LilSugar

Let Them Eat Cake...And Candy Canes!

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:00:23 -0800

I've never bought into the whole concept that candy makes kids hyperactive so I've never denied my children sweets when it came to holiday festivities. But, now there's reason for the moms who do attribute their tykes' energetic behavior to treats to relax. This Christmas, let your lil one have a candy cane. Guess what myth topped the list of holiday myths? To find out, read more.

On the subject of sugar making kids hyperactive, one report said:

The researchers cite 12 controlled studies that couldn’t detect any differences in behavior between children who had sugar and those who did not. Even when kids had a diagnosis of hyperactivity problems or were said to be more sensitive to sugar, they did not behave differently whether they ate sugar-laden or sugar-free diets. In fact, the biggest effect of sugar may be on parents. Parents rate their children as being more hyperactive if they are told the child has consumed sugar - even when the child hasn’t really had any sweets.

Slice of the Yule log, sweetie?

Source

Documentary Explores Why All Children Deserve a Chance

LilSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:00:55 -0700

All they need is love? The British documentary Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go airs tonight on PBS, taking a yearlong look at the the Mulberry Bush School in Oxford, England, where 40 emotionally disturbed children board. The three-year program centers on patience and kind human interaction as a last resort for these youngsters. According to the summary:

The kids ages five through 12 who attend Mulberry (most of them boys) can broadly be described as having attachment disorders, with some having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

More than 100 dedicated staffers tend to the students, offering them love, support, and structure. The institution exemplifies the notion that every child deserves a chance. Will you tune in?

Pregnant Women's Use of Cell Phones Linked to Babies' Behavioral Problems

LilSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:49:05 -0700

My son shrieks on occasion - can I attribute that to having used my cell phone while pregnant? The findings of a study of expectant mothers conducted in the late 1990s linked mobile phone usage with behavioral problems in their children. An Independent article about the results, which will be published in the July issue of the journal Epidemiology said:

A giant study, which surveyed more than 13,000 children, found that using the handsets just two or three times a day was enough to raise the risk of their babies developing hyperactivity and difficulties with conduct, emotions and relationships by the time they reached school age. And it adds that the likelihood is even greater if the children themselves used the phones before the age of seven.

To finish the story, read more.

Surprised by the findings, scientists ruled out some biological and environmental factors that could have influenced the results and found their mobile phone correlation strengthened. It said:

They found that mothers who did use the handsets were 54 per cent more likely to have children with behavioural problems and that the likelihood increased with the amount of potential exposure to the radiation. And when the children also later used the phones they were, overall, 80 per cent more likely to suffer from difficulties with behaviour. They were 25 per cent more at risk from emotional problems, 34 per cent more likely to suffer from difficulties relating to their peers, 35 per cent more likely to be hyperactive, and 49 per cent more prone to problems with conduct.

But before we all hang-up our earpieces and ban our BlackBerrys, the article also noted there are "explanations that they did not examine – such as that mothers who used the phones frequently might pay less attention to their children."

Will these findings affect your cell phone usage?

Source

Buy Into the Study That Says Booze Is Better For Baby Boys?

LilSugar — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 04:00:02 -0800

A recent British study found that pregnant women who indulged in one or two drinks per week while expecting their sons had better behaved boys. It said:

Boys born to mothers who drank lightly were 40% less likely to have conduct problems and 30% less likely to be hyperactive, even when the differences between social and economic circumstances were taken into account. They also scored more highly in vocabulary tests and were better able to identify shapes, colours, letters and numbers.

Do you buy into this theory?

Source

Gold Medal Mama Debbie Phelps

LilSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:00:03 -0700

Golden boy Michael Phelps made Olympic history and his mama proud. Now, Debbie Phelps who has rooted her son on his entire life is being honored. People said:

Johnson's Baby has dubbed Debbie their "Mom of the Olympic Games" - and the company will donate money in her name to children's causes. (She'll also film a commercial for Johnson's on Wednesday.) The award came as a nice surprise for the middle school principal, who tells People, "I am so honored."

While the swimmer's achievements awe people all over the world, the wins are particularly inspiring for children with ADHD. The winningest Olympian was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at nine years old and got help. When teachers told his mother that Michael couldn't focus, she took them to task explaining that he spent hours in the swimming pool. Obviously, his passion paid off with 16 medals.
Source

Would You Give Your Child Meds Without Testing?

LilSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:15:40 -0700

Two million children have been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and many take medications like Ritalin for the disorder. But, in some cases doctors have written prescriptions for their young patients without ever looking at the brain for proof. Would you trust a medical expert enough to put your kid on meds without ever looking inside their head?