How To Guide

Example 1

Justin

Justin did not have a happy childhood like most children his age.  At only 11 years, Justin went through some horrible life experiences.  His parents were addicted to methamphetamine and they destroyed everything around them.  Justin and his sisters were constantly exposed to physical abuse and toxic chemicals.  Each day was another fight for survival for the three kids, and none of them could predict their future.

Justin was the only responsible person in the house.  While his parents were drugged, he had to feed his two little sisters, clean the house and keep them safe.  When the authorities discovered the abuse, the children were immediately removed from the house and their parents arrested.  Justin had accumulated a lot of anger, frustration and shame, and got into trouble at school.  The Kempe foundation, specialized in fighting child abuse and neglect, helped Justin deal with his feelings caused by abuse.  It took about nine months for Justin to deal positively with his emotions. He lives with his sisters in foster care and they are surrounded with love and… Read More

A diagnosis of juvenile diabetes can be a shock to families, but it is a disease which can be managed.

When young children or young adults do get diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, for some time it seems that their world has shattered. But while juvenile diabetes can have an impact on everyday life, it does not mean that life stops or changes too much.

Symptoms of juvenile diabetes

If a child or young adult has symptoms of diabetes, he or she must be checked up. Unfortunately, often parents may not be aware of all the symptoms or may not be able to connect the dots and will need to go to a doctor for help. These are some of the symptoms of juvenile diabetes:

• Increased thirst

• Increased urination which may result in bedwetting in younger children

• Weight loss in spite of eating well

• Hunger in spite

… Read More

It is unfortunate that more children than ever before are fighting obesity.

While it would seem that most adults seem to be perpetually on a diet, given the number of diet programs, books, pills and more, the obesity epidemic has even spread to children. The National Institutes of Health, in a study conducted among 14 nations, spanning different continents, found that 10-15 percent of teens in the US are overweight.

As teens and children are still growing, it is important to deal with childhood obesity in a different way from adult obesity. If the problem is nipped in the bud, it can help the child grow into a confident and healthy adult, otherwise obese children are often the butt of jokes and develop low self esteem and even depression.

Causes of childhood obesity

Like adult obesity, childhood obesity, too, starts from eating more. This is aggravated by less physical activity due to lack of time and entertainment, which was earlier got from sport… Read More

Anybody can get depressed, adults, children, even pets. It is important to recognize the symptoms of childhood depression and treat it.

Depression is classified as a mental/psychological problem and often goes underreported and undiagnosed. For children it is imperative that it is treated otherwise it can cause many problems as the child grows up. It is often overlooked because children are also undergoing developmental and personality changes as they are growing. The sad truth is that between 2.5 and 8 percent of children under the age of 18 may be suffering from clinical depression.

What are the symptoms to look for?

Just like adults, children, too, can mask their symptoms and you may not know that your child is depressed. So what are the symptoms that you should look for?

• Change in behavior for no apparent reason

• Fits of crying

• Mood swings

• Feeling overwhelmed

… Read More

James

ADHD or the Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder is a common child behavior disorder. Children with ADHD present a series of symptoms, but the most relevant one is the inability to stay focused or follow simple guidelines. James was considered a normal child during his first years of life. However his parents started to notice some differences around the age of two, two and a half. He wasn’t able to learn how to talk by listening, and he seemed to prefer noisemaking as opposed to talking. At three years old, the signs became obvious: James had trouble finding friends, simply because he was too aggressive with the other children, including his sister.

The parents’ frustration lead to divorce, but the mother was aware that James had a problem. Kindergarten was yet another challenge for James, since no one wanted to admit he had ADHD. The mother insisted to take a test for determining if James had ADHD. The score was 31 (any score above 19 indicated a problem). Seeking professional help was the best solution. James was placed on… Read More

There are no known causes of ADD but there are many different theories concerning the possible causes.

Brain

The first theory is that ADD is caused from organic brain damage. Tredgold as far back 1908 stated that there was a link between hyperactivity and organic brain damage. He believed this was caused by an injury, prenatal complications, infection during birth, or oxygen deprivation. Research by Stewart and Olds in 1973 showed that the majority of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder had no signs of brain damage.

Metabolism defect

The next theory is that children with ADD may have a deficit in metabolism of neurotransmitters. Due to this assumption, drugs such as Ritalin and Dexedrine have been given to children with ADD. These drugs have proven to be affective thus suggesting the cause to be a lack of or the access of a certain chemical in the brain. These medications only work short term and do have side effects.

Defect

Next in line of theories is that children with ADD have signs of a defective inhibitory system in the… Read More

There are different types of treatment options for ADD, however, they will not cure the condition only make the symptoms better and tolerable. There is no cure for Attention Deficit Disorder.

The most important thing to do if you have a child with ADD is to talk with your doctor about the options available. Just because one treatment did wonders with one child does not mean the same treatment is the correct one for your child.

If you want to try non-prescription alternatives then you will find various supplemental minerals and vitamins that often aid individuals with ADD. In clinical trials, children and adults alike both showed improvements with supplementing their diets with Acetylcarnitine, Bacopa, Hyperforin, Lemon Balm, Magnesium, and Zinc.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral Therapy has also been successful with some individuals with ADD. This type of therapy helps the person learn and deal with the connections with annoying situations and the reactions that are derived from them. Common reactions seen in those with ADD include anxiety, anger, depression, fear, and hurting oneself. With behavioral therapy, these emotions can learn… Read More

Autism is a disorder in the brain development that causes restricted and repetitive behavior and impairs interaction and communication. The signs and symptoms are noticed prior to age three.

Causes of Autism

Causes of Autism are unknown at this time; however, research has shown similarities in some cases such as genetics. In many cases, autism is associated with agents that also cause birth defects. Some have speculated a link between childhood vaccines and autism.

The real truth of the matter is no one knows exactly what causes autism only that 1 of every 150 children are born with autism. Four times more boys have autism than girls do and the symptoms vary quite a bit from one child to another. Autism is not a disorder that goes away as the child becomes, but in many cases, as adults they can live on their own and function normally in a work environment according to the symptoms they have.

Symptoms of Autism

• Social skill symptoms can include:
• Failure to answer when name is called
• No eye contact
• Prefers to

… Read More

Vaccination is an effective immunization aid to your child’s health and it is advisable that you take your child to the doctor’s office for vaccine administration as it is scheduled or throughout the school years, recommended but not mandatory at all since it is up to parents decide whether or not making a final decision. However, in the US children cannot be enrolled in school without proper vaccinations.

Understand what it is for

Parental awareness is necessary to understand what vaccines are for and how they can help to prevent a number of diseases that otherwise can put at risk the health of children and even their lives.

Some viral diseases occur only in childhood and children who do not undergo vaccination are prone to acquire them and suffer from life-long treatment as occurs with polio, a disabling disease also known as infantile paralysis.

So, why do parents decide on skipping vaccination? There are a number of making decision factors that are mostly associated to personal concerns and fears rather than real arguments. Some parents are scared after a number… Read More