Top Ten Do's and Don't about effective discipline

Published on May 4, 2011 by Robert Taibbi, L.C.S.W. in Fixing Families

Okay, you know the basics - no grounding for life, no giving in to candy whines at the checkout line, no time-outs for 6 hours. But bedtime is a moving target and getting up and out in the morning can often have all the drama of an Wagnerian opera.

It doesn't have to be like that. What's needed is discipline. This shouldn't be confused with punishment, those negatives designed to send home a lesson. Discipline is more subtle and more important. It's about teaching your child self-regulation, about self responsibility, and ultimately about creating a sense of security. We now know from research on infant mental health that children as young as 6 months can begin to grasp the concept of No.


This setting of boundaries, when combined with a nurturing relationship, helps your child feel safe. Children without discipline feel anxious, are constantly testing to find and define limits, and over time feel entitled and become demanding. Through discipline your child isn't just learning who's the boss, he's learning how to shape his world.

The Top Ten

The principles of discipline - no emotion, action, consistency, coordination - are simple and effective. Where most parents get stuck is in the fine-print - translating these concepts into concrete action. Here's a list of Top Ten Do's and Don't about effective discipline:

#1. No whining. We're talking about you, not your child. This is the no-emotion rule. Tell your 7-year old child to please pick up his toys, but be matter-of-fact about it. If you are upset about seeing the mess of toys on the floor, go calm down first, then tell him. Keep your instructions short and sweet - no lectures on responsibility, no reminders about the mess from Tuesday, no ranting on about how no one will ever want to marry him because his room is a pigsty. Skip it. Tell him to pick up his toys, by when, and build in a treat (you can watch TV, have some ice cream) when it's all done.

It's said that parents are the child's favorite toy, and the things you get most worked up about - spilled juice, messy rooms - rather than good grades, acts of kindness, signs of responsibility - are instinctively what the child will gravitate towards. Certainly it's okay to get upset when you child runs out in the road. It teaches her that this behavior is really a big deal that she needs to never do. But if you get just as upset about running out in the road as you do about spilled popcorn on the rug, your child gets confused about priorities, or just sees you as always upset. Save your excitement for positive and important things.

#2. Play It Again Sam, again -- Routines, routines, routines. Shape behavior through effective routines - a routine for getting up and out in the morning, one for after school, one for after dinner, one for bedtime. Kids change from the outside in, and the wildest, most out-of-control child will learn to eventually settle down through regular routines and structure. They provide the backbone of security and dependability that kids need.

What's hard to doing them is that you need to set them and keep everyone on track, including yourself. It's the challenge of behavior over-riding emotion - you don't have to feel like to do it, you do it and then you will feel like it. Figure out in advance what routines might work best - playtime before homework, reading aloud after bath - and give your child a forced choice - do you want to take a bath before or after you brush your teeth? Make your bed before or after breakfast? Don't be a drill sergeant micro-managing the process, be more the cruise-ship coordinator - now let's move on to our next activity - bedtime! .... Build in positives to balance out negatives - story after you're all ready for bed, time for video-game after homework is done.

#3. No sudden moves. Your kitchen timer can be your best parenting friend. Keep the routines moving along by giving a warning and setting the timer between activities: "Okay, guys, it's time to get ready for bed. You have 5 minutes. When the timer goes off you need to shut off the computer." Don't march into the room and say, "Okay, it's time to get ready for bed, shut that off now!" This will start WWIII or severe toxic doses of whining, especially if your kids have one more life left in their video-game or are just about to jump to the next level. Give notice.

#4. Empathize with emotions, not behaviors. Your child needs to feel like you understand how she feels, that you will listen to her about her emotions. This is how children learn empathy and this starts as young as 14 months. Empathize with your child's emotions - Yes, I know you wanted to go swimming and I know you feel mad.

That said, you want to hold your child responsible for his behavior - "I know you feel mad, but you cannot hit your brother. I know you want to play your video-game, but you need to finish your homework." This is accountability. Don't confuse it with empathy. Because your child is mad, don't let the homework slide, don't tolerate the hitting. If you do, your child learns that his strong emotions can over-ride his bad behavior. Not a good a lesson to teach.

#5. Put out the fire. Just as you want to separate emotions from behavior, you also want to separate emotions from problem-solving. What this means is that if your child (or your spouse for that matter) is upset, this is not the time to try to get him to understand, make your point, solve the problem. The problem at that moment is your child's emotion. Emotions create tunnel vision and solutions can't be processed.

Put out the emotional fire first by listening - I know you're angry, I know you're disappointed - and by nodding your head. Saying more than that - What do you mean Tuesday?; When you get older... -- is like putting gasoline on the fire, making the emotional fire worse. Empathic listening helps calm the flames and should help your child calm down. If it doesn't and she is still out-of-control, move to containment - hold her or put her in time-out so she can self-regulate. Once she's calm, then talk about the problem - "Okay, you're feeling better. Let's talk about a different time that might be better for doing your homework." These are basic survival skills and are especially important as children move into their teen years when their emotions are apt to get stronger and louder

We finish our list of discipline tips and ways to put them into action:

#6. Don't pull rank. While you're probably tempted to say (oh, 20 times a day) "Because I said so, that's why!" Resist. This pulling rank is about your frustration and anger and your attempt to gain control.  While you may momentarily feel better, your child misses the point about what you're asking. Instead help your child better understand you and how you think by making one-sentence, no-emotion comments about your concerns or worries: "I want you to come home at 6:00 because I'm worried that if you get too tired, you'll have a hard time getting all your homework done." He doesn't have to agree and might even argue, but that's okay and you can still stand by your guns.

Understanding your motivation and intentions makes you seem less like a bully. By modeling good communication and self-responsibility, she has an opportunity to better understand what makes you tick. Over time your words will come inside and she will better understand what makes her tick.

#7. Words matter. This is tied to consistency. Do what you say, say what you mean. If you tell your child that you are all leaving the house at 8:00 am, set the timer and leave at 8:00. If they are half-dressed, bring the clothes and let them get dressed in the car. If they missed their breakfast, grab a banana and some cereal, and they can eat it on the way to school. If you don't be consistent and match words and actions, your child learns that words don't matter. Again this is part of creating a feeling of stability and reliability. Without it they get confused, they test.

#8. Use logic. Or rather logical consequences to shape behavior. This is how we learn as adults. You don't pay your electric bill, your lights get turned off. You come to work late 2 weeks in a row and your boss sits you down for a serious talk, writes you up, or fires you from your job. It's an effective way to learn, it's real life and it teaches children responsibility by showing them the consequences of their actions. "I'm sorry it took you a long time to finish cleaning your room. We don't have time to read a story (or watch TV or go swimming)." Again, matter-of-fact, don't nag, don't scold; it's not about you. This approach can keep you from railing on. It side-steps your kids just seeing you as being mean and missing the bigger point. It teaches your child how life really works.

#9. One positive deserves another. Research tells us that positives shape behavior much more effectively an negatives. The famous studies by John Gottman on marriage and relationships shows that couples need a 4:1 ratio of positive to negative comments in their relationship in order for the other person to hear anything positive. Less than that and the other person feels like you are always being critical or on their back.

Kids are no different. They move towards the positive, especially when there is emotion behind it - excitement, real appreciation -- and when it is specific - You are doing such a good job sharing your toys with your brother; I really like the way you helped carry the dishes into the kitchen when grandma came over - rather than just a generic Good job guys. Look for what's good, rather than always zeroing in on the bad.

#10. Get on the same page. This is for you and your partner. While you both have different personalities and hence, different styles, you shouldn't have different rules or different priorities. If routines fall apart because Dad is in charge instead of Mom or visa versa, kids lose their stability, get confused, start testing, squeeze through the cracks between you both, or quickly learn to play one of you off against the other - ask easy-going Mom instead of mean Dad.

It's easy for parents to polarized - one tough, the other easy-going - as a way of balancing the other guy out. Often underneath it all is a relationship problem that is being played out through the children. This parental split is a relationship issue between you both that needs to be solved. If you suspect that is the case, get the kids out of the middle, talk about your differences and if needed, get professional help.

These do's and don'ts apply to all kids regardless of their age. What you do need to sensitive to is updating and refining them to fit your childrens' changing developmental needs. With a younger child the language will be simpler, the amount of direction may be more. As children get older, you can explain more, can give them more options, get their input in solving problems, give them more room to establish their own routines. By teenage years, your job moves towards being more that consultant, and you save you power for really important issues like health and safety. The principles stay the same, the fine-print changes.

A Plan of Action

If you are seeing a need to make changes in your family, the best place to start is by making a change in yourself. Here are some guidelines to help you get going:

Pick one area. Don't try and do the big make-over. As you look at the list, review your family life, pick on area that you want to work on first. It may be setting good bedtime routines, it may be controlling your own emotions, it may be increasing the positives or talking with your partner about a workable game-plan. Start small so you can build up your self-confidence while not overwhelming your kids.

Come up with a plan. So you decide, for example, that you want to get a handle on bedtime routine, map out the changes in advance when you're not stressed and are clear-headed. Envision how you would like it to be. Think in terms of behaviors - what do you want to do differently, what do you want your children to do - rather than worrying about emotions - how you want them to feel. Change behaviors first and emotions will follow. Be as specific as possible, and build into your planning anticipated obstacles (sharing of the bathroom, individual times for reading stories) and ways around them.

Let you kids know what's coming. Again, it's about prep and warnings: "Tomorrow, I want us to change how we do bedtime. Because I want us to have time to read together, I want you get ready for bed a little bit earlier, take a bath, and pack up your stuff for school. I'll give you a warning and set the timer to let you know when it's time to shut off the TV.

Expect resistance. Some kids handle change better than others, but it's human nature to want no change at all. Be like Mary Poppins - clear, matter-of-fact, no drama, lots of positive comments - good job getting your pajamas on. Empathize with emotions but stick to behaviors.

Get support. If you have a partner, work together as a team, either backing you up, sharing the responsibilities (I'll handle Tom if you get Kathy in bed). Talk about first aide if you find yourself getting frustrated (come stand next me or just give me a quick hug) in order to help you stay on track. If you are alone, work out a plan to call someone for support while the kids are taking a bath. Figure out in advance what you need to be successful.

Evaluate, fine-tune. See how it goes, make minor adjustments (still too rushed, need another 10 minutes) but don't scrape the idea if it doesn't go as smoothly as you hoped. You're not just changing behaviors, or literally rewiring brains - your kids as well as your own. It takes some repetition and time.

Pat yourself on the back. It isn't about doing it Right, it's about doing it different. That's what counts.

Bring in the reinforcements. Finally, don't hesitate to get additional help if you need it - online information, a parenting skills group, a couple of sessions with a counselor. Don't discourage yourself by thinking you have some intractable personality defect; it's about learning skills, pure and simple. Recognizing a problem and being willing to tackle it is 50% towards fixing it.

Treat yourself the way you wish to treat your kids. With determination, support, patience, and a positive attitude.

You'll discover that you can do it.

Article retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fixing-families/201105/discipline-5-ways-do-it-right and http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fixing-families/201105/discipline-5-more-ways-do-it-right

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Family: Memory, forget me not

2011/04/22

If your memory seems to be failing you, all’s not lost, as INTAN MAIZURA AHMAD KAMAL discovers
I’VE come to a startling conclusion: My working memory sucks! I don’t know whether it’s age, or I'm not exercising enough, or that I’m simply juggling too many things at once, but really, it’s alarming how I'm forgetting the slightest things that I wouldn’t, say, two years ago.

Our working memory is literally our brain’s post-it note. It's one of the most important areas of our memory system as it's akin to our ability to hold and use a limited amount of information in our heads for a brief period. But the amount of information itself is unstable — a sudden distraction and the information is lost and you have to start all over again. These days, I keep colourful post-it notes on my dressing mirror, by my bedside and around the house. And just to be safe, I also use my poor kids to be my "working memory”.

Should I be alarmed? “It’s nothing to worry about," assures Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway, director of Centre For Memory And Learning In The Lifespan at University of Stirling, Britain, and author of over 75 scientific articles and books on working memory and learning. The bubbly 36-year-old was recently in town for a one-day workshop on working memory, organised by Kidzgrow, a one-stop centre that provides solutions for children with all types of learning difficulties.
“It’s similar to the ‘top of the stairs’ phenomenon,” she says with a smile. “You get to the top of the stairs and then you start wondering why you're even there in the first place. When you’re juggling too many things, you’re bound to drop one of the balls!” The average mother, adds the Malaysian-born Alloway who migrated to the United States when she was 13, probably has an average post-it note, but she would have filled it with so many details that things start to fall off the edge. And she ends up forgetting things and having a brain freeze. “All of us get this,” reiterates Alloway, who has also developed the world’s first standardised working memory tests for educators published by Pearson Assessment. “If you’re concerned that your memory is declining, the better index to check against is whether you can still recognise faces. As we get older, we have a harder time remembering faces, and that’s more of a concern than coming to the top of the stairs and wondering why you’re there!” To address this “malady”, the genial mother-of-two says we need to find that moment of peace or calm, whether through meditation, prayer or even listening to a song for five minutes. Prioritising is key here.

Alloway says: “If what you want to do doesn’t need to be done at that moment, leave it first. I’m a working mother and I make sure that if I have to attend to emails, I do it at one time of the day. If I have many things to do, I wake up early and budget my time. “I work when the kids are at the nursery. When they’re around, it’s shutdown time and I won't take calls or do emails so the children feel special and I don’t feel so torn having to think about things that need doing.” But what can we do to improve our working memory and keep our brain young? Alloway, who holds a PhD in cognitive psychology, says there’s exciting evidence of our brain’s plasticity, that it can change — shrink or grow — depending on what we do. One of the easiest ways to keep the pathway to our memory clear is to play games. “Pick up the newspaper and tell yourself that you’re going to circle 10 words starting with ‘M’ for example. The idea is to improve your visual scanning skill,” she suggests.

Exercise, too, can help the brain grow. A moderate workout may generate new brain cells, but not just any brain cell. These cells specifically help to distinguish between memories so each recollection stands out. It’s the kind of function you rely on every day, says Tim Bussey, one of the authors of the Cambridge University study.
Your diet is important as well. A diet rich in Omega fatty acids is instrumental in keeping your brain from ageing. “Foods rich in DHA, Omega-3 and 6 make the biggest difference,” says Alloway, an adviser to the World Bank on the importance of working memory. “The healthy fat molecules in your brain need to be flexible or wavy, and foods such as salmon, mackerel, avocado and olive oil help those fatty cells stay flexible, which, in turn, helps make your connection when you’re learning. “When you start eating foods that are bad for you, they end up making your fat cells more rigid, which makes it difficult for your brain to acquire knowledge.” Alloway, the 2009 winner of the prestigious Joseph Lister Award by the British Science Association for bringing her scientific discoveries to a wide audience, has been researching the area of working memory for the last 15 years. A boy called Josh got her interest piqued. She recalls: “I met Josh, this cute four-year-old living in California, because of a call for help from his distressed mum. Josh received funding from the state of California to support his learning needs. Because of that, he was regularly evaluated and assessed. “In one assessment, they found his IQ to be average for his age, but his working memory was very low. He was at the bottom end of the scale for his age. But because his IQ was average, the state decided that he didn’t need any financial support for his learning needs.” His mum, recalls Alloway, was thoroughly distraught at this turn of events and subsequently started looking up online on working memory. “That’s when she came across my research and got in touch. She asked whether I’d be willing to test Josh. I found he was very poor for his age when it came to working memory, so she decided to take her son's case forward to the Disability Tribunal, a legal proceeding for learning disability where the judge would look at the reports and make a decision. She asked if I would, via video link, testify on my research on working memory. I agreed.” But not long after, Alloway was informed that she didn’t have to testify in the case as the judge had ruled that because Josh’s working memory was so poor, even though his IQ was average, he needed the support. Understanding working memory can go a long way in helping us understand our kids, too. Parents who worry that their child is falling behind at school and have concluded that it’s due to laziness, should take note. Your kids may just have smaller post-it notes and they’ve run out of space, so they can't keep everything in their mind, says Alloway. “These kids are unable to remember everything the teacher says and work with the information at the same time. Looking solely at IQ as the benchmark for success is the wrong way to go. “One main distinction between IQ and working memory is that the former works with the knowledge that we have, the kind of experience that we have about the world, and the knowledge we’ve acquired. The latter relates to how we use that knowledge.” To spot a child with memory problem, use a standardised test, says Alloway. “With my colleagues from Durham University, we worked with a leading test publisher, Pearson Assessment, and developed a test battery, published in 2007.” The tool, a combination of a checklist and computer program informed by years of concentrated research into poor working memory in children, has enabled teachers to identify and assess children's memory capacity in the classroom from as early as four years old. Without appropriate intervention, poor working memory in children, which is thought to be genetic, can affect long-term academic success into adulthood and prevent children from achieving their potential, says Alloway.

She’s also working with Kidzgrow on a memory training program called Jungle Memory to help kids with small post-it notes. “I’ve had a chance to do my research with organisations such as Dyslexic Scotland and various autistic charities looking at kids with learning difficulties and those not achieving their potential and found that when children used this program, their working memory, IQ scores and most importantly, their grades improved in only eight weeks.

“People used to think that you can’t change your working memory. But you can, and there are many things you can do. There's definitely hope.”

Article retrieved from: http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Family_Memory_forgetmenot/Article/

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Top Ten Tips for Parenting ADHD Kids

by Dr. Lara Honos-Webb

Published on December 8, 2010

1. Advocate for your child. This means you need to "spin" your child's behavior to friends, family and teachers. Has your child's antics been any worse than our leading politicians? Probably not. Imagine the spinmeisters on talk shows who try to get their politicians elected. Do the same for your child.

2. Coach your child to name and feel ok with all their emotions. Kids act bad when they are mad, sad or afraid. When you coach your child to tell you what she feels, her bad behavior will heal.

3. Look inside yourself. Sometimes kids act out unexpressed conflicts of their parents. Are you struggling with depression, anxiety, rage? Get help for yourself and your kids will shape up.

4. Think of yourself as a coach. Your job is to coach your child to success in social, emotional and educational settings. Sometimes the answer is practice, practice, practice. Don't get discouraged if you have to repeat yourself over and over again.

5. Ask yourself: "If my child's most frustrating behavior was meant to teach me something - what would it be?" Many parents find themselves half distressed and half impressed at their child's indifference to people pleasing. Sometimes this is just the lesson parents need to learn in their own lives - many parents have become imbalanced in attending too much to seeking approval from others.

6. Forget about the competition. Your child can still strive to be outstanding without it being about comparisons to other children. ADHD children are sensitive to tension produced by parents' competitiveness and the fear based motivation inhibits them.

7. Keep Yourself Alive! It takes a lot of energy to keep up with ADHD kids. You need to become your own energy source. Feed your own passions. If you are married work to increase your intimacy with your partner. If you are single, keep your own love life alive.

8. Honor the kernel of self-reliance in all acts of defiance. Every time your child doesn't do what you asked them to do, ask them for an explanation. Honor their independent thinking and consider what part of it you may want to incorporate into your discipline. Continue to insist that your child respect your rules while demonstrating respect for their own rhythm and logic.

9. Practice preventative medicine. Many times children's bad behavior is a misguided attempt to get some precious attention. Fuel your child up with the highest octane energy you can early in the day. Spend a few minutes being entirely present with your child. Look them in the eyes, touch them lovingly and listen closely to your child. This intense presence will give them what they need and head off desperate pleas for attention. Sometimes just a few minutes will prevent large energy draining hassles.

10. Connect with your child's teacher. Research has shown over many decades that your child's educational outcomes are very closely linked with how much the teacher  expects from your child. This is why you need to advocate for your child at the same time as you connect with your child's teacher. Show enormous respect for your child's teachers and try to forge a close alliance with him or her. They will go the extra mile for your child.




Article retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-gift-adhd/201012/top-ten-tips-parenting-adhd-kids

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ADHD and Medication: What's New?

by Tracy Packiam Alloway, PhD

To medicate or not? Research in children with ADHD.

Published on March 21, 2011

The topic of medicating individuals with ADHD is still controversial. That is why I am always interested when research on this topic is published. I was recently asked to write a commentary on one such article that will appear in ‘Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology'.

Children with ADHD exhibit deficits in both cognitive and behavioral domains. In particular, response inhibition has been proposed as a core element of individuals with ADHD that can impact both these types of functioning. Given the widespread prevalence of ADHD, with some reports as high as 16% of children receiving this diagnosis, treatment is a priority.

Stimulant medication, such as methylphenidate, is considered to improve certain cognitive functions in children with ADHD. The suggestion is that methylphenidate acts to increase levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are associated with attention and focus.

However, most research in this area has focused primarily on immediate-release stimulant medication. Clinical studies in continued-release of stimulant medication have produced mixed results and it is as yet unclear which cognitive and behavioral functions associated with response inhibition can be improved as a result of stimulant medication.

Thus, the authors-Blum et al-sought to investigate this issue. Children aged 6 to 12 participated in a double-blind placebo controlled crossover trial, using the individual's most effective dose of OROS- methylphenidate. The benefit of this approach is that neither the person administering the medication, nor the child taking it was aware of whether they were receiving the medication or the placebo. The conditions were then switched, so the Medication group took the placebo, and the Placebo group took the medication.

The findings indicated that hyperactive and inattentive behaviors (measured by both parent and teacher ratings) improved when the child was receiving their optimal dose of OROS- methylphenidate. Cognitive functions also improved in some cases, but not all. For example, the students were no better at tasks involving motor inhibition and working memory.

Studies like this one by Blum et al. are very valuable because they raise the issue of the efficacy in using this approach for individuals with ADHD. Amidst increasing concerns regarding side effects and the potential for abuse, some parents and clinicians are seeking alternative methods to ameliorate the cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with ADHD.

One promising alternative is adaptive working memory training, where the intensity and difficulty of working memory sessions are individually customized to the aptitude of the child. Traditionally, working memory was viewed as genetically fixed, and thus unable to be modified by an individual's environmental experiences or opportunities. However, an increasing body of recent studies has challenged this notion, demonstrating that considerable cerebral plasticity exists within the developing brain and that working memory capacity may potentially be improved by environmental intervention and support.

Such findings highlight important opportunities for improving the learning, behavioral and social opportunities of the large number of children with working memory problems. Working memory impairments are widely reported in students with ADHD, and several studies have found that adaptive working memory training can improve behavior ratings by parents (Klingberg et al., 2005), as well as IQ and attainment scores (Alloway, 2009).

Research like Blum et al.'s illustrates the limited impact of continued-release of stimulant medication and highlight the need to consider alternative forms of intervention. When such measures prove to be insufficient, then the option to prescribe stimulant medication can be discussed with a physician who is aware of the severity of the individual's symptoms. Care should also be taken when considered the type of stimulant medication-immediate vs. continuous release; as well as the optimal dose for the individual.

References

Alloway TP. Cognitive Training: Improvements in Academic Attainments. Professional Association for Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties 2009; 22: 57-61.

Klingberg T, Fernell E, Olesen PJ, Johnson M, Gustafsson P, Dahlstrom K. et al. Computerised training of working memory in children with ADHD -a randomized, controlled trial. J of the Am Acad of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2005; 44: 177-186.

Article retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/keep-it-in-mind/201103/adhd-and-medication-whats-new

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Study: Diet May Help ADHD Kids More Than Drugs

by NPR Staff

March 12, 2011

Hyperactivity. Fidgeting. Inattention. Impulsivity. If your child has one or more of these qualities on a regular basis, you may be told that he or she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. If so, they'd be among about 10 percent of children in the United States.

Kids with ADHD can be restless and difficult to handle. Many of them are treated with drugs, but a new study says food may be the key. Published in The Lancet journal, the study suggests that with a very restrictive diet, kids with ADHD could experience a significant reduction in symptoms.

The study's lead author, Dr. Lidy Pelsser of the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands, writes in The Lancet that the disorder is triggered in many cases by external factors — and those can be treated through changes to one's environment.

"ADHD, it's just a couple of symptoms — it's not a disease," the Dutch researcher tells All Things Considered weekend host Guy Raz.

The way we think about — and treat — these behaviors is wrong, Pelsser says. "There is a paradigm shift needed. If a child is diagnosed ADHD, we should say, 'OK, we have got those symptoms, now let's start looking for a cause.' "

Pelsser compares ADHD to eczema. "The skin is affected, but a lot of people get eczema because of a latex allergy or because they are eating a pineapple or strawberries."

According to Pelsser, 64 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD are actually experiencing a hypersensitivity to food. Researchers determined that by starting kids on a very elaborate diet, then restricting it over a few weeks' time.

"It's only five weeks," Pelsser says. "If it is the diet, then we start to find out which foods are causing the problems."

Teachers and doctors who worked with children in the study reported marked changes in behavior. "In fact, they were flabbergasted," Pelsser says.

"After the diet, they were just normal children with normal behavior," she says. No longer were they easily distracted or forgetful, and the temper tantrums subsided.

Some teachers said they never thought it would work, Pelsser says. "It was so strange," she says, "that a diet would change the behavior of a child as thoroughly as they saw it. It was a miracle, a teacher said."

But diet is not the solution for all children with ADHD, Pelsser cautions.

"In all children, we should start with diet research," she says. If a child's behavior doesn't change, then drugs may still be necessary. "But now we are giving them all drugs, and I think that's a huge mistake," she says.

Also, Pelsser warns, altering your child's diet without a doctor's supervision is inadvisable.

"We have got good news — that food is the main cause of ADHD," she says. "We've got bad news — that we have to train physicians to monitor this procedure because it cannot be done by a physician who is not trained."

Article retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/12/134456594/study-diet-may-help-adhd-kids-more-than-drugs?ps=rs

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FDA Holds Off On New Heart Warnings For ADHD Medicines

by Scott Hensley

Steady as you go on ADHD medicines.

The Food and Drug Administration has finally received data from a massive analysis of health records to tease out whether there is a link between normal use of ADHD medicines and potentially lethal heart problems. And, for now, the FDA says it's not recommending any changes in safety instruction or use of such popular meds as Vyvanse and Adderall.

The agency has been looking at a possible link between the drugs for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sudden cardiac death in otherwise healthy people since 2009, when a federally funded study suggested there might be one.

The study that sparked concern compared ADHD drug use among 564 young people (ages 7 to 19) who died suddenly from unexplained causes with an identical number killed in car crashes. Ten of the young people who died suddenly were taking ADHD meds compared with just two in the group who died in accidents. Those results were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.


The agency noted a bunch of limitations with the research at the time and told parents not to stop kids' ADHD meds. Still, the agency said it would look into the issue.

In search of a more definitive answer, the FDA and the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality teamed up to sponsor a look at health data for more than 500,000 people taking ADHD meds and 1 million people who weren't. Analysts also planned to pore over about 2,000 medical charts from hundreds of different hospitals.

The work took a lot longer than expected. So the preliminary findings, originally due in late 2009, have finally rolled in. The FDA has started reviewing them and doesn't seem worried. In a brief update online, the agency said:

    At this time, FDA is not recommending any changes to the drug labels and/or the use of these medications.

    FDA will update the public after the results of the final analyses are evaluated.

The current instructions for ADHD drugs, which are stimulants, say that misusing them "may cause sudden death and serious cardiovascular adverse events."

Article retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/04/08/135234171/fda-holds-off-on-heart-warnings-for-adhd-medicines

Image retrieved from: http://www.familyanatomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/1115701_139549161.png

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New Online Training For GPs - Identifying And Managing Autism Spectrum Disorders

Identifying and managing children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is the focus of a new online active learning module created by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). 

The new Autism spectrum disorders Category 1 active learning module is available on the gplearning website and is suitable for GPs and paediatricians. Autism spectrum disorders highlights the importance of early identification and diagnosis, initiation of early intervention and family and individual support as a means of maximising outcomes for children and families affected by an ASD. 

Dr Ronald McCoy, RACGP spokesperson, said the rate of ASD diagnosis is increasing significantly within the Australian community and this new active learning module will provide GPs with timely and valuable insights into autism spectrum disorders. 

"The early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is the key to providing early intervention so that patients and their families can achieve the best outcomes, 

"For this reason, this learning activity places a strong emphasis on 'red flags', which are clinical symptoms and signs that help clinicians pick up autism early. 

"We've been incredibly fortunate in being able to achieve this through the creation of many new videos that plainly illustrate specific clinical symptoms and signs. This was only achievable through the generosity of families affected by ASD. 

"This module provides doctors with the skills to address the many myths that surround ASD, such as bogus causes and treatments that are widespread throughout the community. 

"In addition, case studies, interviews and actual clinical images provide a unique interactive learning opportunity for clinicians to become thoroughly acquainted with the current evidence based, state-of-the art approach to ASD in Australia," Dr McCoy said. 

By the end of the module, participants should be able to: 

- counsel and support patients, parents, family members and others affected by ASD, through diagnosis, treatment and ongoing management of ASD 
- discuss the evidence base for aetiology (study of causes) and management of ASD including medications, behavioural and educational interventions 
- describe the diagnosis, prognosis and management of ASD throughout key milestones and throughout a person's lifespan 
- discuss the multidisciplinary framework of care in ASD 
- identify barriers to delivering services for ASD e.g. rural location 
- identify individuals with possible ASD, including differential diagnoses 
- list the 'red flags' for ASD and be able to systematically implement identification of children with ASD, including using the practice systems. 

The new activity is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and has been approved by the RACGP QI&CPD Program for 40 Category 1 points in the 2011-2013 triennium. 

This active learning module should take approximately 6.5 hours to complete. Participants can access and exit activities at their convenience. 

The following four learning activities are available as Category 2 activities but are included as part of this learning module: 

- the early detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) 
- selecting and assessing interventions for ASD 
- educational interventions for ASD 
- working with families managing ASD. 

Source: 
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) 
  

Article retrieved from: http://www.discoveryyearscenters.com/science/science.jpg

Image retrieved from:   http://www.discoveryyearscenters.com/science/science.jpg

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