Author: Dr. Linda

How do you as a parent make sense of all the claims and therapies suggested for AD/HD children today? There are numerous AD/HD “treatments” without scientific evidence to back them. Although unscientific, they appeal because we don’t want to medicate our children unless it’s absolutely necessary.

The goal of treatment is to help a child function at his/her absolute best. Therefore, treatment needs to be tailored to the individual child. The same thing doesn’t work for every child given his/her unique chemistry, personality and abilities. The best approach is a comprehensive one in which cognitive-behavior therapy and behavioral management are teamed with parent education, social skills training and family support services. Medication may be needed and given in conjunction with other therapies.

Standard treatment is usually a combination of stimulant medication and psychotherapy. Stimulant medication affects the part of the brain that regulates activity. If the diagnosis is accurate, you see immediate improvement in completing schoolwork, paying attention and controlling impulses.

So far, there are no serious long-term effects of placing children on these stimulants. However, we don’t know how safe they are for children under the age of six. We also don’t know the impact of psychotropic medications on the developing brain of a child.

Therapy usually focuses on helping parents understand the disorder and what they can do to help their child. Children often feel relieved to know that they aren’t “bad” kids but kids in need of assistance. Parents are taught to design behavior programs that help their child understand rules and spell out clear and consistent rewards and consequences. For example, AD/HD kids are helped when things are written down and defined.

Treatment is important. We know that any mental health condition left untreated can lead to serious problems. Don’t let you health insurance policy dictate the treatment. Those who give authorization may insist you go to a physician and place your child on medication before you try anything else. Sometimes, they won’t pay for anything but medication. Don’t let them limit your options. Your child may need something different or something more.

Let’s review:

Step 1: Get a proper diagnosis – work with a team of professionals who can discriminate AD/HD from other medical and mental health issues.

Step 2: Collaborate as a team -pediatricians, psychologists, teachers, parents, principals, and anyone working with your child. Strategize together for the best interventions.

Step 3: Don’t be forced into a “medication only” solution. In many cases this is inappropriate but pushed because it is an easy solution.

Step 4: Learn about behavioral treatments, support groups and psychotherapy so you can tailor treatment to your child. For example, one organization that offers tremendous support is CHADD (Children With Attention Deficit Disorders).

Step 5: Be wary of treatments that promise miraculous success but have no scientific proof to back claims. There is a plethora of ideas and “cures” on the popular market. There are also a number of people making treatment claims who can’t back them up with any data. Before you spend money on any of these claims, ask to see the scientific literature behind them.

Summer will soon be here. Get ready for, “Mom, I’m bored.” Try these 10 suggestions!

Dr Linda Helps – “Mom, I’m bored. There is nothing to do around here!” Is there a parent reading this who has never heard these words, particular around the beginning of July when summer break is in full swing? With all the “stuff” kids have, it’s amazing how easily boredom sets in.

Here are 10 suggestions to help keep your children from summer boredom:

1) Turn off the TV, computer and other electronic forms of entertainment. Limit use to minimal times in the day. Electronic “stuff” teaches kids to attend for short intervals, encourages passive activity and doesn’t stimulate cognitive development. Children and teens who spend much of their day in front of television and movies are less imaginative and have more difficulty delaying gratification. Many are overweight. While electronic “stuff” occupies time, it doesn’t provide much benefit. Kids need to be active, thinking and interacting with real people.

2) Enroll your child in day camps or park and recreation activities. Many cities have organized opportunities for children. For example, my son will attend a one week, half day, Slime Camp in August. It’s basically a chemistry camp in which science becomes fun. He’ll get to blow up things and make gooey disgusting things, while making a mess somewhere other than my house! By August, he’ll be ready for the structured fun. Think ahead and look for interesting planned activities.

3) Find a fun class like cooking, sculpting, tap dancing, pottery making, etc. Summer is a good time to experiment with an area of interest. Your child can try something new and decide if he/she likes it. This is a good way to get your child to think about hobbies, special interests and new activities. Sometimes the classes will be offered for parents and children together, e.g., bird watching, cooking, sailing, etc.

4) Buy a pass to a community pool. This was the best investment of money I ever made. Swimming is active, fun and interactive. It’s also a great way to beat summer heat!

5) Get involved in the public library with a summer reading program. You will reinforce reading skills, explore books and relax in an air-conditioned room.

6) Explore your city. Check out the museums, points of interest, fun stores, etc. For example, Chicago offers free admission to museums on specific days of the week. Find parks, skateboard parks, nature walks, etc. Get out and explore your community.

7) Volunteer for civic organizations or church activities as helpers, workers or whatever is needed. Do a park clean-up day, a walk to fight cancer, teach at vacation bible school and take the kids, plant flowers at the church, etc.

8) Get kids a part time job. They can baby-sit, mow lawns, deliver papers, offer to do errands for an elderly person, etc.

9) Help your child develop a hobby like bird watching, card collecting and marbles. Have your child organize groups around those activities.

10) Encourage creative play around the house. Have bountiful art supplies, water games, board games, cards and put on dramatic plays. Be prepared for rainy days.

Summer doesn’t have to be boring. It can be rewarding and fun if you spend time planning for those days. Make summer a memorable experience and not just 90 days before school starts again.

An interview with Dr. Linda on teens and inhalants

1. YEARS AGO PEOPLE USED TO JOKE ABOUT KIDS SNIFFING GLUE. HOW BIG A PROBLEM IS HUFFING? “Huffing”, also know as “Sniffing” or “Wanging” is now fourth among all forms of substance abuse by teens. According to national survey, more than 12.5 million Americans have abused inhalants at least once in their lives.

2. WHY ARE KIDS DOING IT? It’s cheap. It’s intense. And it’s easy to hide. For example, a teen can paint her fingernails with typewriter correction fluid and no one would notice her sniffing away in school. Kids don’t have to go to the corner and score drugs, deal with needles or other paraphernalia. The high comes as quickly as 10 or 15 seconds. The problem is this is a dangerous high. Huffing aerosols, solvents, petroleum products or gases comes at a huge price teens don’t consider. The intoxicating effects that come may last for a few minutes or hours but can actually lead to a loss of consciousness and other serious side effects that include sudden death.

3. HOW YOUNG ARE THE KIDS WHO ARE DOING INHALANTS? It’s frightening when you look at the facts that report some children as young as four years old are huffing. For many kids, huffing begins in elementary school or junior high. One researcher places seventh and eighth graders as the most common age of abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports approximately one in five eighth-graders have abused inhalants. The abuse occurs mostly after dinner between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Another national survey by the institute found that three percent of American kids have tried inhalants “by the time they reach fourth grade.”

4. WHAT KIND OF THINGS ARE THEY USING? Air freshener, white out pens, glues, rubber cement, nail polish remover, lighter fluid, spray paints, deodorant, hair sprays, whipped cream canisters, cleaning fluids, cooking spray, oven cleaner, felt-tipped pens, typewriter correction fluid, disinfectants, fabric protectors, furniture polish, oven cleaners, butane, gasoline, adhesives, rust removers, and spray paints.

5. WHAT WARNING SIGNS SHOULD PARENTS LOOK FOR? First there is a high followed by dizziness which can lead to passing out and possible death. So let me break it down to short term and long terms effects:

Short-term effects: Headaches, nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, dizziness, slurred and slow speech, mood changes, and hallucinations.

Long term effects: Loss of concentration, short-term memory loss, hearing loss, muscle spasms, permanent brain damage, and even death (can occur when a child becomes panicked and the adrenaline rises in his body).

Other warning signs: Unusual chemical breath odors, watery eyes, dazed or dizzy appearance, paint on the face and fingers, red or runny nose, spots or sores around the mouth, loss of appetite, anxiety, excitability, and irritability, chronic cough, sudden change in mood and behavior, secretive behavior

6. WHAT KIND OF PHYSICAL DAMAGE HAPPENS WITH INHALANTS? The damage can be severe. Anything from heart to brain to liver damage can result. The most serious of course if heart failure and death. You see the inhaling of the poison displaces oxygen in the lungs and also in the central nervous system. Breathing then ceases. When there is a high concentration of the fumes, death can be a result.

7. DO KIDS REALIZE HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS? DO PARENTS? I believe most people are unfamiliar with how dangerous and prevalent this type of abuse is. And of course teens never think that they could be the one to die from doing this even one time, but it happens. You just don’t know. Every time you do it, you are taking an incredible risk with your physical body. And each time, there is some level of brain damage that occurs. Parents, talk to your children about this. They are inhaling poisons that can create memory loss and eventually put them in a vegetative state. This is nothing to experiment with since the consequences are so damaging.

8. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU THINK YOUR TEEN IS USING INHALANTS? Talk to them about the dangers and risks, especially since death and brain damage can happen anytime. Monitor their behavior and remove the poisonous substances form their usage. When talking to young children, labels these inhalants as poisons.

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR PROFESSIONAL HELP? Contact a mental health professional. An addiction specialist can help you and your teen not only stop the behavior but get to the underlying reasons for doing it in the first place.