Problems and Solutions in ADHD Tests

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Let us look at what are the best ways of testing ADHD. Then we shall examine various approaches which are quite different in France and the USA.  We shall also survey the numbers and the risk of making an error when administering tests to diagnose ADHD.

What is ADHD?- biological, neurological or what?

Most experts are now agreed that ADHD is a neurological biological disorder which reveals itself in problems to do with the following areas of behavior at school and at home. These include:-

• restlessness,
• fidgeting,
• hyperactivity,
• lack of focus,
• inattention,
• distractability
• impulsivity

ADHD symptoms explained

Here we look at the ADHD symptoms but also in the second part how ADHD meds may be actually detrimental and are only a partial solution.

  Is it hereditary?

Most experts now agree that the condition has a strong genetic link. That means that bad parenting will not actually cause it but that the genetic makeup will be the determining factor. It is estimated that ADHD may well run in families and that there is a strong chance that one of the parents may also have this condition. A recent report in The Lancet recently confirmed that there is a gene which is responsible for ADHD behavior.

Why we have to get ADHD testing right.

Diagnosis of ADHD is not that easy and there are many different approaches. We know that in the USA, the condition is usually confirmed by the use of questionnaires and this mainly consists of ticking off boxes and getting an idea of where problematic behavior may lie in at least two settings. Numbers vary but in the US, it is now estimated that between 5% and 10% of the children will have this condition. Estimates for the UK are even higher and are pushing the 10% mark.

The fact that mistakes are made and the diagnosis procedure itself is full of holes has raised some alarm among the experts.  They are worried that:-

• one in five children in the USA may actually have been misdiagnosed
• there are over 50 childhood conditions which mimic many of the symptoms of ADHD
• there are many co- morbid conditions such as OCD, ODD, anxiety and depression which will also be present when properly diagnosed.
• between 50% to 60% of children will carry this into adulthood
• there is no pharmacological treatment which can actually cure the condition.
• only about 5% of children with ADHD actually graduate whereas among normal teenagers the rate is at around 28%.

Differences between France and the USA

When the French approach the problem of ADHD, they are much less prescriptive in their diagnosis and that is reflected in the actual numbers of children with this condition. They do not use the DSM IV (DSM V due in 2013). They have developed their own criteria which are contained in the CFTMEA (Classification Française des Troubles Mentaux de L'Enfant et de L'Adolescent).  

They particularly look at the social context of the child and take a much more holistic view in trying to get to the bottom of the causes. They are also much less likely to treat the condition with ADHD meds as in the USA and will make great efforts to do ADHD testing according to the social context of the child. There will be much more counselling and behavior therapy.  The Americans will home in on the biological imbalance and attempt to treat that with mind altering drugs.

The figures of ADHD in France reflect this much safer and altogether more sensible approach.. The numbers are much lower but that has to be balanced with their definition of what ADHD actually is, which narrows the field considerably.

The consequences of not doing ADHD testing properly

So, the attention deficit disorder test must be properly carried out and all the questionnaires  are gone through if we are to avoid the alarming statistic that one in five children are misdiagnosed and have to go through life and college with the wrong label with all the consequences that brings. Now that is scary!

Can You Treat ADHD? –Looking At Ways That Work.

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Many people think that ADHD treatments that work are just a few pills which happen to be based on amphetamines. That means they are strictly controlled and that there are some question marks about their safety and side effects and so on.  Why do you think that the FDA ADHD drug warning is the maximum that exists? The reason is that there are risks and that is why they get the black box treatment.

But let us move away from these meds because there are lots of other ways that can and do work and they are all based on how we organize a child’s life and the support he receives at home and at school.

We need to think outside the box because we know in our hearts that pills will not teach skills and we are thinking here about academic performance and also social skills and the organisation of an ADHD friendly home especially if we have ADHD ourselves.

When we mention the latter we are wondering how our child is going to learn to :-

• share
• fit into his peer group
• learn to listen
• understand about turn taking.

The fact that these skills need to be taught means a lot of hard work and monitoring by carers and parents. The fact is that the major task lies in raising awareness in the child that this is the way to make friends.  All too often  kids with ADHD are excluded form their peer groups, simply because they have no idea of what these social skills are. This is perfectly understandable in that the child’s mind is:

• operating at high speed
• distracted by sensory images
• highly impulsive
• hyperactive

Talking to children, you soon realize that they cannot seem to stop their mind from going all over the place. This is also a major reason for lack of motivation as the dopamine and histamine brain transmitters are all skewed and are also not connecting properly.

The next problem is media time because of we allow the free rein, then they are hyped up and they go into their hyperfocus mode.  ADHD children can concentrate so well on certain things that they simply cannot be torn away from them. The mind is getting instant gratification from video games and that means that it is extremely hard to focus on an activity like reading and homework afterwards. Studies show that kids just cannot focus after a video game and I am not surprised. But video games can be used by therapists to help train the neural pathways

We have to limit media time strictly and also make sure that the TV or computers do not take over   a child’s free time and that we ourselves are setting the example by limiting our own time on these devices.

Why not discover more about trying natural options for ADHD instead on relying on pills that will not teach skills. 

ADHD Study Tells Us To Talk More To Our Babies.

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Have you tried talking to your baby, cooing at it or laughing together, recently?  The reason I ask is that in a recent ADHD study, researchers at the University of Glasgow have found evidence that there may be a link with ADHD and/or other behavioral problems in childhood.

Their conclusions were that there seems to be some truth in the statement the more talk/interaction/vocalizations/sounds that the baby hears from the mother in the very early years will act as a sort of protection against ADHD developing.

Befoe they reached their conclusions, they watched videos involving 180 mothers talking to their one year old babies.  They found that there was a correlation with the amount of talk and interaction and the risk of developing ADHD. The more talk there was, the less the risk. They even calculated that with about 5 vocalizations less for every minute, the chances of a baby having ADHD was raised by 44%.

This is just one study so we should not draw too many conclusions from it and larger and more extensive studies will have to be done before we start chattering to our babies all the time!  Poor babies.

But maybe this would be a good thing anyway!  Just look at the moms you see in the shopping mall and on public transport. They are very often taking to their friends or texting their nearest and dearest and the baby in the buggy rarely gets any attention at all.

What about the number of times we have seen the TV and some screen device being used as a sort of babysitter?  That is a very frequent occurrence now as well.

Reactions to the study have been varied and many parents say that babies should be getting a lot more attention. However, I know of at least one mother with ADHD herself who has six children all with ADHD!

She has rejected that the amount of talk or lack of it is going to have any effect at all on whether the child goes on to develop ADHD.  She is convinced that the genetic factor is the one that determines whether a child has ADHD and she seems to be the living proof. She has stoutly maintained that she gave her children more than enough interaction to keep them going and that she even homeschooled them.  There are many parents who think like that.

In any case, this ADHD study is going to raise a lot of question marks. But before you send that text to your friend, why not put that off and give your baby some attention instead?

Fun Food for Kids And Adults - Try Smoothies

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{EAV:7f6d9fd99542c7a8}Just take a look at the video below - kids are brainwashed about junk food and they watch on average about 20,000 of these ads every year.

If you are an adult and trying to get fit, there is no better way than to get rid of unwanted fat by adding smoothies to your daily diet. You get some pretty amazing advantages as well such as increased energy, a boost to your immune system, your 5 daily with no fuss and bother and above all you will be in a good mood as well!

There are some suggestions about smoothie recipes. Here are some more tips about making food fun for kids :-

1.Unfortunately the snack foods in most homes are loaded with trans fats and sugar, not good. Recent studies show that the food additives and colourings in these foods is a possible cause of hyperactivity in children.


2. Kids are curious and adventurous - more than you think!


3.Get them involved in the kitchen and that means COOKING .... AND lots of mess afterwards!

4. Avoid kids' menus at restaurants- they choose that junk food . Why ? Is that what they get at home ??

5. Eat together as a whole family. Teenagers from these families are much more likely to stay on the healthy food ladder as they grow up.

6. Rave about certain foods YOU are eating. Kids are copy cats ! They will want to try it too.

7. Get them on to smoothies- it is probably the easiest and cheapest way to get them eating fruit and veggies.
 
CLICK HERE to discover more smoothie recipes for your kids and for yourself!

Solar Power Home Plans -How Healthy Is Solar Power ?

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Is solar energy really practical as regards our health?  The basic answer is yes although that has to be qualified a little bit. However, the basic fact is, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported, there are about 90 million USA citizens who are breathing in air which does NOT even meet the minimum safety standards. They also reckon that there are thirty three areas which are over the smog levels. Now that is scary.

Dirty power 

 Most of this pollution is coming from carbon dioxide emissions as a result of burning fossil fuels, industrial pollution and of course all sorts of toxins and suspended particles. As the normal electricity supply comes mainly from coal burning plants, this type of energy is understandably called ‘dirty power’. 

Solar energy 1,000 times more productive

 Now this is where solar power home plans come into their own.  Just think that solar power can  produce 1,000 times more energy in a year than normal fossil fuels. We are relying on the sun which is the cleanest energy imaginable as there is no mining or processing and there is no problem with disposal and so on. That is why this type of alternative energy is gaining so much popularity all over the world.

Health considerations

 However, a word of caution as regards health. Did you know that most solar panels are probably made in China and that they are contributing to global pollution in that they are not produced ‘cleanly’ because their health and industrial regulations do not bother too much about that.

There is another problem in that many toxic chemicals are used in the panels such as mercury and cadmium.  This means that when they are disposed of they will certainly pollute the atmosphere unless they are securely destroyed or recycled if that is at all possible. 

Have you heard of EHS?

 There is one other health problem which is rarely mentioned. This concerns what is known as EHS which stands for electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Some people are affected by this in that they happen to be extremely sensitive to the high levels of radiation frequency electromagnetic radiation which emanates from these solar panels. But this is relatively rare although the symptoms can be troublesome enough in that they can cause headaches and restlessness. Some people become like that when they enter a building which happens to have solar panels on the roof.

Solar power is the way to go

 Overall though the advantages of solar power home plans outweigh those of traditional sources of power. Solar panels are perfectly safe and there are no indications that they might cause a health hazard except, as I have mentioned in the actual use of toxic materials and in the disposal of them. If modern technology can produce cleaner panels, then this problem will be solved.   

The Simplest And Fastest Steps To A Well Behaved Stomach

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The solution to finding an over the counter remedy for digestive problems and a gassy stomach appear simple but in reality they are not. If you are aware of the popular bands such as Gas-X and Mylicon, (they contain simethicone) the problem is that they are not nearly as effective as they are supposed to be, especially for relieving gas pain.

If you are lactose intolerant, sometimes the lactase supplements which are again on sale all over the place, may help to ease some of the pain, discomfort and embarrassment. It would probably be just easier to avoid dairy products altogether which is not that easy when you are invited to dinner.

An alternative is to take a few ginger root capsules twice a day. The critics and the doubters here say that these could thin your blood but you would have to take enormous quantities for that to happen.  Some people get relief from the ginger but a more comprehensive herbal remedy is really the answer. There are no side effects and the results are certainly superior to the simethicone which tend to be very mixed.

It comes as no surprise, that ginger root is in the mix which is revered in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as being a great aid to help digestion and to give relief from gassy stomach cramps.  All the research done shows that it is really effective in helping the digestive process.

Another great herb which is used is fennel which can both detoxify and also calm all the rumbling that can also be very embarrassing.  Research is now pointing towards its great capacity to help the smooth muscle of the digestive tract.

Another herb in the mix is burdock. which contains mucilage and inulin. These are great for soothing the gastrointestinal tract while at the same time acting as a laxative which helps to keep bowel movements regular. It also helps the urinary system and can reduce the amounts of uric acid in the body.

Another herb in this winning formula is the Carbo veg. which really helps to reduce the discomfort of gas after eating and is also a great help for the whole digestive process.

Now all these herbs are available in one preparation so there is no need to hunt around your local herbalist. Just one easy dose and you will find that digestive and gas problems may be reduced so much that you wonder is you ever had the problem of how to stop gas and bloating. 

The preparation is also manufactured by one of the major herbal remedies company in the USA which follows GMP practices and is also approved by the FDA. As if that was not enough, their preparations also carry a one year guarantee. 

Why Natural Treatments For ADHD Are Superior To Medication.

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Medication for ADHD has now reached epidemic proportions and as time goes by, there does not seem to be an alternative form of drug which would be less harmful. That is why more and more parents are now turning to natural treatments for ADHD. They are just safer all round and in many cases are just as effective.

The reason why this has been hidden is an obvious one. The drug companies are powerful lobbies and they know how to protect their interests. It is as simple as that.

Let us look and see why medication of ADHD with these psychostimulant drugs is not the way to go. First, the figures are alarming. I know that figures for Ritalin prescriptions in the US alone can reach the 6 million figure every year, that is six times what it was just ten years ago.  ADHD diagnoses are rising by an average of 4% each year.  On a more anecdotal basis, a pharmacy assistant friend of mine was astounded when she realized how many requests were being presented for both Ritalin and Adderall, two of the most popular ones on the market to-day.

Here are six reasons why these ADHD meds are not the complete answer although they can be very useful in the short term and in some severe cases. The can stop a child from dangerous impulsive actions and also calm them down. But, and it is a very big but, they also come with a wide range of warnings and provisos.

Six reasons to seek an alternative such as natural treatments for ADHD :-

• the efficacy of the drugs is now questioned and the effects will wear off after three years (Dr. William Pelham, University of Buffalo and University of Florida).
• there may be a link with cancer ( National Toxicology Program research).
• there is a definite link with stunted growth and loss of appetite
• side effects will vary but can be severe and these will include cardiac arrest, hallucinations, suicide and an increase in violent and aggressive behavior.                       
• the drugs are using methylphenidate which is the same as cocaine and many of the effects are similar to some effects of this street drug
• treating ADHD with drugs will not teach a child the behavior and life skills he so desperately needs.

 Natural Treatments For ADHD :

• Supplementing the child’s diet with essential fatty acids or Omega 3 actually can improve ADHD symptoms more effectively than Ritalin. This was the result of a University of Adelaide study.
• Other dietary experiments at schools have shown that a healthier lunch with more fruit and vegetables had a marked effect on children’s behavior in the afternoon sessions. They were calmer and altogether more focused.
• Homeopathic remedies using such ingredients like Hyoscyamus, Versa alb and Arsen iod  and so one are much more effective and without any side effects at all. Luc Montagnier, the Nobel Prize winner in Immunology says that we should be much more open minded about homeopathic medicine. The pharmaceutical companies think otherwise and have even paid for research to show that these are nothing more than highly diluted substances.
• Helping a child through ADHD benavior therapy is done, not with meds, but with helping to set limits, sticking to them, having proper routines and an ADHD friendly home. These will help a child enormously over time and should not be underestimated at all. 
•  Children are usually much calmer when they have spent some time doing physical activities in the open so plenty of green time can be beneficial. Much better to do that than allow them use their electronic media at home!

 Check out what natural treatments for ADHD are available and how you can help your child to cope with life at school and at home.