Hello once again, Bloggers and Bloggees.

If you have read my recent posts, you’ll know that I spent the last 40 days travelling and volunteering across India. Now, I have returned safe and sound to the West in all it’s luxury and sanitation! I have to say though, I was really looking forward to the slight crisp in the air that comes as August fades into September – I was not expecting that the Indian heat would follow me through my 14-hour flight and hit Toronto with it’s second heat wave of the summer.

Neema and Hanan at work doing crafts.

Which must be confusing students in the area, because believe it or not, summer is virtually over. Labour Day weekend signals for so many students around Canada that the carefree days of summer sunshine, pointless hangouts with friends, and trips to the cottage or camp won’t be enjoyed again for another ten months. But while they may kick and scream and drag their heels until they’re back in that plastic seat in front of the chalkboard, they’re much better prepared to tackle another year of learning after that two month window to relax, have fun, and reboot. Having a break from the assignments, papers, and exams of school is a great opportunity for kids to unwind. Extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, and the arts also serve the same purpose. Could you ever imagine a childhood without music lessons after school? Or without little league hockey or baseball tournaments?

I know I couldn’t. I love thinking back to Gr. 5 when I would sit at my desk in the morning after singing O Canada, so happy that it was a Monday and I had basketball practice to look forward to that night. In high school, I fidgeted in class all day until I could get to rehearsal for whatever play I was involved in. You know what they say – all work and no play makes Carly a very dull student.

Which is why I was so puzzled during my visits to various grade schools in the Southern Indian city of Puducherry. My travelmates and I were interested in doing some workshops in a local school – drama games, newspaper writing, English tutoring, etc… – but at most of the schools we visited (which were quite a few – there were A LOT of schools in Puducherry), the kids didn’t have time for extracurricular activities. School days were similar hours, but for many kids the end of class means the beginning of tutoring. For those who attend school, it is a full-time commitment. Gym wasn’t even taught at the girl’s high school we visited.

I don’t want to say that this is fundamentally wrong – it’s just a difference in culture, circumstance, and priority. Education is taken incredibly seriously in India, which is ever emerging as a superpower in IT, science, and business, and no one appreciates the opportunity to compete in a global workforce more than the Indian people. So they do whatever they can to give themselves an edge, or rather, to give their children an edge.

In North America, we are fortunate enough to have free time to participate in sports and hobbies, to develop in areas other than knowledge. To think of a childhood of constant schooling may seem almost traumatic to us. But to Indians, taking as much time out of the days as we do to play games may seem frivolous and useless.

In this case there is no right or wrong answer – just an interesting cross-cultural clash. But I know this much for sure – my lay-ups wouldn’t be anywhere near what they are today without the Kanata Cavaliers.

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Everybody seems to be getting on the ADHD bandwagon. I am not talking just about doctors and pediatricians here but also parents and teachers. Some unscrupulous parents actually WANT an ADHD diagnosis so that they can claim government funds or even special facilities at school such as one-to-one tuition or very small classes. Teachers are setting themselves up as doctors and recommending parents to put the ADHD child on Ritalin so there is no disruptive behaviour in their classes. When the psychostimulants (Adderall, Metadate, Dexedrine and Cylert) do not work with some ADHD children, they are put on anti-depressants.

There are no negative reviews on natural products for ADHD as regards possible side effects because there aren\’t any. Compare that to :- insomnia, weight loss, stunted growth, \’zombie\’ behaviour, mood swings, loss of appetite, heart problems, nervous tics and the latest one is hallucinations. These are some of the side effects of amphetamine drugs (remember \’speed\’? – it\’s the same !).

There are positive reviews on natural products for ADHD but they are rarely published because they have no financial backing. Basically there are no side effects and they are perfectly safe. There is no risk of drug abuse. There is no need for medical monitoring. The most popular natural products are homeopathic remedies.

Look at the work done by Stephen Hinshaw of UC Berkeley who is an ADHD expert. He studied attention deficit disorders in children who were prescribed Ritalin for a period of two years. These unfortunate children were an inch shorter in height and weighed 8 pounds less than the children who were not on medication ! That is what they mean by \’stunted growth\’. The FDA says more research needs to be done but that study was published five years ago, so the stunted growth issue has been brushed under the carpet.

Most experts now recommend medication in conjunction with psychotherapy, counselling or behaviour therapy. There is an issue here with the insurance companies so the cost of these treatments may be prohibitive. All the reviews of natural products for ADHD report that a homeopathic remedy is ideal in that it can be used in combination therapy and is perfectly safe, effective and free of side effects. Make sure you study the remedies and the manufacturing process and also if the facility is FDA approved. The link below will take you to one of the most reputable companies in this field and they offer iron clad guarantees.

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While understanding may not solve the issues, it can go a long way toward healing relationships and building a good foundation for treatment. Proper diagnosis and education on the facts of any behavioral disorder will drastically increase the chances of your loved one thriving rather than just surviving.

Two Disorders With Two Different Causes

Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are often confused because of symptoms that on the surface seem quite similar. Children, teenagers and adults all have the potential to suffer from ODD or ADHD, making their lives and the lives of their families much more difficult.
In order to fully grasp what issues your child or spouse might be facing you need to look at what behaviors their disorder compels them to act upon and what motivates them initially.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Everyone at some point in their lives has experienced what are called “oppositional feelings”. Moments where you really don’t care about the consequences of your actions, you just want to argue with someone in a position of authority. Maybe it was during your rebellious teen years or maybe at some other point in time, but you were angry, negative, generally feeling hostile and wanting to ‘take it out’ on the entire world.

This is how someone with ODD feels almost all the time.

Moody and argumentative, children and adults suffering from ODD will throw temper tantrums on a consistent basis, refuse to follow rules, blame others for their mistakes, act aggressive, spiteful and vindictive, will annoy peers deliberately, will argue with anyone in a position of authority, are touchy and will often use foul language. Due to these outbursts and negative behaviors people with ODD usually have few or no friends.

Anyone suffering from ODD is distressed and in need of help, just as those who are dealing with the consequences of these extremely disruptive behaviors, need professional help and guidance to cope.

The symptoms of ODD do NOT respond to medication – if there are other underlying disorders these may be treated pharmacologically. Instead physicians generally prescribe Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Training Programs.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

In contrast to ODD, children and adults suffering from ADHD are generally not angry but frustrated by information overload. ADHD sufferers want to be good students or employees; they want to follow directions and feel very bad if they find themselves in trouble with others. Unfortunately they are often in trouble because of impulsive behavior, inattention or hyperactivity.

ADHD affects the way the brain receives and interprets information and stimulus from the outside world. Thoughts, images, sights, sounds and smells race through the mind at lightning speed and overwhelm the ADHD sufferer. Unable to focus on any one specific thing it leads to disorganization, time-management problems, procrastination and inattention. Hyperactivity and impulse control problems also affect some ADHDers and cause them to struggle in school and work situations. Those who are overwhelmed with ADHD shut down emotionally from time to time. Many ADHDers have been accused of laziness because of their physical need for downtime.

ADHD can be treated with medication. Physicians often prescribe a stimulant medication to help the brain focus while patients learn skills to combat behavioral problems.

Despite their issues ADHDers are usually happy, show empathy, remorse and get along well with peers and younger people.

Proper diagnosis of your loved ones behavioral disorder is the only way to receive proper care.

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One of the other interesting facts on ADHD is that the drugs industry have made enormous profits from ADHD, simply be producing a class of drugs which range from psychostimulants to anti-depressant drugs and non-stimulant ADHD meds. None of these drugs are capable of curing this disorder nor can they really be an effective treatment on their own. Many children will find relief from their symptoms if they are on these drugs (maybe up to 70%) but the side effects and risks are causing concern among a wide variety of stakeholders. These are medical and pediatric groups, parents, some doctors and of course the FDA who have to issue regular warnings on the use of these medications.

One of the other interesting facts on ADHD is that there is now a lot of evidence which shows that obese people have a much higher ratio of ADHD than the regular population. In one study, as many as 32% of the obese group had ADHD compared with about 7% of the general population. Once these patients were treated for ADHD, they started to lose weight. The desire to snack or nibble was just part of the hyperactive syndrome.

The cause of ADHD is not known but it seems to have been around for quite some time. A quote from Hippocrates describes a similar condition which is astonishingly similar to the symptoms we notice today which can range from non-stop motion, inattention and lack of focus. There is a definite genetic link and exposure to toxins during pregnancy may be another cause.

Yet another one of the interesting facts on ADHD is that ADHD behaviour therapy is supported by most medical associations as an essential element in any ADHD treatment program. Now that ADHD psychostimulants are regarded with some caution which is understandable, natural cures for ADHD which are made from herbal or homeopathic ingredients are gaining enormous popularity. The main reason is that they have no side effects or risks to the child’s health. Imagine not having to worry about loss of appetite, dosages, sleep problems, drowsiness or suicidal thoughts ! This could be a turning point in your child’s life.

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Deciding on which ADHD medicine and assessing their side effects, looking after diet, setting up school support are all important. But if parents are unable to deal with arguments, tantrums, defiance and the endless distractability and hyperactivity, there is a distinct possibility that the ADHD child will be one of the 60% who carry this condition into adulthood.

Here is just one technique that is used in behavior therapy. The overall plan is to gain control over unwanted or negative behaviours which destroy family and school life. Time out is just one way of doing this. When the child is about to explode, you can send him to another area, away from the stress of the situation which has probably been instrumental in the tantrum. While the child is away, he is completely alone and there will be no communication. This is effective in calming the child. The corresponding technique of time in is where he child is welcomed back affectionately and given praise for good behaviour when it happens.

Enforcing consequences for bad behaviour is another one of the many techniques used in behavioural therapy. Some therapists refer to this as a response cost or just simply as withdrawing a privilege for unwanted behaviour. This has to be used sparingly and parents are also taught that a consequence or withdrawing a privilege should never take the form of withdrawing affection . All children need love and affection whatever the situation. This strategy is also reserved for especially bad, violent or dangerous ADHD behaviour. It is also important not to take away activities which are actually instrumental in coping with ADHD symptoms. If you withdraw sports activities or green time, this may only exacerbate the situation and may well backfire on the parent!

What other techniques can you learn from ADHD behaviour therapy? You will learn how to enforce certain rules, how to maintain regular routines and schedules so that doing homework, getting ready for bed, downtime before bed and a host of other chores that you have to deal with on a day by day basis. Once you apply these techniques you are well on the way to getting your life back and you will be so glad that you decided to investigate ADHD behavioural therapy.

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Mother of three, your eldest child begins nagging you about sports. You were never athletic, more of the geek type, and your husband is crazy to think he has time to coach a soccer team. Sam just started kindergarten at the beginning of this month, and as if that wasn’t enough for you, he is dying to try karate. And you are “dying” to know who put that crazy idea into his head. You conclude it must have been his rambunctious friend, Tyler who had serious disciplinary problems in pre-school but managed to sort them out doing karate. This gets you thinking. Karate might not be so bad after all.

You and your husband often lay awake at night thinking about the future of your children. You both really wish your parents had gotten you into something extracurricular at a young age, but instead, you were left fending for yourself as awkward teenagers. I guess that’s why you were so attracted to each other. Lets not let that happened to our kids. Instead, you’re going to do it differently then you’re parents. You’re going to start them off young and do things right.

1. Dance Lessons. By providing an extracurricular activity that advocates discipline, your child will learn the importance of dedication. Dance is an art form that can really help children understand and appreciate their bodies, and how they move. This can help kids be more conscientious of staying healthy. It is also a great tool for expression, allowing children to communicate through body language. Dancing could end up being an activity in college, or even a career choice. [dance schools] [dance camps]
2. Reading. Children can learn the benefit of reading through your example. Reading a book together as a family not only provides time together as a unit, but also prepares your child for the challenges of school. If they learn the importance and love for books at an early age, getting your child to do their homework won’t be a problem. Reading stimulating books will improve your child’s vocabulary, help their writing skills, and eventually, make a drastic improvement on their testing skills. The habits you develop at a young age will help determine your child’s future.
3. Sports. What better for a child to socialize then through sports? This gives children a constructive activity that boosts self-confidence and ultimately, keeps them out of trouble. It is the perfect way to support your community, make new friends, and develop lasting skills that will help your child for life. Teamwork is an important tool in helping your child get along with classmates and will eventually effect how he does in the workplace. If your child sticks with it, sports can be an effective way of getting a scholarship to university or college. [Sports Schools] [Sports Camps]
4. Speech and Debate. Many schools offer speech classes to children to help them develop self-confidence and public speaking skills. Enrolling your children in these kinds of classes enables them to face fears that will be more difficult to overcome at a later age. Public speaking is a fear that grips many people. By tackling this problem at a young age, your child will excel in anything he does. It is extremely rewarding for your child to see the results of his hard work after writing a speech and delivering it to a crowd. Speech and debate teaches them the importance of being focused, a quality that will help them throughout their life. [Schools with debate] [Debate camps]

[Molly Vogel is a writer for Cloth Diapering. The website is devoted to educating parents on the benefits, both eco and health related of cloth diapers for your baby.]

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Consider the advantages of homeopathic treatment for ADHD and you will understand immediately why it is growing in popularity all the time and why it is actually an approved treatment in the UK’s National Health Service. The greatest advantage in my view is that there are no side effects. No need to worry about stunted growth, loss of appetite, insomnia which are very common side effects that parents have to cope with when their children are prescribed the psychostimulants like Adderall, Concerta and Vyvanse.

The second great advantage is that homeopathy ADHD will restore the body’s delicately balanced mechanisms and calm nervous children while at the same time help them to focus better. The other great advantage is that there are no toxic substances used at all in the preparation of these remedies. Neither is there any need for medical monitoring as there are no risks of cardiac events, seizures, hallucination or other alarming risks which are causing parents to reject mind altering psychostimulants. The other interesting thing about homeopathic treatment for ADHD is that the effects are long lasting whereas with psychostimulants, the parent has to worry about extended release and watch dosage times carefully to avoid the child crashing.

It is time to take a much broader enlightened look at homeopathy ADHD and assess it for what it is. We can also weigh up its benefits and decide what is best for our children. The parent will be looking at the best ADHD behavioral therapy options available as well as looking after diet, exercise and school support. Big Pharm is everywhere and pushing mind altering drugs down our kids’ throats. Time to take a step back from the brink and give homeopathy ADHD a chance.

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Although ADHD was primarily thought of as a childhood disorder, it can be found in adults as well. Experts have estimated that as many as 8 million adults may be affected, but 80 percent of them do not realize it. Some studies show that there is significant decline in ADHD symptoms as a person ages, while others estimate that between 30 and 70 percent of children with ADHD will carry some symptoms into adulthood. ADHD is a more complex disorder in adults, but it manifests itself into a problem with self-regulation. Without this self-control, an adult’s ability to do tasks is impaired. This condition can lead to marital conflicts, substance abuse, and financial problems. Infidelity is common because ADHD adults easily become bored with things, including spouses.

Factors that have been linked to the development of ADHD include heredity, anxiety, allergies, smoking during pregnancy, hyperinsulinemia, oxygen deprivation at birth, environmental stress or pollutants, artificial food additives, injury, infection, lead poisoning, and prenatal trauma. More emphasis has been placed on the role of diet in ADHD in recent years. Many people with these conditions react to certain preservatives, dyes, and salicylates in foods. These problems can cause the balance of chemistry in the brain to be thrown off, which produces undesirable changes in behavior. A low-protein diet may also be a contributing factor. Although a hotly debated topic for decades, studies have definitely shown that food additives do play a major role in hyperactivity.

Many researchers feel that ADHD is being over-diagnosed nowadays. It is difficult to accurately diagnose this condition because many of the symptoms appear in the normal, healthy children at many times during childhood. In fact, more than 60 percent of parents suspect that their child has ADHD at some point in their upbringing. What may merely be creativity or a high energy level can be diagnosed as ADHD. A diagnosis of ADHD should be made by a team of specialists who are experts in the disorder and it is wise to get a second opinion.

One should considered nutritional deficiencies and dietary measures for treating ADHD. The following nutrients are recommended: calcium, magnesium, GABA, a multivitamin and mineral complex, Omega-3 fish oil, Pycnogenol, Quercetin, SAMe, acetylcholine, DMAE, l-cysteine, phosphatidyl serine, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, and zinc. Additionally, the following herbs may be beneficial: ginkgo biloba, ginseng, mullein oil, valerian root, catnip, chamomile, gotu kola, hops, kava kava, lemon balm, licorice, lobelia, oats, passionflower, skullcap, St. John’s wort, thyme, and wood betony.

Creating a nutritionally sound diet for children and adults can go a long way to controlling ADHD and ADD in general. Reducing sugar intake and adding good quality food that hasn’t been over processed which removes the needed vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients we all need to live healthy lives. The above vitamins, minerals and herbs are suggested to be helpful for those suffering as well as those who aren’t, but always consult your health care provider before adding dietary supplements to ones diet while on prescription drugs. Quality vitamins can be found at your local or internet health food store.

*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vitamins, minerals, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.

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