ADD ADHD

2007-02-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

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2006-12-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder Treatment

2006-08-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Treatment

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How to Teach Your Child Social Skills

2006-08-13T09:49:00.000-04:00

How to Teach Your Child Social Skills

For over forty years, special education teachers have focused on helping children with learning disabilities improve their academic skills. However, it is now quite clear that a child’s life long success is more dependant upon his social adeptness than it is to his scholastic ability. Yet, although children with learning disabilities are often way behind their peers in their social development, these deficits were very rarely addressed.

Children with learning disabilities tend to be less skillful in social interactions and have difficulty creating and maintaining good peer relationships. They tend to be less accepted by peers, interact inappropriately, awkward in social situations, and misread social cues. There is now a greater awareness that we must to teach special needs children appropriate social skills.

Factors that Lead to Social Skill Deficits

Social skills involve daily interactions such as sharing, taking turns, and allowing others to talk without interrupting. More advanced social skills involve facets of self-control such as anger management. Most children learn social skills by observing how others in their environment handle social situations. These children imitate desirable responses, such as taking turns, and learn to avoid responses that do not work. For some children, particularly those with learning disabilities, a more direct approach is needed to help them develop appropriate social skills.

Not all children with learning disabilities have difficulty with social skills. There are three factors that often lead to social skill deficits. There factors are more common in special needs children. These are:

Cognitive deficits Children with language processing disorders or low intelligence tend to have difficulty with social development.
Severe or complex learning disorders.
Hyperactivity Children with ADHD or poor impulse control tend to have more pronounced social skill problems.

Also, girls are more likely to experience social adjustment problems than are boys.

What You Can Do: The Social Autopsy

It is vital that you as a parent takes steps to help your child develop the social skills that he needs to succeed in life. This is not particularly hard to do, but it must be done.

One of the easiest techniques developed to help children learn to improve their social ability is called the social autopsy. This is a strategy in which you assist your child to improve his social skills by jointly analyzing social errors that your child makes and by planning alternative strategies. This process is particularly effective in helping your child to see the cause-effect relationship between his social behavior and the reactions of others.

This is what you do:

After your child makes a social error you should discuss with your child what happened. Your goal is to teach your child to:

Identify the error
Determine who was harmed by the error
Decide how to correct the error
Develop an alternate plan to prevent the error from occurring again.

Remember, a social skills autopsy is not a punishment. It is a supportive and constructive problem-solving strategy.

The Social Autopsy in Action

For example, if your child has a friend over and they fight over a toy and the friend goes home upset, then this is what you can do:

:

Identify the error: fighting over a toy.
Determine who was harmed by the error: your child’s friend was hurt because he left upset, but also your child was hurt because now his friend won’t want to play with him
Decide how to correct the error: Your child should contact the other child and try to make friends again. You might suggest giving the other child a treat to help smooth over hurt feelings.
Develop an alternate plan to prevent the error from occurring again: What should your child do next time? He can choose to share the toy. If he would rather not share, he can choose to not play with the toy when his friend is there.

When to Use the Social Autopsy

You can use the social autopsy to analyze and improve upon your child’s mistakes. However, you also can use it to emphasis your child’s successes.

When your child does particularly well in a social setting, you can assist him in examining and identifying the behaviors that contributed to his success. This teaches him to repeat those behaviors in other settings.

Why the Social Autopsy Works

The advantage of using the social autopsy technique is that it focuses on the three things that special needs children require in order to develop and learn:

Repetitive practice
Immediate feedback
Positive reinforcement

Some Things to Remember

When you apply the social autopsy approach with your child, it is important to remember a number of things:

The social autopsy is meant to be a supportive and constructive strategy to foster social competence. It is not meant to be or administered as a punishment.
The social autopsy is a problem-solving technique. It should not be a negative experience for your child.
The social autopsy is an opportunity for your child to actively participate in the process of his own social development. It requires his input and understanding. It should be directed by you but not in a controlling manner.
The social autopsy can be conducted by any significant adult in the child's life. You should try to have other adults in your child’s life participate in this process.
The social autopsy is most effective when conducted immediately after the social error or success. Remember that all children learn best when they have immediate feedback.
The social autopsy should be done on a one-to-one basis. This is the most effective way children learn and will help avoid embarrassment for your child.

Conclusion

If you have a child with ADD ADHD,
Oppositional Defiant Disorder, learning disabilities, or cognitive or functional problems, you have to take special care to make sure that he is developing socially as well as academically. The social autopsy is one technique that you can use to teach you child better social skills.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer.
Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including
child behavior advice, information on the latest
ADHD treatment, and help with
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the
free ADD ADHD Advances online journal

Back To School Basics

2005-09-26T06:59:00.000-04:00

Back To School Basics

by Colleen Langenfeld
Copyright (c) 2004

The school year is in full swing again in many places and with it, another opportunity to make the days run a bit smoother than they did before. Like most parents, I've discovered there are a handful of challenges each year that need to be addressed to make for a productive, successful school year.

Do any of these scenarios ring true for your family, too?

If something's buggin' you, it needs fixing!If each year you find yourself nagging about the same issues, pay attention! Sit down and figure out what's really going on, then formulate some different approaches until you're seeing tangible improvements.

Lay out expectations clearly.Whether my kids are 7 or 17 (and I've had both), they deserve to know what is expected of them up front. They will develop more confidence and live up to their responsibilities more often if given a clear game plan to follow that's appropriate to their age and abilities. In other words, not too hard, but definitely a stretch. Such a plan, followed through on, will make them feel great about themselves.

Make sure everyone's in charge of...themselves.

Then give them the tools they'll need to live up to their responsibilities. Reward appropriately when they follow through. A son who doesn't have his own alarm clock is not likely to even try to get up on his own. Want your daughter to make her own lunch? Make sure you have the healthy food on hand she needs to get the job done.

Everyone needs a space.A space for homework, studying, and stuff. A place to dream as well as to work. Doesn't need to be fancy, big, or expensive but should be kept neat and reasonably organized. Encourage your kids to take pride in their accomplishments and take care of their possessions. Yes, this requires discipline. That's the point.

Set limits.

Children needs boundaries no matter what they say! When teachers set homework deadlines, back them up at home. Chores, curfews, bedtimes, TV/computer time, and regular schedules all are tools parents can use to teach self-discipline and respect for others.

Do unto others...If sibling rivalry is approaching a severe level in your home, perhaps a season on the Kindness Team would be valuable. Like most sports, this requires daily practice, coaching, and a team approach. Drills are vital. You can track progress through a simple scoring procedure and you'll see real results in no time. Am I confusing you? Let me spell it out. Nagging never works to get kids to be kind to each other, but make a game of it (literally) and you will see progress. Be creative and enlist your 'team's' aid. Then point out at every opportunity how much better daily life is when people are getting along. This is an ongoing learning activity and one they'll take with them for the rest of their lives.

These are some of the challenges in our family that often seem to crop up each new school year. Watching our children mature is a true joy, but definitely not one that comes without cost. Both parents and children have a part to play in this engaging drama. This year, make your parenting efforts pay off and use your energies to make lasting changes in your home!

About the author:
Colleen Langenfeld offers helpful ideas to busy working moms. Use our resources at http://www.paintedgold.com to make your life feel easier, healthier, and smarter now!

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

http://addadhdadvances.com

If you want more information on ways that you can teach even the most difficult child to obey you, please see our

Child Behavior Program

The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

2005-08-31T02:55:00.000-04:00
By Anthony Kane, MD

Attention Publishers: This article is available for your website or ezine. For an ezine, send an email to: obedience@addadhdadvances.com

For a website send an email to: obedience@addadhdadvances.com

Learning obedience is an important part of child development. This is the tool that allows you as parents to train your child. Through obedience your child will learn self-control and develop other positive character traits that he will need as an adult.

However, child obedience cannot be forced. Parents who simply command their children will foster resentment, which will eventually lead to rebellion. In fact, some researchers feel that poor parenting techniques contribute to the development of oppositional defiant disorder in some children. Although you can punish a child for not obeying, this will not foster any long-term obedience. When the child reaches his teen years and becomes more independent, punishment will only serve to destroy the already faltering parent child relationship.

Our goal then is not to force our children to obey us, but to get them to want to obey us. This willingness to obey will only come about if the parent's commands are based upon seven principles.

1-Loving Concern for the Child
A child knows quickly whether a parent's demands are for the sake of the child or for the personal convenience of the parent. If the parent's primary motive for giving orders is to make his own life easier, then the child learns to place his own interests first, also. If you want to be successful in raising your child, then your reason for giving orders must be for the benefit of your child. When your child senses that your demands are for his sake, he will much more readily obey you. He knows that it is for his own good. He will know that any demands made of him, no matter how unpleasant, come from a genuine concern for his welfare.

2-Sincere Respect for the Child
Parents must respect their children. This is a concept that is not well practiced by our society. Western society focuses on possessions. Somehow in the back of many parents' minds their children are counted among those possessions. We must remember that our children are not objects, but people. As people, they are deserving of respect. We must remember to give respect to our child to the same degree we would like others to respect us.

3-Patience
Very often our children do things that bother us. This is usually unintentional on their part and is just a reflection of their immaturity. However, if we show our children that we are annoyed they will begin to resent us. This resentment feeds their desire to rebel against our wishes. One of our goals as parents must be to try to keep our negative emotions in check.

4-Speaking Softly
Nothing gains a child's cooperation more than a gentle tone of voice. Speaking softly helps us to control our negative emotions, especially anger. A soft voice soothes and is more likely to be met with cooperation. It creates a relaxed atmosphere and is reassuring to children.

When we speak in a soft voice it also conveys strength. We show our children that we are in control of the situation and not merely reacting to it. If the only step you take is to control the volume of your voice, particularly in stressful situations, that alone will foster better child compliance. You will find that everything around you goes more smoothly.

5-Make Moderate Demands
No one likes having demands placed upon him. Children are no different. Yet we are constantly commanding our children. We feel that as parents we must take steps to correct every misdemeanor that we see. When the orders become excessive or arbitrary the parent becomes more like a dictator that an educator.

If you place a lot of obligations on your child, then your child is going to resent and resist your authority. One of the most important steps in getting your child to listen to you is to reduce the amount of demands that you place upon him. This will require you to stay calm and overlook a lot of childish behavior. Commands should be made thoughtfully and be within reasonable limits. The general rule is that if a certain behavior is not something your child will be doing as an adult and if it is not dangerous, then you should not make it a priority to correct.

6-Follow Through
Even if you do all that has been mentioned so far, you will still need to give your child orders. When you do so, you must be firm and make sure that your child obeys. If you give your child an instruction you must insist that he fulfill it. Often it will be easier or more convenient to just overlook disobedience. This is the end will erode your authority as a parent.

You should only make moderate and well thought out demands on your child. However, when you do make those orders your child must fulfill them. If we want our children to take our words seriously, then we must show them that we are serious.

7-Be Free with 'Yes', but not with 'No'
We must try to grant every reasonable request our children make of us. They should feel that we are giving to them freely and in overflowing abundance at all times. You should make it a rule to give your child whatever he wants unless you have a good reason not to do so.

In addition, we should try to temper our use of 'no'. Try not to avoid saying 'no' whenever possible. For example, if your child wants to have a treat before dinner and you want him to eat first, rather than say 'no' or 'not now' say, 'yes, after dinner.' This small change in the way you use the words 'yes' and 'no' will change your child's perception from the feeling that most of his desires are being denied to that most of them are being granted.

Conclusion
It is natural for a child to want to obey his parents. It is also necessary for his proper growth and development. Applying these seven keys will help you to make it easier for your child to obey you.

If you want to see how you are doing as a parent, see our Parenting Quiz.

If you want more information on ways that you can teach even the most difficult child to obey you, please see our Child Behavior Program .

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

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Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement, and ADHD

2005-08-25T02:35:00.000-04:00

Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement, and ADHD
by Anthony Kane, MD

Overview

Melatonin is a natural hormone, which is produced and
secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of many hormones in the body. Among its key roles, melatonin controls the body's circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour time-keeping system that controls when we fall asleep and when we wake up.

Melatonin is also a very powerful antioxidant. In one study, melatonin was 60 times more effective than Vitamin C or water-soluble Vitamin E in protecting DNA from damage. Preliminary evidence suggests that it may help strengthenthe immune system.

There are numerous claims and theories concerning all thethings that melatonin may do and as a result it has become one of the popular life extension and life enhancing supplements that are currently available on the market today.

Uses

The most accepted function of Melatonin is it role in sleep regulation. Melatonin supplements help induce sleep in peoplewith disrupted circadian rhythms. Melatonin is significantly more effective in decreasing the amount of time required to fall asleep, increasing the number of sleeping hours, and boosting daytime alertness.

Melatonin is purported to be one of those miracle substances that has a hand in everything. This may be due to the fact that during the height of the antioxidant craze, Melatonin was found to be a more powerful and more universal antioxidant than both vitamin C and vitamin E. Whatever the reason, Melatonin ostensibly plays a role in numerous health conditions.
Here is a partial list:
Insomnia
Osteoporosis
Menopause
Depression
Eating Disorders
Breast Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Cancer-related Weight Loss
Sarcoidosis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Epilepsy
Sunburn
Viral Encephalitis
Heart Disease

Since a lot of evidence for many of these claims is rather light and since I am not trying to sell you melatonin supplements, I am going to focus only on its role in sleep enhancement.
Insomnia
As many parents realize, drugs like Ritalin are not without
side effects. One of the major complaints that parents have is that their children who take Ritalin can't fall asleep at night.Many parents report that their children, who may be only five or six years old, are wide awake until 11 pm or later.

Melatonin may be able to help these children. Since it is theprimary chemical in the body that helps to induce sleep, children who suffer from insomnia often find that Melatonin restores their normal sleep cycle and helps them to be more awake and alert during the day.

How to Take It
There are currently no guidelines as to how to take Melatonin. Sensitivity to Melatonin is an individual thing and doses that are ineffective in one person may be too much for someone else.The best approach for any condition is to begin with very low doses and slowly add more until you get the effect that you are seeking.
In children, it is best to start with a dose of about 0.3 mg/day or less. Although current research suggests that even doses as high as 10 mg are perfectly safe, it is best to proceed with caution.

In adults, 3 mg is usually a safe starting dose and you can increase it or decrease it as you see fit.
Availability
Melatonin is readily available in most health food stores in the United States and it is very cheap. In Europe it is a controlled substance. Most Europeans who wish to use Melatonin find it cheaper and easier to have it shipped from the US.
Adverse Effects
Melatonin is one of the least toxic substances known. In one extensive clinical trial, a high dose of 75 milligrams of melatonin per day was given to 1400 women in the Netherlands for up to four years with no ill effects.

The only consistent side effect of high doses has been drowsiness and a slower reaction time.

Other common complaints include:
Vivid dreams or nightmares
Stomach cramps
Dizziness
Headache
Irritability
Decreased libido
Breast enlargement in men
Decreased sperm count.
These side effects were in healthy people. We also don't know how melatonin may affect people suffering from disease.
Possible Drug Interactions
Melatonin may interact or interfere with other drugs. These include:
Antidepressant Medications
Antipsychotic Medications: many of these medications are now being used in treating children with ADHD and Bipolar disorder
Benzodiazepines
Blood Pressure Medications
Blood-thinning Medications, Anticoagulants
Interleukin-2
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Steroids and Immunosuppressant Medications
Tamoxifen
If your child is taking any of these things, you should consult with his doctor before giving Melatonin.

Also, caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol can all diminish levels of melatonin in the body while cocaine and amphetamines may increase melatonin production.
Conclusion

An ADD ADHD child often has a great deal of difficulty falling asleep. This can be due to the medications that they are taking or just be one component in the spectrum of their problems. When used properly, melatonin may be a safe and effective way to handle sleep problems in ADHD children.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including child behavior advice and information on the latest ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal

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bagpipe sitar celtic harp bodhran practice chanter ADD ADHD Blog ADD ADHD Blog California DUI Attorney Los Angeles DUI Attorney
San Diego DUI Attorney
California DUI Lawyer
Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
San Diego DUI Lawyer
Meet Women
The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement, and ADHD

2005-08-24T06:58:00.000-04:00

Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement, and ADHD

by Anthony Kane, MD

Attention Publishers:
This article is available for your website or ezine.

For an ezine, send an email to: melatonin@addadhdadvances.com

For an website send an email to: melatoninhtml@addadhdadvances.com

Overview
Melatonin is a natural hormone, which is produced and secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of many hormones in the body. Among its key roles, melatonin controls the body's circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour time-keeping system that controls when we fall asleep and when we wake up.

Melatonin is also a very powerful antioxidant. In one study, melatonin was 60 times more effective than Vitamin C or water-soluble Vitamin E in protecting DNA from damage.
Preliminary evidence suggests that it may help strengthen the immune system.

There are numerous claims and theories concerning all the things that melatonin may do and as a result it has become one of the popular life extension and life enhancing supplements that are currently available on the market today.

Uses
The most accepted function of Melatonin is it role in sleep regulation. Melatonin supplements help induce sleep in people with disrupted circadian rhythms. Melatonin is significantly more effective in decreasing the amount of time required to fall asleep, increasing the number of sleeping hours, and boosting daytime alertness.

Melatonin is purported to be one of those miracle substances that has a hand in everything. This may be due to the fact that during the height of the antioxidant craze, Melatonin was found to be a more powerful and more universal antioxidant than both vitamin C and vitamin E. Whatever the reason, Melatonin ostensibly plays a role in numerous health conditions.

Here is a partial list:
Insomnia
Osteoporosis
Menopause
Depression
Eating Disorders
Breast Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Cancer-related Weight Loss
Sarcoidosis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Epilepsy
Sunburn
Viral Encephalitis
Heart Disease
Since a lot of evidence for many of these claims is rather light and since I am not trying to sell you melatonin supplements, I am going to focus only on its role in sleep enhancement.

Insomnia

As many parents realize, drugs like Ritalin are not without side effects. One of the major complaints that parents have is that their children who take Ritalin can't fall asleep at night.
Many parents report that their children, who may be only five or six years old, are wide awake until 11 pm or later.

Melatonin may be able to help these children. Since it is the primary chemical in the body that helps to induce sleep, children who suffer from insomnia often find that Melatonin restores their normal sleep cycle and helps them to be more awake and alert during the day.

How to Take It
There are currently no guidelines as to how to take Melatonin. Sensitivity to Melatonin is an individual thing and doses that are ineffective in one person may be too much for someone else.
The best approach for any condition is to begin with very low doses and slowly add more until you get the effect that you are seeking.

In children, it is best to start with a dose of
about 0.3 mg/day or less. Although current research
suggests that even doses as high as 10 mg are perfectly
safe, it is best to proceed with caution.
In adults, 3 mg is usually a safe starting dose
and you can increase it or decrease it as you see fit.

Availability
Melatonin is readily available in most health food stores in the United States and it is very cheap. In Europe it is a controlled substance. Most Europeans who wish to use Melatonin find it cheaper and easier to have it shipped from the US.
Adverse Effects

Melatonin is one of the least toxic substances known. In one extensive clinical trial, a high dose of 75 milligrams of melatonin per day was given to 1400 women in the Netherlands for up to four years with no ill effects.

The only consistent side effect of high doses has been drowsiness and a slower reaction time.

Other common complaints include:
Vivid dreams or nightmares
Stomach cramps
Dizziness
Headache
Irritability
Decreased libido
Breast enlargement in men
Decreased sperm count
These side effects were in healthy people. We also don't know how melatonin may affect people suffering from disease.
Possible Drug Interactions

Melatonin may interact or interfere with other drugs.
These include:
Antidepressant Medications
Antipsychotic Medications: many of these medications
are now being used in treating children with ADHD
and Bipolar disorder
Benzodiazepines
Blood Pressure Medications
Blood-thinning Medications, Anticoagulants
Interleukin-2
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Steroids and Immunosuppressant Medications
Tamoxifen
If your child is taking any of these things, you should consult with his doctor before giving Melatonin.

Also, caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol can all diminish levels of melatonin in the body while cocaine and amphetamines may increase melatonin production.

Conclusion
Often children with ADHD have a great deal of difficulty falling asleep. This can be due to the medications that they are taking or just be one component in the spectrum of their problems. When used properly, melatonin may be a safe and effective way to handle sleep problems in ADHD children.

Anthony Kane, MD
ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including child behavior advice, information on the latest
ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal

bodhran Celtic Harp Sitar highland bagpipe bagpipe sitar celtic harp bodhran practice chanter ADD ADHD Blog ADD ADHD Blog California DUI Attorney Los Angeles DUI Attorney San Diego DUI Attorney California DUI Lawyer Los Angeles DUI Lawyer San Diego DUI Lawyer Meet Women

What to Do When Your Child is Stealing

2005-07-21T08:31:00.000-04:00
One of the more common problems that we as parents encounter (but that nobody likes to talk about) is what to do when your child steals. There are a number of different reasons children steal and a number of different ways to handle the problem.

Young children do not steal. Children below the age of 4 or 5 do not have a concept of ownership. They do not understand that it is wrong to take things that belong to others. By the time a child enters elementary school, he should know that stealing is wrong. Often, children at this age take things because they lack self-control. A preteen or teen may steal for the thrill of it or because that is what friends are doing. He may be trying to gain a feeling of control over his life or to fill an emotional void.

Whatever the reason a child is stealing, parents need to approach the problem with wisdom. If parents just react according to their natural inclination, their response will almost certainly be wrong and destructive. Why children steal

There are five common reasons that children steal.

They can’t control themselves.
Younger children have difficulty with self-control. A child may take something although he knows that stealing is wrong simply because he can't help himself. You have to give your child the ability to get what he wants in an honest way. Also, you must try to minimize the temptation.

Their basic needs are not being met.
Children are completely dependent on their parents for all of their needs. A child who feels that his needs are not being met will eventually take the matter into his own hands. The easiest way for a child to do this is to take what he needs.

What a person needs is subjective. Even though a parent may not feel that a child should have something, it might be a real need for the child. For example, if your child's school friends have pocket money, then your child could have a need for pocket money. He will feel a lack if he doesn't have it, even if you provide him with everything that he wants. This type of child may be tempted to steal money just so he has money like everybody else.

They need more attention.
Probably the most common reason that children steal is that they feel an emotional lack in their lives. A child who does not have his emotional needs met feels empty inside. He may take things in an attempt to fill the void. Often children who steal are lonely or having trouble in school or with friends. They lack the tools or the opportunity to express their feelings.

Many children do not get the attention they need. Such children may feel unloved or that their parents are not interested in them. This may or may not be true. As I explain in How to Improve Your Child's Behavior, how your child perceives your attention is more important than the amount of attention that you give. These children may translate their emotional needs into material desires. Stealing is a way for these children to express their discontent and to seek gratification.

Children need more control over their lives.
Children are acutely aware of their vulnerability. They lack control over their lives. Some children have difficulty with this. If a child has trouble feeling dependant, he may steal to gain a sense of control or to rebel.They may feel peer pressure. Older children are pulled after what their friends do. If the child is with a group of children that feels stealing is exciting, the child may steal to be part of the group. Sometimes, a child may steal to show bravery to friends.

If your child has fallen into a group of bad friends there are some very concrete things you can do to address the problem. See What to Do When Your Teen Chooses Bad Friends.

If you suspect your child is stealing

There are several tactics you should follow if you suspect your child is stealing.

Stay calm.
Don't overreact. When a child steals, it does not mean that he is a thief or is headed for a life of crime. It is really no different than any of mistake that your child makes.

Do not take it personally.
Children steal to get attention. If your child is stealing from you and you take it as a personal attack, you are reinforcing the reason the child stole.

Do not accuse or confront your child.
This point must be stressed. You must catch your child in the act so that the situation speaks for itself.

You can never challenge your child with circumstantial evidence. Either the child will lie and you will reinforce his dishonesty, or he will confess. If he tells the truth and you punish him, you will be teaching him that it pays to lie. Either way, you are stuck. Circumstantial evidence won't do.

Hearing that your child stole from a third party won't do. If your child denies it, then you are forced to believe your child. If you don't, then you will show your child that you don't trust him. Nothing encourages a child to be dishonest more that knowing that his parents don't trust him. If your child confesses, you will not be able to punish him.

Even if you are 99 percent sure your child is stealing, that is not good enough to accuse him. For example, say that you look in your purse and the brand, new $50 bill you took out from the bank yesterday is missing. You put your child's laundry away and you find hidden among his things your brand, new $50. You did not catch your child.

Maybe someone else also lost a new $50 bill and he found it. Maybe your $50 fell out of your purse and your child found it on the street. Unless you see your child reach into your purse and take out the $50, you did not see him steal.

Make sure that your child knows what he did is wrong.
This is particularly true of a younger child.

When you catch your child
When you catch your child stealing, take action. Don't ask the child for explanations. Merely state that he is not allowed to take things from other people. Do not sermonize. Just use simple explanations: "Stealing is wrong. You would not want anyone to take your toy. So it's wrong for you to take this toy."

Never imply that your child is bad.
Stealing is bad, not the child. Do not call your child a thief, dishonest, a liar or any other name that you do not want him to become. When you give your child a label, he will grow to fill that label.

Correct the wrong.
If your child stole from someone outside the family, your child must make restitution. If your child stole from a store or from a neighbor, then see that he returns the object. Have your child apologize and say he or she will never do it again. You should accompany your child to make it easier for him to correct the damage.

If your child stole money from you.
Estimate what child took and make it clear that she must pay you back. She may do this by helping around the house for money. You should pay her enough that she pays off her debt in about a month. Say to her that you realize she needs more money and give her an allowance or increase in allowance.

Hide temptation.
Don't leave money around where the child can find it. Tell his siblings that you are going to watch their money for a while. Don't tell them why. Don't send this child to the store to buy something with a large bill where there will be a lot of change.

Put the incident into the past
Once you’ve taken care of immediate needs, put the incident into the past.

Figure out why your child stole.
If he needs more attention, make a special effort to give it to him. If he needs to feel more control over his life, give him an increase in allowance and more freedom to spend it as he wishes. If he needs certain things to be part of his peer group, make sure that he gets them.

Continue to trust your child.
If your child is stealing, it does not mean he is bad or he is a thief. You don't want your reaction to make him become that way. Your child will fulfill your expectations of him. If you view him as a thief, bad or dishonest, he will grow into that label.

Be a model of honesty.
Children learn by watching their parents. You should show concern about the property rights of others. A parent who brings office supplies home or boasts about a mistake at the supermarket checkout counter teaches his child that honesty is not important.

Stealing is a common problem.
You should view it like any other mistake your child makes. It is something that has to be corrected, but it is not more than that. If you handle it properly, you can correct this problem quickly and easily.

© Anthony Kane

Anthony Kane, M.D., is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your ADHD child, including child behavior advice, information on the latest ADHD treatment and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog http://adhd-add.blogspot.com/. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal. Send an e-mail to subscribe@addadhdadvances.com.

How to Give Constructive Criticism

2005-04-14T15:21:00.000-04:00
Introduction

We have an obligation to teach our children how to conduct themselves properly in the world. Part of this duty requires us to correct their mistakes in behavior. One of the ways we do this is through giving our children constructive criticism.

First we need to stress that to give this criticism to our children is an option, it is an obligation. As parents we have a duty to redirect our children. It is not in our children’s best interests nor do we do them any favors if we do not guide them properly. When we see things that come up in their daily lives that they do wrong, we must correct this behave. How can we as parents redirect our children’s behavior in such a way that it does not get in the way of the healthy parent child relationship?

How to Give Criticism Constructively

There are a number of things we should remember when redirecting our children that will make our criticism more accepted and more effective.

1- Children Have Feelings

This is probably the most important thing to remember when criticizing our children. It is obvious to everyone that children have feelings. Yet very often it is something that we as parents forget.

Children, particularly when they are small, are completely in our control. It is easy to forget that they are little people. They have feelings that can be hurt and self-esteem that can be crushed if we criticize them in a non-constructive belittling way. We must try to relate to them as we would like others to relate to us.

2- Have Your Message Clear

The goal of proper criticism is to get your message across to your child. That means you have to have a message. If you don’t have an idea you are trying to convey, then all you are doing by criticizing your child is venting your own anger and frustration. You will do nothing positive for your child, and your child will not change his behavior in the future. Remember, your goal with criticism is to educate, not to punish or embarrass or to seek revenge against the child. When you criticize you must have something you are trying to teach.

3- Deliver Your Message Properly

You must give rebuke. It is your obligation as a parent. You have an obligation to raise your child properly. The point is that it should be given in a positive manner. To do this you must satisfy a number of conditions.

a. Criticize the behavior not your child
This is critical. Direct your criticism toward your child’s behavior. It has to be clear to your child that it is the behavior that upsets you, not him.

b. Don’t label your child
Children get their sense of whom they are from what others tell them. When a parent gives a child a label, this label will eventually stick, with disastrous consequences. I recently heard the following story:

A teenager came to consult with a well-known educator about the problems he was having with
his parents. Here is how the conversation went at the start of their first meeting.

“I don’t get along with my father. We’re not anything alike. My father- he’s driven. He gets up early in the morning. He works all day. In his free time he’s involved in a bunch of charity organizations. He is always taking classes. All the time he’s on the go doing things here and there. He never stops. And me…”

“Yes?”

“I’m a lazy good for nothing bum.”

So what actually happened? The father of this boy grew up in the depression. He was extremely poor. Through tremendous hard work he pulled himself out of poverty and is now quite wealthy. But all his life he maintained the same work ethic that delivered him from poverty.

The son on the other hand grew up wealthy. He has a new car, a pocket full of credit cards and anything that he wants he can buy. What does he have to work for?

So the father, even on his days off gets up early and is always doing something. The son, a typical teenager likes to sleep late. So the father watches he son sleeping, 9am, 10am, 11am, and he’s frustrated. He can’t get his son to do anything.

Finally, he goes to his son and tries to get him out of bed.

“Get up! Get up already! Get up you lazy good for nothing bum!”

This went on for a year or two. The father was trying to convey to his son a message.

“Don’t sit around and waste your life. Get up and make something of yourself.”

This is a great message, but it was lost. The message that went in was “you’re a lazy good for nothing bum.” This label went in so deep that on the first meeting with a complete stranger, this is how the boy introduced himself.The bottom line is don’t label your child. It will almost certainly have negative results.

c. Give your rebuke privately
It will be hard enough on your child to have to bear your criticism. You should do everything you can to spare him the embarrassment of having you rebuke him in front of others.

d. Don’t dwell upon the past
The only valid criticism is for the future. What the child did is over. You should acknowledge the mistake but make it clear that the reason you are speaking to your child is so that he can improve in the future.

4- Offer an Opportunity to Correct the Wrong

Your child has to know what he did was wrong. He should also be given the opportunity to redeem himself by correcting his mistake. You should have suggestions how the child can correct the wrong. This will give your child the message that he can’t hurt others and just walk away. He must say he’s sorry or do the victim a favor. It gives him a chance to take responsibility for his actions. It also allows him to put the misdeed behind him and go on.

5- Deliver the Criticism with Love

This is vital. Criticism is a gift. It is a gift of knowledge, it is a gift of values. But it is an unwanted gift. Still, it is a gift nevertheless. No one wants to hear criticism. Our goal when we give criticism is to do it as painlessly as possible so it will be received properly.

It must be clear when you deliver your message that you are doing it for your child’s sake. If your child knows that what you are saying is because you love him, the message will be better received.

If you are angry, all the child will hear is the anger. What the child will hear is “You don’t like me.” Nothing else will be heard. You must make it clear to your child that you are criticizing because you care about him. You cannot let the message get blurred out by the static of your emotions.

This is not easy. It is easy to write about it and to read this when no one is around and things are calm. It is much harder to apply this idea when there is a tumult going on and the tensions are high. Still we have to acknowledge at least the proper way to do things. Or else we will never be successful.

6- Try to See Your Child’s Point of View

We as parents are not faced with the same challenges as our children. This leads to a very reasonable response, at least in the mind of the child, to think, “Who are you to criticize me? How do you know what I am going through? You don’t understand me.”

This is a legitimate response. Your child doesn’t see you as a former child. Your child sees you as a stable adult. Now, you may understand your child perfectly, but your child doesn’t know that. It helps when you give criticism to visualize things from your child’s perspective and couch your words is such a way that your child knows clearly you understand him.

7- Sometimes it is Better to Delay the Criticism

We have a knee jerk reaction to respond immediately when we see our children do something that we don’t like. This is a normal reaction. However, you should always try to think if this is the best time and place to rebuke your child.

When your child does something wrong he will be expecting the criticism right away. When the child is expecting the reaction, his guard is up he will react by defending himself and fighting back. He will not hear what you say and he will be defending himself.

Sometimes it is better to wait until things quiet down. Then you can discuss with the child rationally and the child will hear it. You will also be calmer and be able to deliver a better message to your child.

8- Sometimes no Criticism is the Best

The purpose of criticism is to correct future behavior. If it is clear to the child that he did something wrong and if the child feels bad about what was done and he is not likely to repeat it, there is nothing added by acknowledging his misdeed.

Mistakes When Giving Criticism

Under the best circumstances it is very hard to give criticism properly. However there are a number of factors that make it that much more difficult to constructively address your child’s wrong behavior. Usually, you will not be able to control these factors. However, if you are aware of them, it will put you on your guard to be extra careful when rebuking your child.

1- If You are Close to the Situation

It is very easy for me to remain unattached when someone else’s child misbehaves. When some else’s child opens a box of crayons and starts drawing on the walls of the department store, I must confess that it really doesn’t bother me at all. I might even find it amusing. However, I am sure the parents of that child don’t view the situation the way I do.

As a parent you are automatically involved in the situation. This makes it hard to thing clearly and logically. It also makes it much more likely that your response will be wrong.

2- If the Problem Affects You Directly

Often one of my children will do something to his sibling. It is not hard to stay detached and respond appropriately when that happens. However, when I am the victim of the misdeed, it is much harder to view the action objectively and respond correctly.

3- If You Need to Respond Immediately

It is always better if you have time to think out and plan your response. However, we don’t often have that luxury. Usually our child’s behavior must be addressed immediately. You should know when this happens, it is much more likely that you will make mistakes.

4- If the Child did Something to You in Public

We are all very concerned about our public image. When our children embarrass us in public, either through an inappropriate behavior or a direct attack, it is very hard to give an unattached appropriate response.

The only way I know that you can always be successful in these four scenarios is if you anticipate it ahead of time and plan out your response. This is not easy to do. I know from personal experience that my children are much more creative than I, and I can’t usually guess what new things they are going to do. Still, every once in a while I do get it right and when I can’t prevent their misdeed, I can at least respond to it appropriately.

Conclusion

I want to point out that the principals that we have discussed apply when you need to rebuke anybody. The difference is that for anyone else we usually can choose whether or not to get involved. As a parent we do not have that option. We are automatically involved.

We have an obligation to correct our children’s behavior. Our children need our guidance. It is a terrible example when parents let their children do what they want without direction. The children may act like they like the freedom, but these are the children who grow up not knowing right from wrong and not realizing that there are consequences for bad actions. Eventually these children feel that their parents really don’t care about them. Often they are right.

It is hard to be a parent. But the more effort you put into steering your child on the proper path to adulthood, the more happiness you will have when you share in your child’s successes through his life.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including child behavior advice and information on the latest ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal . Submit your articles

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Health articles :: Is Your Child Touch Sensitive? :: Informational health articles for websites

2005-03-29T08:34:00.000-05:00
Health articles :: Is Your Child Touch Sensitive? :: Informational health articles for websites

The Use of Brain SPECT Imaging in ADHD

2005-03-29T08:11:00.000-05:00

The Use of Brain SPECT Imaging in ADHD

by Anthony Kane, MD

Attention Publishers: This article is available for your website or ezine.
For an ezine, send an email to: SPECT@addadhdadvances.com
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The use of brain SPECT imaging as a diagnostic tool in Psychiatry is extremely controversial. The pioneer of the field and its main proponent, Dr. Daniel Amen, has been fighting mainstream psychiatry for fifteen years, trying to gain acceptance for this diagnostic technique. There are still only a handful of clinics in the country that do use brain SPECT imaging for psychiatric diagnosis and the only person with any significant experience with this technique is Dr. Amen.

The Problem

When a person has a broken leg the orthopedic surgeon takes an x-ray. This tells him the exact nature of the brake and how best to treat it. When a patient has a heart problem the cardiologist performs a cardiac catheterization study. The doctor sees the exact area of the obstruction and knows how best to treat it. When a patient needs a tumor removed the surgeon will order a CT scan or an MRI scan so he has an exact image of the disease before he takes the person to surgery. Almost every medical specialty relies on some type of imaging test so that the physician can visualize the problem and plan the best course of action for his patient.

The brain is the most complex structure in the known universe. Yet even more perplexing than its physical intricacy is the complexity with which it functions. CT scans and MRI scans can give the physician a clear picture of the physical structure of the brain. EEG can give a crude picture of the electrical activity of the brain. Yet unlike most other areas of medicine, psychiatry has no real way to visualize its specialty’s focus, brain function. When it comes to treating disorders of brain function, such as Bipolar disorder or Oppositional Defiant Disorder, psychiatrists are working in the dark. They are dealing with the most complex aspect of the most complicated structure in the universe, but they have no way to visualize the problems.

What is Brain SPECT Imaging

SPECT, which is an acronym for Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography, is a sophisticated nuclear medicine study that examines blood flow in the brain. This in turn gives the physician a picture of brain activity. When an area of the brain is active, it demands more from the blood supply. When an area is inactive it requires much less blood. With this in mind it is easy to understand how a SPECT imaging can be used to evaluate brain function.

SPECT can identify specifically which areas of the patient’s brain are overactive, which are functioning normally, and which areas are not working well. This information, combined with what we know about the function the specific areas of the brain, can give the clinician a very clear picture of exactly what is going on. This information along with a detailed clinical history, can give the psychiatrist a detailed picture of the physiological cause of the problem he is treating. This in turn can help him to pinpoint the best treatment to balance brain function.

The Procedure

In a SPECT study, a radioactive isotope is chemically bound to a substance that is readily taken up by the cells in the brain. This compound is injected into the patient's blood stream and eventually makes its way to the brain. Since active areas of the brain receive more blood flow, they absorb more of this chemical. The radioactive material emits pulses of energy, which makes the active areas of the brain light up. These pulses are photographed by a camera and sent to a computer, which reconstructs a 3-dimentional image of the brain. Thus you have a photographic image of brain activity, depicting the parts of the brain where the activity is high, where it is normal, and where it is low. With this 3-D image of brain function, the psychiatrist can identify certain patterns of brain activity that correlate with psychiatric and neurological illnesses.

Generally, the procedure for ADHD is run twice in a four-day period. The first study images the patient at rest. This gives the clinician a baseline view of the patient’s brain function. For the second scan, the patient is given a concentration task. This gives an image of the brain when it is actively working and helps to identify areas of dysfunction during performance.

Advantages

Brain SPECT scans give an accurate picture brain activity. When combined with our knowledge of what function various areas of the brain serve, this information can lead to a much more accurate diagnosis.

In addition SPECT can help guide treatment. The current state of the art method in psychiatric treatment is guessing. Now these guesses are educated guesses, so they are usually pretty good, but they are still guesses.

For example, when a psychiatrist sees a child who is hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive, he gets a “clinical impression” that this child has ADHD. He knows that more than 90% of ADHD children will improve with drugs like Ritalin. For this patient Ritalin is a very good guess, so the psychiatrist prescribes Ritalin. So what does the doctor do when Ritalin doesn’t work? He makes another guess. However, this usually won’t happen in children who have the classic ADHD symptoms.

However, say the psychiatrist sees a second child, who is very hyperactive and aggressive, but he doesn’t seem to have an attention problem. This is not the typical ADD ADHD child. The psychiatrist may still feel that Ritalin is the best guess, but this choice is not quite as good as it is for the first child. It is much more likely to fail and the psychiatrist will need to spend months or years trying different things until he hits upon a combination that helps this child. Often he will settle for only a partial relief of symptoms.

Now let’s say the physician had done brain SPECT imaging on this second child and he identifies a defect in temporal lobe function. He knows that this area of the brain responds well to Valproic acid, a drug that is seldom used for ADHD, and that is what he prescribes. Without the brain SPECT imaging, the psychiatrist may never have made the proper guess and found the optimal treatment to help this child to function normally. However, with the brain SPECT scan he would know exactly how to treat this child.

Disadvantages

The main problem with SPECT imaging is the cost is very high. A complete evaluation is about $3000 and is usually not covered by most insurance plans.

Also, there is limited access to this test. Brain SPECT imaging for psychiatric diagnosis has not been embraced by mainstream medicine. Unless you live in one of the few areas in the country where this test is done, you are going to have to take a small vacation.

Finally, we still only have a minimal amount of information to connect specific brain function defects to clinical behavior. We still need a lot more research before this will become a really useful technique, and considering the degree of opposition this is going to take a while.

What’s Holding Things Back To say that Brain SPEC imaging is in its infancy would be an exaggeration. It is more like it is in its fetal stage; and there are numbers of physicians who have been trying to abort this baby.

Most psychiatrists balk at the idea of using an imaging study to make what they feel is purely a clinical diagnosis. They feel that Dr. Amen has greatly overstressed the value of this technique. As one well known psychiatrist puts it, “If it were really worth it, don’t you think that Harvard and Yale would be using it?”

With this type of attitude it is amazing that the field has gotten anywhere. However, Dr. Amen has slowly made progress over the last decade and now many former opponents are entertaining the idea that brain SPECT imaging may have some value.

Conclusion

We are still a long way from realizing the full benefit of brain SPECT imaging. It is not yet a refined diagnostic tool for psychiatric disorders. It is also expensive and inconvenient.

Although there are a few places in the United States that do this test, Dr. Amen is still the only practitioner with any significant experience. Probably you are going to eventually have to go to him and pay the price in time and money. However, for children who do not respond to conventional treatment, I feel that brain SPECT imaging may have a lot to offer.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including child behavior advice and information on the latest ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal

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The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

2005-03-19T15:10:00.003-05:00
The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

2005-03-19T15:10:00.002-05:00
The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

2005-03-19T15:10:00.001-05:00
The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

2005-03-19T15:10:00.000-05:00
The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

Parenting an ADHD Child: A Father's Perspective | Family Resource (FamilyResource.com)

2005-03-17T13:28:00.000-05:00
Parenting an ADHD Child: A Father's Perspective | Family Resource (FamilyResource.com)

The Seven Keys to Child Obedience

2005-03-17T13:26:00.000-05:00
Attention Publishers: This article is available for your website or ezine.

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Learning obedience is an important part of child development. This is the tool that allows you as parents to train your child. Through obedience your child will learn self-control and develop other positive character traits that he will need as an adult.

However, child obedience cannot be forced. Parents who simply command their children will foster resentment, which will eventually lead to rebellion. In fact, some researchers feel that poor parenting techniques contribute to the development of oppositional defiant disorder in some children. Although you can punish a child for not obeying, this will not foster any long-term obedience. When the child reaches his teen years and becomes more independent, punishment will only serve to destroy the already faltering parent child relationship.

Our goal then is not to force our children to obey us, but to get them to want to obey us. This willingness to obey will only come about if the parent’s commands are based upon seven principles.

1-Loving Concern for the Child

A child knows quickly whether a parent’s demands are for the sake of the child or for the personal convenience of the parent. If the parent’s primary motive for giving orders is to make his own life easier, then the child learns to place his own interests first, also. If you want to be successful in raising your child, then your reason for giving orders must be for the benefit of your child. When your child senses that your demands are for his sake, he will much more readily obey you. He knows that it is for his own good. He will know that any demands made of him, no matter how unpleasant, come from a genuine concern for his welfare.

2-Sincere Respect for the Child

Parents must respect their children. This is a concept that is not well practiced by our society. Western society focuses on possessions. Somehow in the back of many parents’ minds their children are counted among those possessions. We must remember that our children are not objects, but people. As people, they are deserving of respect. We must remember to give respect to our child to the same degree we would like others to respect us.

3-Patience

Very often our children do things that bother us. This is usually unintentional on their part and is just a reflection of their immaturity. However, if we show our children that we are annoyed they will begin to resent us. This resentment feeds their desire to rebel against our wishes. One of our goals as parents must be to try to keep our negative emotions in check.

4-Speaking Softly

Nothing gains a child’s cooperation more than a gentle tone of voice. Speaking softly helps us to control our negative emotions, especially anger. A soft voice soothes and is more likely to be met with cooperation. It creates a relaxed atmosphere and is reassuring to children.

When we speak in a soft voice it also conveys strength. We show our children that we are in control of the situation and not merely reacting to it. If the only step you take is to control the volume of your voice, particularly in stressful situations, that alone will foster better child compliance. You will find that everything around you goes more smoothly.

5-Make Moderate Demands

No one likes having demands placed upon him. Children are no different. Yet we are constantly commanding our children. We feel that as parents we must take steps to correct every misdemeanor that we see. When the orders become excessive or arbitrary the parent becomes more like a dictator that an educator.

If you place a lot of obligations on your child, then your child is going to resent and resist your authority. One of the most important steps in getting your child to listen to you is to reduce the amount of demands that you place upon him. This will require you to stay calm and overlook a lot of childish behavior. Commands should be made thoughtfully and be within reasonable limits. The general rule is that if a certain behavior is not something your child will be doing as an adult and if it is not dangerous, then you should not make it a priority to correct.

6-Follow Through

Even if you do all that has been mentioned so far, you will still need to give your child orders. When you do so, you must be firm and make sure that your child obeys. If you give your child an instruction you must insist that he fulfill it. Often it will be easier or more convenient to just overlook disobedience. This is the end will erode your authority as a parent.

You should only make moderate and well thought out demands on your child. However, when you do make those orders your child must fulfill them. If we want our children to take our words seriously, then we must show them that we are serious.

7-Be Free with ‘Yes’, but not with ‘No’

We must try to grant every reasonable request our children make of us. They should feel that we are giving to them freely and in overflowing abundance at all times. You should make it a rule to give your child whatever he wants unless you have a good reason not to do so.

In addition, we should try to temper our use of ‘no’. Try not to avoid saying ‘no’ whenever possible. For example, if your child wants to have a treat before dinner and you want him to eat first, rather than say ‘no’ or ‘not now’ say, ‘yes, after dinner.’ This small change in the way you use the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ will change your child’s perception from the feeling that most of his desires are being denied to that most of them are being granted.

Conclusion

It is natural for a child to want to obey his parents. It is also necessary for his proper growth and development. Applying these seven keys will help you to make it easier for your child to obey you.

If you want to see how you are doing as a parent, see our Parenting Quiz.

If you want more information on ways that you can teach even the most difficult child to obey you, please see our

Child Behavior Program .

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including child behavior advice and information on the latest ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal

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Parenting an ADHD Child: A Father's Perspective | Family Resource (FamilyResource.com)

2005-03-17T13:24:00.001-05:00
Parenting an ADHD Child: A Father's Perspective | Family Resource (FamilyResource.com)

Parenting an ADHD Child: A Father's Perspective | Family Resource (FamilyResource.com)

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Parenting an ADHD Child: A Father's Perspective | Family Resource (FamilyResource.com)

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WellnessDeluxe - ADD/ADHD

2005-03-17T02:56:00.001-05:00
WellnessDeluxe - ADD/ADHD

Left-Handed RKS Deluxe Professional Sitar

2005-03-17T02:56:00.000-05:00
Left-Handed RKS Deluxe Professional Sitar

Blythe Harp TM

2005-03-17T02:55:00.001-05:00
Blythe Harp TM

Cailin Harp TM

2005-03-17T02:55:00.000-05:00
Cailin Harp TM

Organisations

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Organisations

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2005-03-17T02:53:00.000-05:00
Domain Yahoo

Print Article

2005-03-17T02:52:00.001-05:00
Print Article

The Khol Drum

2005-03-17T02:52:00.000-05:00
The Khol Drum

American Hammered Dulcimer

2005-03-17T02:51:00.002-05:00
American Hammered Dulcimer

Percussion

2005-03-17T02:51:00.001-05:00
Percussion

Classic Chalice Rosewood Bagpipe with Hardwood Case

2005-03-17T02:51:00.000-05:00
Classic Chalice Rosewood Bagpipe with Hardwood Case

Domain Yahoo

2005-03-17T02:50:00.002-05:00
Domain Yahoo

Traveler Harmonium with Coupler

2005-03-17T02:50:00.001-05:00
Traveler Harmonium with Coupler

Aluminum Tabla Set

2005-03-17T02:50:00.000-05:00
Aluminum Tabla Set

Multiple Domain Hosting - Hosting Domain

2005-03-17T02:49:00.000-05:00
Multiple Domain Hosting - Hosting Domain

Deluxe Royal Stewart Rosewood Bagpipe

2005-03-17T02:48:00.002-05:00
Deluxe Royal Stewart Rosewood Bagpipe

Arial Harp TM and Hardwood Case

2005-03-17T02:48:00.001-05:00
Arial Harp TM and Hardwood Case

Cura Cumbus

2005-03-17T02:48:00.000-05:00
Cura Cumbus

Cheap Domain

2005-03-17T02:46:00.001-05:00
Cheap Domain

How to Create an Emotional Bond with Your Child

2005-03-17T02:46:00.000-05:00
How to Create an Emotional Bond with Your Child

Home > > Family Health Articles > Parenting > Why Other Children Are Rejecting Your Child

2005-03-17T02:45:00.001-05:00
Home > > Family Health Articles > Parenting > Why Other Children Are Rejecting Your Child

Domain Yahoo

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Domain Yahoo

Siblings, How To Deal With Sibling Rivalry

2005-03-17T02:44:00.000-05:00
Siblings, How To Deal With Sibling Rivalry

ValuableContent.com - Writers & Publishers Directory

2005-03-17T02:43:00.000-05:00
ValuableContent.com - Writers & Publishers Directory

ADD ADHD Advances Blog

2005-03-05T16:38:00.000-05:00
ADD ADHD Advances Blog

ADHD Blog

2005-03-05T16:27:00.000-05:00
ADHD Blog

Some Common Mental Health Terms

2005-03-05T15:41:00.000-05:00

Some Common Mental Health Terms
Recently, I was having a discussion with a well-educated mother concerning her son’s condition. As the discussion continued it became more and more clear that even though she was freely using a number of mental health terms, she really had no idea of their actual meaning.

For this reason I have decided to define some of the words commonly used in mental health, so that you will have some idea what is being discussed when they are discussing your child. This is not an exhaustive list and it is in no particular order.

If there is something term or condition that you would like to know more about, please contact me
ADHD- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD is a brain-based neurological neurochemical disorder of brain function, which symptomatically manifests itself in a number of subtypes.

There are five primary areas in which the person’s inability to control himself is manifest.

Difficulty sustaining attention
Impulse control or inhibition
Excessive activity
Following rules and instructions
Excessive variability in their responses to situations, particularly doing work

There are four subtypes of ADHD (some researchers now claim there are six):

Type A- Inattentive Subtype
Type B- Hyperactive Impulsive Subtype
Type C- Combined Subtype
Type D-Nonspecific Subtype

ADD- Attention Deficit Disorder

This term was coined in the early 1980’s. At this time researcher began to switch their focus from hyperactivity to deficits in sustained attention and impulse control. The name of this disorder was officially changed to ADHD in the late 1980’s and the term ADD was officially discarded. The term ADD is still used by lay authors and the general public and usually refers to the inattentive subtype of ADHD.

Affective Disorders
These are disorders of mood. Examples include Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymia, Depressive Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder.
Anxiety
Anxiety is the fear or anticipation danger from a threat that is not apparent or imminent. It is accompanied by intense unpleasant feelings or physical symptoms. There are four common forms of anxiety disorders in children:

Separation Anxiety Disorder: Excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or from those to whom the child is attached. The child may worry about harm befalling a family member to the point where the child refuses to go to school or to sleep alone.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Excessive anxiety and worry about events or activities such as school to the point where this worry interferes with daily functioning. There also may be restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep difficulties.

Panic Disorder: The presence of recurrent, unexpected panic attacks characterized by the sudden onset of intense apprehension, fearfulness, or terror, often associated with feelings of impending doom. There may be shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, and fear of "going crazy" or losing control.

Phobias: Persistent, irrational fears that are focused on a specific object, activity, or situation.

Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder characterized by mood swings between extreme elation, called mania, and severe depression. Thought originally to be a condition affecting adults, it is now clear that this condition is common in teens. There is a growing body of evidence that bipolar disorder may start early in childhood. For more information see the articles on Bipolar Disorder and Mood stabilizers.
Psychotic Disorders
Psychotic disorders include severe mental disorders, which are characterized by extreme impairment of a person's ability to think clearly, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, and behave appropriately. Typically the psychotic patient loses touch with reality. The psychotic patient may suffer from delusions and hallucinations.

Delusions are false and unusual beliefs firmly held by the patient, which are not based in reality. Examples are delusions of paranoia (others are plotting against them), grandiose delusions (exaggerated ideas of one's importance or identity), and somatic delusions (a healthy person believing that he/she has a terminal illness).

Hallucinations are the experience of a sensory perception (seeing, hearing, feeling, and smelling) in the absence of an outside stimulus. For example, the person may see things or hear voices. Common disorders where psychosis may be present include Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia.

Depression
Depression can describe a normal human emotion or refer to a psychiatric disorder. The difference is a matter of degree. In addition to sadness or irritability present for at least two weeks, a depressive illness includes several of the following:

Change of appetite with significant weight loss or weight gain
Change in sleeping patterns
Loss of interest in activities formerly enjoyed
Loss of energy
Feelings of guilt for things that are not one's fault
Inability to concentrate
Feelings of hopelessness
Thoughts of death and suicide, wishing to die, or attempting suicide

Schizophrenia
This psychotic disorder characterized by severe problems with a person’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, and use of words and language. The symptoms include delusions and hallucinations. These delusions in schizophrenia are often paranoid and persecutory in nature. Hallucinations are usually auditory and may include hearing voices. This disorder usually develops before 30 years of age. There seems to be some genetic component.

Tourette's Syndrome
Tourette's Syndrome is characterized by multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic. A tic is a sudden, rapid purposeless muscle movement. Motor tics may be simple movements such as eye blinking, or more complex movements such as touching and squatting. Vocal tics can include sounds such as grunts, barks, sniffs, snorts, coughs, and obscenities. People with Tourette's Syndrome often have ADHD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
This condition is characterized by obsessions and compulsions, which interfere with the person’s ability to function normally. Obsession refers to recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are intrusive and cause severe anxiety or distress. Compulsions refer to repetitive behaviors and rituals (like hand washing, hoarding, ordering, checking) or mental acts (like counting, repeating words silently, avoiding). The person is aware that his behavior is abnormal but is unable to control himself. There is a growing body of evidence that this is a physiologically based disorder. For more information see the article on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Learning Disorders
This group of disorders describes a situation in which a child’s reading, math, or writing skills are substantially below that expected for age, schooling, and level of intelligence. 5% of children have learning disorders.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a psychiatric behavior disorder that is characterized by aggressiveness and a tendency to purposefully bother and irritate others. These behaviors cause significant difficulties with family and friends and at school or work.

Oppositional defiant children show a consistent pattern of refusing to follow commands or requests by adults. These children repeatedly lose their temper, argue with adults, and refuse to comply with rules and directions. They are easily annoyed and blame others for their mistakes. Children with ODD show a pattern of stubbornness and frequently test limits, even in early childhood. We have an online Oppositional defiant disorder test. We also have an Oppositional defiant disorder child behavior program.
Conduct Disorder
Teens with conduct disorder have a persistent pattern of behavior in which they violate the rights of others, or violate norms or rules that are appropriate to their age. Their behavior is characterized by aggression toward people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness, lying, or stealing.

Neurotic Disorder
This is a mental disorder characterized by a distressing symptom or group of symptoms that the person is considers unacceptable and alien to his personality. The person is aware that his symptoms are abnormal, but is unable to control them. Examples are phobias, anxiety disorders, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Phobia
Phobias are persistent, irrational fears of specific objects, activities, or situations resulting in a compelling desire to avoid it. This often leads either to avoidance of the phobic stimulus or to enduring it with dread.

Phobias are generally divided into three categories:
Social phobias - fears involving other people (performance anxiety)
Specific phobias - fear of a single specific panic thing, like dogs or flying
Agoraphobia - a generalised fear of leaving a familiar 'safe' area

Phobias vary in severity among individuals and may range from an extreme dislike of something to a fully-fledged panic attack. It is possible for a sufferer to become phobic about virtually anything.

Co-morbidity
Co-morbidity is the simultaneous occurrence of two or more disorders. The association may reflect a causal relationship between the disorders, reflect an underlying vulnerability to both disorders, or be completely coincidental.
Windigo
This is for the Canadians.

This is a syndrome found only in Canadians involving delusions of being possessed by a cannibalistic monster called a windigo characterized by attacks of agitation, depression and sadistic fears and impulses. (I am not making this up)

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your child, including child behavior advice and information on the latest ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Share your views at the ADD ADHD Blog. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal

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ADD ADHD

2005-03-03T05:16:00.000-05:00
ADD ADHD

Death from Ritalin

2005-03-03T05:10:00.000-05:00

Death from Ritalin

Here is a letter I received recently.

Hi- I am concerned over the threat of death from taking Ritalin. I recently heard a report that over 150 children have died from taking this drug. These children were between the ages of 7 to 14. My daughter is only seven. Should I be concerned?

First of all, I understand your concern about the report of deaths due to Ritalin. The statistic that I heard was that 186 children died between 1990 and 2000. Though these deaths are not to be ignored, I would like to put the number in perspective.

There were 186 Ritalin related deaths in a ten-year period. In contrast there are 11 million prescriptions for Ritalin a year. If you divide the number of children who died from Ritalin by the number of annual prescriptions, that is 186/11,000,000= .000017. That means .0017% of children who take Ritalin are at risk for death.

Now I realize that this is not really an exact calculation. The real way to determine the exact death rate is to divide 186 by the number of people who took Ritalin during the last decade. I couldn't find any data on this. The point is that whatever the death rate is, it is very small. It is probably more likely for a child to die from a Tylenol overdose than to die from Ritalin use.

If you have an ADD ADHD child and Ritalin is helping, then I feel that benefits she gets from taking a drug like Ritalin far outweigh the risk of death from the drug. The bottom line is that no parent wants her child on Ritalin or some similar drug. However, if the child needs it, you as a parent should not worry that your child will be the one child in 60,000 that has a serious problem.

Anthony Kane, MD

ADD ADHD Advances

You can post your comments on this article at http://adhd-add.blogspot.com

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Pc-magician Links

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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EM Italy link directory - Global directory

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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StayPoland.com - Information about Poland, Warsaw, Krakow

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ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment: The Importance of Having a Few Good Friends

2005-02-07T15:57:00.000-05:00
ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment: The Importance of Having a Few Good Friends

ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment: Pervasive Developmental Disorder PDD

2005-02-07T15:56:00.000-05:00
ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment: Pervasive Developmental Disorder PDD