LilSugar

7 Celebrity Kids Who Eat Alternative Diets

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:32:40 PDT

Celebs are known to go on fad diets to get red carpet ready in an instant - Dukan diet anyone? But these days, it's their kids who are following the unusual eating habits. More than just picky eaters, these lil ones are removing wheat, nuts, and meat from their menus due to allergies and health. Take a look at seven Tinseltown tots moving beyond the children's menu and eating differently than other children in the cafeteria.

Is It Necessary to Talk to Your Child About Autism?

Heather Maddan — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:31:09 PST

All kids are different, but when a child has a disability should they know? Last night on Parenthood, during a heated argument with Crosby, Adam screams that Max has Asperger's. The 9-year-old (who has yet to realize he's on the Autism spectrum) hears his father and asks what he means by it. After fumbling for words to explain the developmental disorder to their son, Adam and Kristina consult Max's doctor for advice about how to broach the subject in a subsequent conversation.

Has the Autism Vaccine Fraud Affected Your Trust in Doctors?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 04:00:00 PST

It was a shot heard 'round the world. When the world's most renowned medical journal retracted the paper that originally linked the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, LilSugar readers weren't surprised.

Last week, the same journal announced that the author of the original paper faked the research on his patients; with several already showing signs of autism before their vaccinations, and others' whose data was misrepresented. While Dr. Andrew Wakefield still has many supporters, others look at the whole debacle as a sign that one overzealous doctor can change the shape of an entire generation's medical future. As a result are you leery of doctors?

Best of 2010: The Biggest Baby and Parenting Headlines

LilSugar — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:05:00 PST

Parenting and baby news made national headlines this year. While celebrity pregnancies and births kept us gossiping, there were a lot of medical and social issues that became major stories in 2010. Here's our look back!

To Tell or Not to Tell Children About Their Disabilities

LilSugar — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:00:59 PDT

All kids are different, but when a child has a disability should they be told? Last night on Parenthood, Max is enthused about getting the entire family -Team Braverman - together to participate in an Autism Speaks walk. Though the boy is extremely passionate about helping kids with autism, he has yet to realize that he is on the spectrum. Wondering whether they should tell Max that he has Asperger's syndrome, Adam and Kristina consult their son's doctor. He doesn't give them a direct answer, instead he says that the 8 year old will clue them in when it's time. Do you agree that children will figure it out themselves or give their parents a cue for delivering such news, or should parents be upfront at the time of diagnosis?

Nadya Suleman on Oprah: Can Any Mother Handle 14 Children?

LilSugar — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:06:57 PDT

Nadya Suleman gained fame (or infamy) when she gave birth to the world's first surviving octuplets. The mom quickly given the nickname "Octomom" already had six children at home. During an interview with Oprah that aired today, the talk show host asked, "Do you feel that you can give your children what they need and deserve?" Suleman said no, that "no parent could," but that she would die before she'd give up any of her kids. What one woman can handle is overwhelming for another. While some parents hit their limit with a single child, there are others like the Duggars who have 19 and would welcome more offspring. But do you think any single mother (or father) could handle the Suleman bunch, which includes octuplets, twins, and an autistic child?

Is Treating Child With Marijuana Different Than Doctor's Drugs?

babysugar — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:05:07 PDT

Mothers will do anything to help their children. For one Rhode Island woman, this means giving her autistic son marijuana. Marie Myung-Ok Lee feeds her 9-year-old medical marijuana (hash brownies) to reduce his gut pain and anxiety while chronicling his progress. She said:

J was smiling, interacting (one of home-based therapists said she'd never encountered such an affectionate autistic child), even putting his dirty dishes in the dishwasher-rinsing and everything!-not only without being told, but without ever having been asked to do such a thing. The more I'd been reading, along with J's doctor, about the effects of cannabis-analgesic, anti-anxiety, safe-the more it seemed a logical choice.

While early intervention and anti-psychotic drugs have been found to help some tots overcome some effects of the disorder, the cause and cure for autism remain unknown so parents look for other options. Doctors have prescribed drugs like Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Adderall, and Dexedrine to children suffering from ADHD. Do you think this is any different?

Soft's Stylish Clothing For Sensitive Kids

LilSugar — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:00:00 PDT

Some children are particular when it comes to the fabrics they wear or their sock seams. For these sensitive kiddos and their parents who want the children sporting more than sweats, there's an affordable line that will suffice - Soft Clothing. Created by a mother and a Special Ed teacher, the company uses bright colors and simple lines to make comfortable clothing look a bit more stylish. It even offers the dressy option in the form of chinos ($22), tie tees ($16), and dresses ($22). The company's mission is clear. It says:

Many children are extra-sensitive to the texture and feel of clothing. Soft is the first line of inclusive clothing designed with the needs of all children in mind, including those with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, and tactile defensiveness/sensitivity. We use flat seaming and seamless construction for extra comfort, 100% of the softest combed cotton and our specially developed Soft Sensory Blends, wide collars, encased elastic waistbands, printed labels (tagless), custom fits, and much more.

While the clothing is designed with sensitive children in mind, it fits all discerning tots size 4-12.

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Do Children With Autism Want to Be Cured?

LilSugar — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:00:54 PDT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis. And disorders on the autism spectrum are diagnosed in one in 110 children in the United States each year. Advocate Jenny McCarthy says her son Evan, 7, has been healed from the developmental disorder. It's a claim that many refute. Holly Robinson Peete and her daughter, Ryan, 12, wrote My Brother Charlie ($11), a children's book to spread autism awareness. The text is loosely based on the relationship that Ryan has with her twin brother, RJ, who has autism. At one point in the story, Callie (the main character) talks about what she'd like to do for her twin brother Charlie. It says:

I wish I could crawl inside Charlie's world and move things around for him and me. I know Charlie wants to be in my world, fitting in, making friends, having fun and laughing.

This sentiment of wanting a child to fit in is what motivates and exhausts Adam and Kristina Braverman on NBC's Parenthood in their efforts to help their son Max who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. As parents, as sisters, as brothers, we want our children, our siblings to live like us, but is it what they want?

Should the Concept of a Common Law Parent Exist?

LilSugar — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:00:05 PDT

Common law marriage is recognized in some states, but what about the concept of common law parents and children? If a couple divorces or splits, a child who is only biologically tied to one of the adults may be shaken by the change in circumstance, particularly if they had a close or lengthy relationship with the other half. When news of Jesse James' infidelity hit the news recently, the public speculated about the lack of legal rights step mom Sandra Bullock has to his three children whom she grew fond of during the course of their marriage - namely his youngest daughter Sunny, 6, who the actress helped raise since the girl's mother was in jail.

Then, this week Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy called it quits. The couple was together for five years and spent a great deal of time campaigning for autism in honor of Jenny's 7-year-old son, Evan. While we're certain these celebrities will work out what is best for the kids and pseudo parents involved, it made us wonder what happens in cases that aren't publicized or when split-ups aren't amicable. Do you think the concept of a common law parent/child relationship should exist to protect all those bonds?