport.pdf</a> . Perhaps not amazingly, the treatment of the sleep problems literally cures a high percentage of the children who have been diagnosed with ADHD. Where, in heavens name, do sleep problems in tiny children originate? There are four main sources of child sleep problems, and host of minor connections. Before I generate a host of critical comments, yes, I realize that the sleep problems MIGHT be neurological. However, the sleep problems start somewhere else in most cases. Make yourselves comfortable because this has the potential of becoming a long blog. I am going to spend some time with it before I publish it.<br /><br />Pretty close to 100% of new parents have no idea what sleep hygiene means. The lack of knowledge about this interacts with how parents freely provide small children with access to television, DVDs, and video games. Sprinkle in poor dietary management, and there is a huge opportunity to create an epic movie, with multiple sequels entitled "Sleepless in America." Such a film would not be romantic.<br /><br />Sleep hygiene, at its most basic level, refers to specific organized sleep routines. The sequence and events can be engineered according to family needs. The approximate amounts of sleep that children need at each age level is readily available on the internet. Suffice it to say that up to age of 2 years, children need to spend more than 50% of a 24 hour period sleeping. Significantly less than that creates behavior problems that include hyperactivity, mood swings that are NOT bipolar disorder, and acting out. Start by establishing a set bedtime that has very little variability. This needs to be early enough to allow a child to get almost all of their night time sleep in an uninterrupted sequence (with the exception of changes and feedings). Children should be sleeping straight through the night when they are no older than 9 months. <strong>I once saw a 7 year old in private practice whose parents claimed that he had never slept through the night. The referral was for - - - ADHD and aggressive acting out behavior at school. The use of Melatonin on the night before he started school for the term resulted in his first "A" for behavior on the next day. His parents were overjoyed</strong>! Small children need more in the routines for sleep. Cut off all visual electronic stimulation at least one hour before the established bedtime. The last meal for the day should be finished. Then, it should be time for a bath with warm, soothing water, and quiet music. Drying off after a bath needs to be a pleasant time, possibly followed with a smooth lotion rub if it is okay with your child's physician (and if the child tolerates it). Put the child in bed, without toys, and read a child oriented story in a soft voice. Turn down the lights, say a prayer. If you don't believe in prayers, say things like, "Today was the day before tomorrow. Tomorrow is a day full of things to do and learn. I/we love you. Have a good night." Give your child a gentle kiss, and leave. You can also refer to <a href="http://www.cantfalltosleep.com/sleepintoddlers.html">www.cantfalltosleep.com/sleepintoddlers.html</a><br /><br />Television is one of the most overlooked sources of behavioral difficulty in children. The moving images and sound are very attractive to children because they don't have to do anything. Images on the television screen move by themselves. Many researchers believe that television interferes with falling to sleep because the nerve cells involved in watching keep firing for at least an hour if it is cut off. The continuous firing delivers the message, "I am still awake." The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting the viewing of television to an hour or less per day for children under 2 years old. I concur strongly with that recommendation with the added advisory that background television (viewed by adults) contributes to disruption of sleep onset. There should be no television in a child's room, ever. Why should a child socialize with parents when they have their own television (and video games)? The purpose of a bedroom is for sleeping (homework should be done elsewhere, as well).<br /><br />Caffeine is a drug. The stimulant effects help to keep people alert. However, caffeine in young children creates a host of dangers. The primary danger of caffeine consumption in young children is sleep disruption. Would it surprise anyone to learn that this author has known of parents who put tea (has caffeine) in baby bottles? A recent case involving a two year old who had tremendous tantrums revealed that the child was consuming Mountain Dew<span style="font-size:78%;">tm </span><span style="font-size:100%;">throughout the day just like his parents. Mountain Dew</span><span style="font-size:78%;">tm </span><span style="font-size:100%;">contains 55 mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can according to most sources. The United States does not publish guidlines concerning recommended limits for caffeine amounts per age group. Canada has such guidelines, with the recommended limited being 45 mg for children under 5 years old. The <u>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, Text Revision</u> (DSM-IV-R-TR) of the American Psychiatric Association lists three separate caffeine related disorders. The criteria for Caffeine Intoxication (for adults) includes consumption of more than 250 mg (defined as more than 2-3 cups of brewed coffee). Soft drinks other than Mountain Dew</span><span style="font-size:78%;">tm </span><span style="font-size:100%;">also contain caffeine. There are resources for the amounts of caffeine in various beverages <a href="http://www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database">www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database</a> Lest we forget, chocolate contains various amounts of caffeine as well. Many decongestants and cough medicines contain caffeine. Check the label for ingredients. One could also imagine that mood swings could be associated with caffeine consumption in small children. Can we envision small children stepping up to the bar and requesting a Bipolar Cola?</span><br /><br />We must not forget the physical problems that disrupt sleep. Swollen tonsils and adenoids can contribute to sleep interruption in small children. These problems can cause behavioral difficulty. Parents need to watch their children for snoring and hitches (hesitations) in breathing. Ear, nose and throat specialists (otolaryngologists) are a good place to start considering ways of improving a child's sleep. There are also sleep specialists that can perform sleep studies on children.<br /><br />Another connection to sleep problems in children relates to parents who smoke. If the parents smoke in the home, then the children do the same. I refer you to <a href="http://sleepeducation.blogspot.com/2010/01/secondhand-smoke-sleep-in-children-with.html">http://sleepeducation.blogspot.com/2010/01/secondhand-smoke-sleep-in-children-with.html</a><br /><br />Recommendations:<br />1. Don't entertain (I love that word) a diagnosis of ADHD without first considering the world of sleep.<br />2. Discuss the amount of sleep each child needs with your pediatrician.<br />3. Eliminate caffeine from your child's diet.<br />4. Reduce all exposure to television, especially during the hour before bedtime.<br />5. The last daytime nap needs to END at least five hours before the night time sleep period.<br />6. Establish sleep routines with a fixed, set bedtime.<br />7. Monitor your child for physical causes of sleep problems (for example, snoring).<br /><br /><strong>Part II </strong>written March 21, 2010<br /><br />People with profound vision impairment tend to have more sleep problems than those who can see. This is especially true for children. The other interesting fact is that there are differences between those who have ocular based visual impairments, and those with vision impairments caused by cortical problems (cvi). Those children with cvi are more likely to have sleep problems.<br /><br />There is probably a need to be more attention to premature infants who have had grade 3 or grade 4 intraventicular hemorrhages (IVH) and associated visual impairment. One important factor to consider would be treatment parameters. While Clonidine has been used to treat many sleep problems, it is probably a lot wiser to use Melatonin whenever possible. Do not rely on the word of pharmaceutical representatives on this one. They have only one purpose in mind, and that is to sell their product. Those allopathic preparations should be a last resort. Evidence based research also reveals that behavioral interventions combined with Melatonin make for easier cessation of the supplement.<br /><br />There is one publication that I found online at <a href="http://www.icevi.org/publications/ICEVI-WC2002/papers/10-topic/10-verv/oed.html">www.icevi.org/publications/ICEVI-WC2002/papers/10-topic/10-verv/oed.html</a><br /><br />Other online and medical library searches will undoubtedly yield more information.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-79420756786586170112010-03-07T16:32:00.000-08:002010-03-07T17:59:55.184-08:00Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented?Please consider that the following article is hypothetical. It is based on research, however.<br /><br />Based on things that I have read, there are natural ways to prevent Alzheimer's. It takes some information synthesis to get there, so please hang-on. The most amazing link that has been found is a relationship between the herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I) and Alzheimer's amyloid plaques. The article can be found summarized at <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081207134109.htm">www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081207134109.htm</a> The team conducting the research discovered that HSV-I DNA is "located very specifically in 90% of plaques in Alzheimer's disease sufferer's brains" (Wozniak, Mee, and Itzhaki, 2008).<br /><br />The researchers hypothesized that antivirals can be used to inhibit the harmful consequences of HSV-I action. However, there is another, more inexpensive and effective possibility. The amino acid L-lysine has been demonstrated to inhibit HSV-I (Griffith, 1987, 1978; Kagan, 1974). The naked virions of HSV-I contain protein VII, which is arginine rich, at the core. The virions contain significantly less lysine (Olshevsky and Becher, 1970). Adding lysine inhibits viral replication.<br /><br />Now, the logical conclusion needs to be investigated. It is a reasonable proposition that prophylatic loading of L-lysine in people who have the genetic prospect of developing Alzheimer's. Further, people with a history of HSV-I outbreaks as cold sores need to be investigated as potential subjects for such a study.<br /><br /><u>References</u><br />Griffith, R. S. (1987). Success of L-lysine therapy in frequently recurrent herpes simplex infection. <u>Dermatologica</u> <u>175</u> 183-190.<br />Griffith, R. S. (1978). A multi-centered study of lysine therapy in herpes simplex infection. <u>Dermatological</u> <u>156</u> 257-267.<br />Kagan, C. (1974). Lysine therapy for herpes simplex. <u>The Lancet</u> <u>1</u> 137.<br />Olshevsky, V. & Becher, V. (1970). <u>Virology</u> <u>40</u> 948.<br />Wozniak, M. A., Mee, A. P. & Itzhaki, R. F. (2008). Herpes simplex virus type I DNA is located within Alzheimer's disease amyloid plaques. <u>The Journal of Pathology</u> <u>217</u>(1), 131-138.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-88230623493959637192010-02-11T11:27:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:42:33.443-08:00The Abdominal No ManThe therapist was doing an intake of an 11 year old male who was in a school program for emotionally disturbed students. He allegedly had a problem with explosive outbursts of aggression and anger. He was being treated with psychoactive medication that apparently had no impact on his behavior. The fellow was born to a drug using mom, tested positive for drugs at birth, was taken at the hospital by a community social worker. He was fortunate because he was adopted.<br /><br />His adoptive father came in for the first visit. A psychologist needs to ask medical questions because these are infrequently considered significant by medical mental health professionals when treating and diagnosing. Billy had a very significant problem with constipation. His father reported that it was not unusual for him to go longer than a week or two to have a bowel movement. These were difficult events for him. His parents tried to help by providing over-the-counter laxatives. They talked to his pediatrician, who informed them that there were no pediatric gastroenterologists in the area.<br /><br />The therapist easily convinced the father to take him to one of the closest medical teaching hospitals. A pediatric gastroenterologist diagnosed his problem and has been treating him. He does not have constipation any longer. Here is the surprise (perhaps) - his behavior problems have disappeared.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-9708723906176191542010-02-10T13:08:00.000-08:002010-02-14T04:34:55.549-08:00Red LipstickWay back in 1968, the student in Abnormal Psychology class was working on an on-going project to get a 19 year old institutionalized autistic female to say a specified sound. The technique used was to hold an M & M close to his mouth to get her attention, say the sound, and when she said it, give her the candy. Repeat throughout the session. The young woman had others doing the same thing. The class never got to learn whether she could ever speak on her own.<br /><br />One thing that we have known about autistic children for a long time is that they frequently have disordered/disrupted sensation/perception. Some clinicians have used this to help people with autism.<br /><br />It is now 2010. Methods for getting autistic children to look at a mouth have not changed much. It is especially difficult for young children. There has actually been research with two to four year old children that found (using sophisticated equipment) that focusing on the mouth is diagnostic. Regardless of age, children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder spent significantly less time looking at the mouth than typically developing children (Chawarska and Shic, 2009). When a person considers that the research is basically an expansion on the theme of figure ground perception, a perceptive person can consider ways to enhance the facial features so that they may stand out from ground. Doing this can, and should help autistic children learn.<br /><br />I recently began mentioning the use of red lipstick by parents and therapists to acquire and maintain the attention of autistic children on the mouth for the purpose of conducting speech therapy. A parent of a set of autistic children (not from twin or other multiple births) reacted to my suggestion with astonishment because she does not ordinarily wear lipstick. She bought some bright red lipstick on a whim, applied it, and was amazed at how much attention her children were paying to her mouth. Her children ranged in age from 8 years old to 13 years old. One child was a girl, and the others were boys.<br /><br />There is a shortcoming with red lipstick. Male therapists are unlikely to use it. Fathers working with their children are unlikely to use it. There are two possible solutions. Men can apply the lipstick and wear it only during therapy. That is an easy solution, but one that is unlikely to sit well with many of them.<br /><br />The second solution would involve the purchase of a small theatrical moustache that can be worn multiple times on the upper lip. The hair should be dyed the same shade of red as lipstick. Men can use this to draw their child's/client's attention to the mouth. As much as many men are loath to wear red lipstick under any circumstances, women are likely to reject the option of wearing a bright red colored theatrical moustache on their upper lip. However, when a woman does not want to wear red lipstick, the bright red theatrical moustache can be an option for them.<br /><br /><br />A secondary aspect of speech therapy can involve having the child look in the mirror. An autistic child is unlikely to look at themselves AND their mouth to practice speaking. <u>When the child does not have a sensory sensitivity to wearing lipstick</u>, it may be possible to apply bright red lipstick to them to wear during speech practice in front of a mirror. Of course, under the same awareness of possible sensory sensitivity, they could also wear a bright red colored moustache during practice sessions. Perhaps having the parent use either option during speech practice would make the use of the same option on them in front of mirror more acceptable.<br /><br /><br />It would be excellent to get some feedback on the use of red lipstick. Please respond with comments.<br /><br /><u>Reference</u><br /><br />Chawarska, K. & Shic, F. (2009). Looking but not seeing: Atypical visual scanning and recognition of faces in 2 and 4-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder. <u>Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders</u>, 39, 1663-1672.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-20597903226556366772010-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:002010-02-14T06:22:22.314-08:00Do asthma medications cause behavior problems?A nurse at work recently asked for a consultation. She was concerned about a 2 year, 4 month old boy who was displaying extreme mood swings, and very aggressive behavior. The nurse casually mentioned that the child was taking Singulair for breathing treatments. I casually asked if she thought that the behavior might be related to the Singulair.<br /><br />The thought really concerned me so I researched the web. Behavior problems are listed as a rare but serious side-effect of montelukast sodium (aka Singulair). There were blogs written by parents who noticed this problem and reported that the behavior problems disappeared when they discontinued the medication. One such blog could be found at <a href="http://www.drugs.com/sfx/montelukast-side-effects.html">www.drugs.com/sfx/montelukast-side-effects.html</a><br /><br />Another horrible thought crossed my mind. What if other asthma/allergy meds did the same thing? Take a look at <a href="http://www.medications.com/effect/tag/pulmicort">www.medications.com/effect/tag/pulmicort</a> I also found similar, disturbing notes about Advair.<br /><br />I talked to the pediatrician at work. Her first response was classical (for her). She asked if I thought that she did not know about it. I said, that this was not the point. The question was, "What should we tell parents who bring their child to us because of severe behavior problems, and we learn that they take medication?" She suggested that we tell them to talk to their pediatrician. There is a problem here - many pediatricians do not believe that a child could be having this side-effect. She then said it came down to a choice between wheezing kids who had trouble breathing, or violent kids with severe mood swings. There is another way.<br /><br />A number of years ago, I read that children in Israel are rarely prescribed asthma medications. Instead, they are given behavioral treatment. They are taught to "belly breath" their way through an asthma attack. Would you be surprised if I told you that I did this with a kid? I did. The child's mother was in my waiting room with a rescue inhaler. I put him through the process of learning belly breathing while he was having an asthma attack. His attack subsided.<br /><br />Now, about twenty years after the therapist stopped an asthma attack in his own patient, there was an article that was summarized at <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100212141108.htm">www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100212141108.htm</a><br />This presents a summary of Anbar et al. (2010) Adding hypnosis to the therapeutic toolbox of pediatric respiratory care. <u>Pediatric Asthma Allergy Immunology</u><br /><br /><br />Questions: Why is it that we do not treat asthma by teaching belly breathing instead of prescribing medications that can change their behavior in such a way that they seek psychiatric or psychological assessments often resulting in the prescription of psychoactive medications that cause other side-effects (ad nauseam, ad infinitum)? Why not try hypnosis?Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-81676644945089529752009-12-11T06:53:00.000-08:002010-02-01T18:22:28.867-08:00New Resources - www.disease.com & www.hospital.comI would like to thank the editor of <a href="http://www.disease.com/">http://www.disease.com/</a> for recognizing thebehaviorbypsychol. One of my favorite sayings related to any specialty, but more for my mental health brethren is, "If you think that you are a hammer, you see everything as a nail." Too often people who have behavior problems immediately choose to go to a mental health practitioner when the first choice should be to look for a physical cause that can be easily treated.<br /><br />Thank you, Lisa Hope, for recognizing this.<br /><br />I would also like to thank the associate editor of <a href="http://www.hospital.com/">www.hospital.com</a> for recognizing thebehaviorbypsychol<br /><br />Thank you Kathy Sanders.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-33280256178020559222009-01-14T07:04:00.000-08:002009-01-14T13:17:44.340-08:00Thinking to thinkYa gotta love functional fixedness. Actually, it is probably the single biggest obstacle to making new discoveries and solving problems. People joke about women who use a butter knife as a screw driver, but this is actually a fine example of moving away from having to use an object for its intended purpose.<br /><br />One of the best ways to exercise your brain is to think of new ways to use things that have a stated purpose, or to move away from the same old stale practices. One of my earliest memories of cognitive flexibility had to do with paper. My father was an artist. He received a black piece of paper from a commercial printer as a type of advertisement. The title of the black paper was, "Only God can see black ants, on a black rock on a moonless, cloudy night." Just that one stimulus elicited my father's response, which was to send them a white piece of paper with the title, "Only God can see albino elephants eating marshmallows in a blinding snow storm." Years later, I saw an article in the "Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis" that consisted of a totally blank page that was entitled, "A case of unsuccessful treatment of writer's block." This was followed by a rather clever reviewer's comment, "I can see nothing wrong with this article."<br /><br />Sometimes having a disorder causes people to move away from functional fixedness. This is particularly true for alcoholics. Most people think of flavor extracts as a way to bake or cook. Not many of these tiny bottles have more than four ounces in them. Alcoholics who have limited access to "real liquor" find flavor extracts quite handy. Better yet, were the alcoholics who were discussed in an old issue of the "Journal of the American Psychological Association." These folks were in a facility with extremely tight controls over alcohol and the means to distill their own alcoholic beverages (as happens in prisons). They succeeded in becoming intoxicated by the unlikely means of super hydration. They took up residence in the facility bathrooms at night so that they could consume enough water to lower their blood ph levels enough for acid intoxication (a dangerous activity).<br /><br />Let's get back to those flavor extracts. They actually smell quite good. Does anyone think that vanilla extract would make a fine perfume or cologne? How about cherry flavor extract? Why not mix cherry extract and vanilla extract to create Cherry Vanilla? That type of excursion away from functional fixedness might cause a significant other to exclaim, "You smell absolutely delicious!"<br /><br />How functional fixed is it to think that the only way to assess a child's progress in the schools is with tests?Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-82597509091284735802008-11-11T08:31:00.000-08:002008-11-15T15:15:53.088-08:00AnticipationAnticipation is something that is important to all people. It means thinking about something before it happens. Some of us are a lot better at it than others. The youngest children often can't wait for things, so anticipation is difficult for them. Anticipation can be a good thing. This happens when we think of some positive events that can happen in the future. It also happens when we have had an experience with some event or person and become excited in a happy way, or nervous in a bad sort of way. It also happens when we do something that might be wrong in the eyes of another person or other persons, and we anticipate a response or consequence. Telling a lie or a fib is something that involves an incredible amount of anticipation once the fib or lie has been told. The anticipation is the tremendous amount of anxiety that exists from the time the lie has been told until the time it is discovered. Discovery, oddly enough, can be such a relief that it functions as a reward for telling another lie.<br /><br />Planning for something that has a good chance of happening helps take the edge off the anxiety particularly if the future event has a chance of repeating something unpleasant that has happened in the past. Many people approach a holiday with anxiety because they plan on being with family members that they both love and fear. They recall all of the good times that they have had with those family members, but some things just get in the way of making them comfortable about being together with them. The more intense prior events were, the more conflicted people are about having something social with those family members. What can be done? What would you want to do? What family members are most harmed by doing nothing at all, and chancing a repetition of prior events?<br /><br />Those people who are planners have the potential of being good behavior engineers. Behavior engineers set up situations to minimize negative things. They are good at anticipating. Suppose, for example, we know that some family members don't like being near others. Planned seating arrangements are a really great way to reduce potential problems with that one. Suppose we know that some guests have the potential for breaking family heirlooms. Moving those to a safer location prior to their arrival is a great idea. Now, here is the difficult one. Suppose we are having company, and one or more of the guests is a person who has gotten into trouble because of alcohol.<br /><br />There is NOTHING wrong with eliminating all alcoholic beverages from the home prior to the arrival of alcoholic family members. They might even thank the host for doing it. This might mean moving liquor bottles from the home to places like an office, or a storage facility. Serving non-alcoholic facsimiles at dinner might be a reasonable addition to moving all alcoholic beverages, or it might cause a reaction. Actually doing it (serving non-alcoholic beer or wine/fancy grape juice) might send a great non-verbal message. Plan for any verbal response to the non-verbal message that you are sending with a good deflection or positive response such as, "We have planned for a loving and positive family gathering this year." A repeated (though different) negative response should result in the same response, "We have planned for a loving and positive family gathering this year." Keep saying the same thing until the negativism stops, or make a non-alcoholic toast, "A happy, and healthy year for all, until we get together again." Many alcoholics bring a bottle of an alcoholic beverage to family gatherings as a "gift." This should be accepted gracefully and quickly brought to the place outside of the home where the other beverages are hidden. Never hide the alcohol at the home where the event is taking place. Alcoholics are good at finding it. They might even go so far as drinking cooking extracts (vanilla extract, almond extract, etc. all contain alcoholic - true alcoholics know this and will empty them), mouthwash, aftershave (yes, even though the alcohol in that is poison), cough syrup, etc.<br /><br />Involving all members of the host family in planning can help reduce anxiety. Remember to have one last meeting before the arrival of guests to go through a checklist of the plan. Scripting or anticipating what might be said in various circumstances might be a good idea. One anticipated remark from a guest might be, "I am sorry about what happened. Can we please have fun?" The response might be, "We accept your apology. We love our family. That is why we have planned to have a loving family event this year." Repeat as necessary.<br /><br />Another form of anticipation has to do with punishment. Anticipation can be used a part of a program of consequences. This is part of the Love and Logic behavior management system (refer to <a href="http://www.loveandlogic.com/">http://www.loveandlogic.com/</a>). Suppose a child has done something, and there is a need for some kind of organized punishment from ALL caregivers (both parents, grandparents, extended family, etc.). It is perfectly reasonable to say, "You know that we love you. What you have done has caused me to have discuss your consequence with (family members). We will let you know what we have decided. Until then, don't worry about it." That last part is what creates the anticipatory anxiety that serves as punishment.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-91955872233122142552008-10-15T04:08:00.000-07:002008-10-17T04:58:39.622-07:00HeadachesThere are a fair number of different kinds of headaches. First, many people recognize that it is not the brain that aches. It has no pain receptors in it. However, the head, outside of the brain can hurt, and this can be disabling.<br /><br />Muscle tension headaches are among the easiest to treat without medication. Learning to tense and relax muscles is an important skill for people who have this variety of headache. Muscle tension headaches can also be relieved by progressive relaxation, by hypnosis, or by meditation.<br /><br />Vasoconstrictive headaches are caused by increased blood flow to the vessels around the head. Roughly two thirds of these can be stopped by reversing that blood flow in a simple way without medication. The idea is to move blood away from the head. This is done by dilating (opening) the blood vessels in parts of the body that are away from the head. Taking a warm bath is a good idea. Running warm water over the hands is another. Make a cup of hot herbal tea (non-caffeine) and wrap your hands around it.<br /><br />The psychologist was working at a secondary school in eastern North Carolina. The child stopped taking a test, complaining of a headache. He took a chance that it might be a vasoconstrictive headache (a good chance/guess because of the circumstances). The student and the psychologist went to the only nearby place with warm water, a sink in the teacher's lounge. The student held her hands under warm running water for a few minutes and her headache disappeared!!! She completed the testing without a complaint of head pain.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-74627640365209379292008-10-01T09:14:00.000-07:002008-11-10T06:11:58.891-08:00How To Drop-Out of SchoolAll of the United States have a law that defines the acceptable age for children to drop-out of school. It's easy for a child who reaches this magical age to go to school sign some papers and, >>>Booooom<<< their education is finished. Many never sign out. They just stop going to school. School systems almost never go after them to sign the paper work. What a shame.<br /><br />Children who drop out have no liability for just walking away. They can get public assistance and put a burden on tax-payers who support them. They usually get menial jobs and end up having kids who don't do well either. I'm not just talking about drop-outs who have learning problems. I am not going to get into the extended argument about school contributions to drop-out such as multiple grade retentions that have been researched and repeatedly demonstrated to be a failed way to improve student performance (in the long run). The process that allows children to drop-out needs to change.<br /><br />Rule 1. Never refuse a child the opportunity to make the choice.<br />Rule 2. Require the child to learn what the choice means.<br /><br />Every child who wants to drop out must be required to complete an assignment as a part of the process. The completed assignment is signed by the child, and placed in the child's record. The school reviews the assignment to make certain that every aspect of it is complete, interviews the child to make certain that he or she actually wrote it by asking the questions that were answered in the report, returning it to the child if it has been determined that they did not complete it and having them "try again" until they actually do it, and, finally, a school administrator signs it.<br /><br />The assignment:<br /><br />Part 1.<br /><br />1. Read the newspaper "Help Wanted" section and find a job that they could get without a high school diploma. The salary must be listed in the advertisement or they must get a written copy of the salary offer from the potential employer. This must be included with the report.<br />2. Using math skills that they have learned in school, they must calculate their monthly salary after taxes and social security are taken out.<br />3. Read the newspaper again. Go to the advertisements for places to live. Find a place to live that costs the least, leaving them enough money to pay for the extras such as electric, heat (oil or gas, for example), and cell phone service.<br />4. Add together the rent, and the extras. Subtract that amount from the monthly income from the job after taxes. How much is left? That is the amount needed to buy food.<br />5. Forget about cable television, eating out, going on dates, etc.<br />6. Go shopping for food but don't buy anything. Add up the prices of what you might eat in a week. Multiply it by 4 or 5 (the number of weeks in a month). Subtract that from the remains of your monthly wages.<br />7. Now, think about how you are going to get to work. Add up the cost of transportation. Do you have any money left after buying food?<br /><br />Part II<br /><br />Determine how much money you can get from public assistance (aka, Welfare, Food Stamps, etc.). Complete the above task using the total amount of money that this turns out to be.<br /><br />Part III<br /><br />Go to the newspaper, and find the salaries of jobs requiring a high school diploma, or more education. Determine everything from Part I above. Make a choice.<br /><br />Final question: If everyone was receiving public assistance (welfare, food stamps, etc.), who would pay for it?Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-80568579319196343022008-10-01T08:41:00.000-07:002009-12-14T09:56:43.508-08:00How much is it costing to PAY Attention?Back in August 2000 or 2001 Dr. Adrian Angold and others at Duke University published an epidemiological study of the rate of diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the western part of North Carolina in the <strong>Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. </strong>That study discovered that thousands of school aged children had been misdiagnosed and <strong>NEVER</strong> should have been medicated at all. Few people reference that article.<br /><br />I have four important true stories about real children to tell you.<br /><br />More recently than the next post, I saw a 7 year old from another county. This boy was clearly terrorizing his class and his teacher. He would never sit still. He grabbed a scissors whenever he could and would cut his own clothes, hair, and the hair of other students. The referral was for an evaluation of ADHD and other behavior, as you could well imagine. One of my favorite developmental questions is frequently left out of routine interviews concerning child development. It needs to be included. I always ask when a child first began to sleep through the night. This case was one of only a few where a child had never slept through the night. His nightly sleep was always interrupted, and not for using the bathroom. The simplest way to treat sleep problems is to establish a nightly sleep routine. This child had one. I strongly recommended that the parents try giving him Melatonin. He slept the night through for the first time. The next day he brought home his first "A" for behavior. The teacher thought that he had certainly been given a stimulant like Ritalin. The problem with any stimulant medication is that it would have bypassed the sleep deprivation/interruption and delayed correct treatment. Follow-up reports have indicated continued good behavior as the result of a complete night of rest.<br /><br />I recently saw a 6 year old boy who had significant behavior problems in school that included biting one teacher, hitting another teacher, kicking a child, and punching another child. This boy was often out of his seat to the point where one note described him as doing cartwheels in class. One of my more recent concerns about small children displaying behavior and attention problems has been sleep. This boy was going to sleep at 11 PM and waking up at 6 AM to go to school. His teacher also reported that he would fall asleep at school. We know from research that 6 year old children need 11 hours of sleep per night. We also know that sleep deprived children are inattentive, active, and aggressive. I recommended that he get more sleep, and provided suggestions. His mom called back recently (12-4-08) and told me that he had two consecutive days of on task, appropriate behavior after going to sleep at 8:30 PM rather than 11 PM. It is likely that most psychiatrists would have put him on medication that kept him up, rather than working on the sleep problem<br /><br />One child, a boy, attended a Christian school. His physician thought that he had ADHD, so he prescribed Cylert (Pemoline Magnesium), a very dangerous drug, despite published articles warning that it was harmful, in addition to an FDA warning. The boy also had Celiac Sprue, a digestive disorder in the same category as a cluster of irritable bowel disorders. He was not permitted to consume wheat products. The school psychologist that saw him three years earlier had warned his parents that Cylert was dangerous and gave them literature about its harmful effects on the liver. The physician did not change the medication despite the parents conveying the concerns to him. I was told, when I got to the school, that the teachers wanted him to take more medication. I saw a boy with yellow tinged skin. The "whites" of his eyes were yellow. I gave the parents a computer print out of an article that listed the dangers of Cylert, with the parts describing liver damage and potentially fatal results highlighted. I told them what I saw, without diagnosing anything else ("Your child has yellow skin and yellow eye whites"). I told them that it was critical to give the boy's physician the information. I tested the boy.<br /><br />I went back to the school three months later. The parents of the boy saw me. They ran over to give me a hug. They exclaimed that I had saved their child's life. They also told me that their son's teachers congratulated them on <strong>increasing </strong>his medication after it had, in fact, been stopped, because he was paying attention and working harder at school than ever before.<br /><br />A young girl's grandmother called me and begged me to test the child. The school in Texas had claimed that she had ADHD. The parents gave permission for the assessment. The principal at the school had called them once too often. They told of how often their child got out of her seat without permission. Her mother described how her daughter began to tap her feet while standing outside of the principal's office, with principal saying something like, "Will you look at that! I told you she has ADHD!" I accepted the case. The grandmother paid for her granddaughter's airfare. I saw an active, busy nine-year old. She had to use the bathroom twice while I tested her for about an hour and a half. My interview also revealed that this child's hand hurt after writing for a short time. I advised the mother to obtain a complete physical, being certain to give the physician a copy of my report (which explained the physical problems that I - a psychologist, not a physician - observed). The child had an arterio-venous (blood vessel) jumble that was causing her significant kidney problems - resulting in a frequent need to use the bathroom. The teacher, who limited bathroom breaks for students, was very concerned about how fidgety she was, and thought that this child had ADHD. It also turned out that the child had a bone malformation in her writing hand that caused pain. The symptoms of ADHD magically disappeared after the appropriate medical treatment of both problems. Ask yourself this: How many psychiatrists request a complete physical before they prescribe medication for ADHD? Think about it. See if you can obtain a copy of a book written by a psychiatrist about the usual failure to check for medical explanations of active behavior. <strong>The Hyperactivity Hoax</strong> is the book written by Dr. Sydney Walker, III. I hope that you find it and read it.<br /><br />There are many drug-free programs to treat attention problems. The drug companies (they like to be called pharmaceutical manufacturers) have much more money to publicize their products than authors of drug-free treatment programs.<br /><br />You could also check out something that I've written as a suggested program for all children:<br /><br /><a href="http://alpha.fdu.edu/psychology/steven_edelman.htm">http://alpha.fdu.edu/psychology/steven_edelman.htm</a>Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-55351599799941395532008-09-30T16:51:00.000-07:002009-12-24T18:27:44.545-08:00Join the associationA Russian discovered something interesting about 110 years ago. He was studying the salivary (spit) glands of dogs. Pavlov noticed that his dogs would start producing saliva way before they saw or smelled food. This happened because the dogs heard the very distinct (to them) boot sounds of the lab assistant that brought them their food. This somehow became distorted in the pages of history to the ringing of a bell. The same boot sounds at other times would also produce the saliva. The dogs learned that boot sounds meant food and made a connection. That connection stayed even when there was no food forthcoming. How could this ever be useful to people?<br /><br />A professional journal article described a developmentally challenged person would only eat for one particular staff member. This became a problem when the staff member took off for the weekend, a holiday, or a vacation. A clever psychologist paired a succession of staff members with the preferred staff person, and the developmentally challenged person soon accepted a bunch of staff persons to provide food.<br /><br />Certain levels of spinal cord injuries cause paraplegia and a loss of bladder control. Someone discovered that these paraplegics could empty their own bladders before they had accidents by applying a mild electric shock on the area outside the body that was above the bladder. These folks carried a small device that applied the shock. Before long, many paraplegics discovered that all they had to do was move their hand to area of their body above the bladder, and they would urinate without using the electric shock. There was an association between the movement and emptying of the bladder. Now, think about association learning and education.<br /><br />One problem with learning to read is learning the sounds that go with letters. Some letters have multiple sounds that change depending on the other letters nearby. Thinking about the rules for word sounds might make an educated person become tongue-tied. Few of us think about the rules after a solid reading education. Some folks find it difficult or impossible to learn the rules involved in the sounds that letters make. Whole word reading may be a way to overcome it, even though some phonological dictators (nice double entendre there) would disagree.<br /><br />Many less able children at the appropriate age can identify a picture of a dog, and say <em>dog. </em>Learning to read the word <strong>dog</strong> is an altogether different story. Suppose you repeatedly pair the printed word with the picture? What happens if you fade the picture (progressively make it less and less clearly visible)? It can be done by copying it, then copying the copy until it becomes almost unrecognizable, while maintaining the visible "strength" of the printed word beneath it. You can even use action pictures to teach action words. Sure the technique has its limitations. It also has the potential for teaching something that might have otherwise been "unteachable."<br /><br />Another important skill that can be taught by association is multiplication facts. A bunch of teachers do not approve of this. You can do it at home and they will never know. Produce pages that contain basic math facts from multiplication tables. Mix up the calculations so that the children do not learn them in order. Now, give them a calculator. That is correct, a calculator. Few things equal a calculator for teaching math facts. Have them use the calculator to solve the problems. Do it over and over again with different pages and problems in different order. Give them a break every 30 to 45 minutes to stand-up and walk around. Set a timer for about five minutes, and then get them back to work. Work on it all weekend. They use the calculator on the first weekend day (Saturday). On Sunday start them with the pages and without the calculator. Check their work. Note the ones that they got wrong, and use them on new pages of problems to work with the calculator. Do it again next weekend. Be certain to provide some fun activities like a trip to the movies on the second weekend. You child has a great chance of learning the multiplication tables (multiplication facts) without stress this way and it is all because you joined the association.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-28096665828724627292008-09-28T13:24:00.000-07:002008-09-28T13:35:03.064-07:00Silent ArguingSome folks allow loud arguments to get in the way of having a functioning marriage. A therapist who does not do family therapy suggested to a patient that she and her husband might argue silently in the following way:<br /><br />Get a notebook for arguing. Go to the bedroom when you want to have a disagreement. Sit on the floor, on the opposite sides of the bed with your back against the bed. Bring the notebook. Each side has a pen or pencil. The person carrying the notebook into the room goes first. That person writes their first comment, question, diatribe, whatever concerning the issue at hand and passes the notebook across the bed to the person on the other side. Never throw the notebook. pass the notebook so that the other person can reach it. The other person sits with back against the bed until the first person has turned around with their back against the bed. The receiving person gets the note book, reads the first statement, skips a line, and responds in writing. No talking is allowed. The second person passes the notebook back after writing, and the process continues until a peaceful agreement is reached.<br /><br />The first time the therapist's patient tried this, the total silence made the children curious. They timidly knocked on the door to find out what their mother and father were doing. The only thing that they were allowed to do is tell them that they were having an argument. The puzzled children left the room.<br /><br />Another therapist told the therapist that this technique was also used by the well known psychologist, Dr. Stella Chess.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-91473839715455745742008-09-26T05:02:00.000-07:002008-09-26T05:20:57.462-07:00Run Away Tots in StoresSo many parents have experienced the horror of a small child leaving their side and getting lost in a very big store. There are parents who purchase a harness and a sort of leash for their child to prevent the problem. Then there are those who think, "I'm not going to treat my child like a dog." Still others have clever children who figure out how to remove the harness or leash and get away. This last one is one that I've seen.<br /><br />I love Google because you can search for answers quickly and easily. I did a search and read a number of the answers. I found a parent who taught her child the old fashioned game of <em>"Red Light, Green Light."</em> I mentioned this to the mom of the child who was always running away, and she liked the idea. She taught the game to her very clever little girl. The idea, is to practice the game in several settings, starting at home, then working in a park, moving on to small stores, and working up to the larger ones. After the child learns to stop on mom saying "<em>Red Light</em>" you can make the game more entertaining by throwing in a different color with something else to do. For example, "<em>Blue Light</em>" could mean "jump up and down" or "dance." Be aware or beware of stores that have "Blue Light Specials" though. Some food stores might resort to an overhead page, "Child jumping/dancing in Aisle 5" when you yell "Blue Light. You will be able to find your child that way.<br /><br />Another parent that I know professionally, has stopped her child with another solution. They have a fish tank/bowl in their home that has a high turnover in residents. Every time the little girl goes to a big department store, they make the first stop to buy a fish (for a very low price) in a plastic bag. The child has to hold the bag without running or she might drop it. This mom has never lost her child while she was holding a fish in a bag.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-51022323150366242962008-09-22T16:46:00.001-07:002008-09-22T16:58:11.342-07:00Cheap Thrills - Low cost fun to have with toddlersTelevision and electronic games have all but stopped parents from engaging in some of the older types of activities with their children. One of my greatest joys occurs when I draw a smiling face on my thumb and show it to a toddler. I have not met one who does not want me to draw a face on his thumb. Then, my thumb "looks" at his/her thumb and starts having a conversation. What a great way to teach social interaction! You could even draw them on his/her other fingers so that they can have a play group. One possible secondary benefit to this thumb person is the possible resistance to thumb sucking, because he/she would not want to "eat" the thumb person. Be certain to use nontoxic markers when you draw them.<br /><br />Drinking straws make really cool musical instruments. You flatten one end. You really have to work at flattening one of those plastic straws, unless the plastic is really thin. Then, cut off the corners to leave a near point (leave a little bit of a straight edge at the front). Continue to work on flattening that tip. Insert the cut end in your mouth so that you lips are on the round part. You may have to work a bit to get the flat part just right. Blow. The shorter the straw, the higher pitch sound you'll produce.<br /><br />Paper airplanes are a lot of fun. You can have distance contests with them.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744528646325444331.post-71041434260817645942008-09-22T06:35:00.000-07:002010-01-30T13:03:19.528-08:00Mood Swings in Infants and ToddlersDisclaimer: This is not intended to be either a comprehensive review or a diagnostic rubric. The purpose of this paper is to present alternative hypotheses to a consideration of the reasons for mood swings and their treatment. The final decision about treatment and diagnosis depends on professionals having direct contact with the children and their families.<br /><br />There are many causes of mood swings. The moods of children can change because of physical illnesses and environmental factors. Some children develop a “temperament” that may be perceived as being extreme. Unexplained mood swings in children might be termed idiopathic. It is this author’s experience that idiopathic expressions of an emotional nature are often given psychiatric or psychological labels. Thus, we see increasing numbers of small children being labeled as Bipolar or Manic-Depressive because of unexplained mood swings.<br /><br />A brief list of physical causes of mood swings (not comprehensive):<br />Environmental allergens or toxins<br />Food allergies – manifested by low blood histamines, idiosyncratic food preferences.<br />Sleep disturbances that may or may not be related to environmental or physical causation<br />Headache that may or may not be related to environmental or physical causation<br />Child abuse (physical, sexual, or neglect)<br />Medications used to treat allergies - added 1-30-2010 - Montelukast (generic for Singulair) has numerous postmarket reports from consumers that children have severe mood changes while taking this medication - consider <a href="http://www.drugs.com/sfx/montelukast-side-effects.html">www.drugs.com/sfx/montelukast-side-effects.html</a><br />Ear infections<br />Epilepsy<br />Endocrine (hormone) problems including juvenile diabetes/hypoglycemia<br />Vitamin deficiencies<br />Scoliosis (undetected spinal torsion – even of a mild nature)<br />Autoimmune disorders including HIV, PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus).<br />Coeliac Sprue<br />Yeast Syndrome – infantile seborrheic dermatitis<br />Pyroluria<br />Cystinuria<br />Seitelberger Disease (Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy) – rare, autosomal recessive disorder.<br />Polycystic Kidney Disease – rare<br />Prader-Willi Sundrome – rare, and marked by obesity and food craving.<br /><br />The New York Times Sunday magazine recently (September 21, 2008?) had a long article about the "Puzzle of Bipolar Disorder In Children." The article mentioned sections of the book <strong>The Bipolar Child</strong> by Papalos and Papalos, but left out critical information, some from the book, and some that was absent. Dr. Andrew Stoll, Massachusetts General Hospital, has done research comparing the effectiveness of Omega-3 Fish Oil with that of standard prescription drugs for treating Bipolar Disorder. I have had success with recommending it for my patients. They even discuss the success of parents using flavored, chewable fish oil capsules to treat the bipolar symptoms of children. There is a big question here. If it works, why haven't more psychiatrists recommended it? We might have a fairly good guess about that. Perhaps a side-bar might help.<br /><br />I worked in a prison as a psychologist for about 17 months, and once attended a mental health conference for the Department of Corrections in my state. Drug companies (they prefer to be called Pharmaceutical Manufacturers) paid folks big bucks to speak, and brought out bunches of little gimmick hand-outs for attendees. One speaker discusses the benefits of a form of "hard drug" to treat Bipolar Disorder. I raised my hand and asked about the success with using fish oil (citing the research of Andrew Stoll, MD). His response was an inappropriately sarcastic, "You don't want a bunch of inmates running around with fish breath, do you?" Money makes people dumber than they really are.<br /><br />There is research that also strongly suggests that a young child’s mood is often dependent on the mood of their caregiver. This means that mood swings of any kind expressed by a caregiver can result in having a child express similar mood swings as a reaction.Rashihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13762111334726687711noreply@blogger.com0