The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
photos courtesy of the Village of Ridgewood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police Department, in collaboration with Access Ridgewood and Spec Wired, held a successful “Pull Over Properly” event at the Graydon Pool parking lot yesterday. The event aimed to help neurodiverse drivers understand how to safely respond when pulled over by law enforcement, offering practical simulations to enhance confidence and communication during such encounters.
As a parent or caregiver, your child’s well-being is your top priority. While physical health concerns are often easy to spot, recognizing mental health challenges in children can be more difficult. By paying attention to shifts in their behavior and emotions, you can better understand what they’re going through.
Continue reading Understanding the Early Signs of Mental Health Issues in Kids
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are becoming an “expanding public health concern,” according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study, published Wednesday, reveals significant increases in the number of children diagnosed with ADHD.
Continue reading ADHD Diagnoses on the Rise: A Growing Public Health Concern
One of the most common conditions nowadays is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is a mental condition in which people face difficulty in concentrating on their daily activities. People who are seriously affected by this condition may seem to be restless all the time. This condition starts appearing from early childhood. The symptoms can be noticeable from an early age. Children from the age of 3 to 12 start displaying signs of ADHD. If this illness is left untreated for a long time then it may result in lifelong consequences like sleep deprivation and anxiety disorders.
Continue reading Best ways to tackle Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Occupational therapy is a great way to improve your mental health. These therapists help people develop occupational skills and find ways to do everyday tasks. In occupational therapy, people work with therapists on activities that can help them be independent and more self-sufficient in daily life. This article will provide you with the major mental health benefits of occupational therapy!
Continue reading The Major Mental Health Benefits Of Occupational Therapy
Omega-3s are a type of nutrient that you can get from food or from supplements. They help to build and maintain a healthy body. They have a number of benefits, including heart health and eye health. They can also be a great source of energy and can keep your immune system working the way that it should.
Continue reading Top Reasons Why You Should Include More Omega 3 In Your Diet
Next Wellness program is Wednesday, February 28
Dear Parents/Guardians,
On February 28th, Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman will be presenting “Developing Grit, Self-Control, and a Positive Mindset: The Keys to Success.” This program will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the George Washington Middle School auditorium. Dr. Baruch-Feldman is the author of The Grit Guide for Teens: A Workbook to Help You Build Perseverance, Self-Control, and a Growth Mindset. She is a clinical and school psychologist who believes in inspiring a growth mindset. Dr. Baruch-Feldman uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help children and adults with depression, anxiety, stress, ADHD, and weight loss. She is an expert in coducting psycho-educational evaluations for children experiencing school-related difficulties and has trained hundreds of teachers, parents, children and health care professionals by giving workshops and lectures through the country.
Naomi Schaefer Riley | February 10, 2017
Maybe it’s time to stop drugging our children. A new study from the Medical Journal of Australia has found that the youngest kids in any given class are twice as likely to be receiving medication for behavioral disorders as the older kids in the class. And the proportion of boys receiving such medication was three times as high as it was for girls.
The Australian researchers looked at data for more than 300,000 students, of whom almost 6,000 received at least one government-subsidized ADHD prescription in 2013. (The actual rate of use might have been higher given that some people presumably bought the medication without government assistance). As the study found:
“The proportion of boys receiving medication (2.9%) was much higher than that of girls (0.8%). Among children aged 6–10 years, those born in June (the last month of the recommended school-year intake) were about twice as likely (boys 1.93 times, girls 2.11 times) to have received ADHD medication as those born in the first intake month (the previous July). “
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/why-we-should-stop-drugging-our-kids
September 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The symptoms associated with attention-deficit-
Children and teenagers with ADHD don’t listen, or at least don’t seem to listen. They often fail to complete tasks, whether it’s a school assignment or a household chore. They can be impulsive, hitting a sibling or classmate when they feel frustrated, or failing to wait their turn when playing a game.
As a spotlight is put on the condition during October, which is ADHD Awareness Month, it’s worth noting that the disorder has an impact on the parents as well as the offspring.
Irritated by repeated undesirable behaviors, mothers and fathers may lash out, dealing more harshly with infractions than they should. Later, feeling guilty because of their overreaction, the parents may allow the child to get away with other misbehaviors.
Then tension builds again until once more the peeved parents explode and begin feeling guilty about their reactions all over again.
“It’s important to break that cycle of guilt when dealing with the ADHD child,” says Daniel Amen, M.D., a clinical neuroscientist and brain-imaging expert who also is the founder of Amen Clinics (www.amenclinics.com), which treat patients at six locations around the country.
“The best way to do that is to deal with difficult behavior whenever it occurs and not allowing the tension to build up. Retraining difficult behavior patterns is an essential part of the treatment for ADD.”
Amen, author of “Healing ADD” and the New York Times bestseller “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” says there are steps parents can take that will help shape positive behavior in a child with ADD/ADHD and help the parent avoid those guilty feelings.
• Define the desired and undesirable behaviors.Before you can shape behavior, you need to be clear on what behaviors you want and don’t want, Amen says. A desirable behavior might be doing homework before going out to play. An undesirable behavior might be talking back to a parent.
• Establish how often negative or positive behavior occurs. Keep a log for anywhere from a week to a month to track how many times a behavior occurs. Having a baseline will allow you to know whether your interventions are having an effect.
• Communicate rules and expectations clearly. When children know what is expected of them, they are much more likely to do it. Too often, Amen says, parents believe children should know how to act without the rules being clearly communicated.
• Reward desired behavior. Once clear expectations are given, it’s essential to reward the behavior that meets expectations. Rewards can be such things as verbal praise, a hug, a small present, a trip to the library or park, and even money.
• Administer clear, unemotional consequences for negative behavior. Be in control of your emotions, don’t nag or belittle the child, and use logical consequences. For example, if a child refuses to put away his or her toys, the toys could be taken away for a few days.
Having a good relationship with the child is perhaps the most important factor, Amen says.
“With a good parent-child relationship, almost any form of discipline will work,” he says. “With a poor parent-child relationship, any form of discipline will probably fail. Relationships require two things: time and a willingness to listen.”
About Daniel Amen, M.D.
Daniel Amen, M.D., (www.amenclinics.com) is a clinical neuroscientist and brain imaging expert who heads Amen Clinics, which are located in Orange County, Calif., Atlanta, San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C., and the Seattle area. He has written numerous books, including “Healing ADD” and “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.” Dr. Amen also has appeared as a guest on such TV shows as “The View” and was a consultant for the movie “Concussion.”
Pardon our French.
Seth M | July 11, 2016
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, “is a prime example of fictitious disease,” said Leon Eisenberg, the “scientific father of ADHD,” shortly before he passed away at the age of 87 in 2009.
Why would Eisenberg claim that a condition we’ve come to know so well is largely fictitious? While many have said that Eisenberg’s statement is highly exaggerated, it turns out that numerous doctors are finding conclusive evidence that ADHD is being “over-diagnosed” due to inaccurate diagnostic methods.
Jerome Kagan, a leading expert in child development, says:
“Let’s go back 50 years. We have a 7-year-old child who is bored in school and disrupts classes. Back then, he was called lazy. Today, he is said to suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). . . . Every child who’s not doing well in school is sent to see a pediatrician, and the pediatrician says: “It’s ADHD; here’s Ritalin.” In fact, 90 percent of these 5.4 million kids don’t have an abnormal dopamine metabolism. The problem is, if a drug is available to doctors, they’ll make the corresponding diagnosis.”
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/scientist-says-adhd-basically-bullsht
Perhaps pills shouldn’t be the go-to panacea.
Annie Holmquist | March 10, 2016
When it comes to hyperactivity disorders such as ADHD, there’s no debate that diagnoses are on the rise amongst America’s youth.
What is debated, however, is the best way to treat ADHD.
Until recently, it seemed that thrusting a pill at children was the standard treatment. But more experts are beginning to wonder if some ADHD cases can be reduced through efforts like behavioral modification therapy. Others are wondering if children just need time to grow and mature.
A new study in The Journal of Pediatrics seems to lend support to this idea.
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/are-we-misdiagnosing-immaturity-adhd
Startling comments which go against conventional parenting tips.
Annie Holmquist | February 2, 2016
You Are Here
Whoa… Doctor Links ADHD Diagnoses to Poor Parenting
Startling comments which go against conventional parenting tips.
Annie Holmquist | February 2, 2016
Dr. Leonard Sax has been making waves lately with his latest book, The Collapse of Parenting. The book’s basic premise is that American parents have failed to realize that they are their child’s authority, not their friend.
In an interview with NPR over the weekend, Dr. Sax again made some startling comments that go against conventional wisdom in today’s parenting, particularly in the realm of hyperactivity and anxiety disorders such as ADHD.
Although Dr. Sax believes that there are legitimate cases of ADHD, he also believes there are a number of false diagnoses. These diagnoses stem from:
Lack of respect for parents and over-reliance on friends.
Overindulgent parents who fail to establish appropriate limitations.
Dr. Sax explains further:
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/whoa%E2%80%A6-doctor-links-adhd-diagnoses-poor-parenting
Bruce D Perry of the Houston ChildTrauma Academy
Children’s hyperactivity ‘is not a real disease’, says US expert
Neuroscientist says children are being ‘labelled’ as having ADHD when there could be other reasons for their disorder
One of the world’s leading neuroscientists, whose work has been acknowledged by work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, has suggested that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not “a real disease”.
On the eve of a visit to Britain to meet Duncan Smith and the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, Dr Bruce D Perry told the Observer that the label of ADHD outlined a broad set of symptoms. “It is best thought of as a description. If you look at how you end up with that label, it is remarkable because any one of us at any given time would fit at least a couple of those criteria,” he said.
Prescriptions for methylphenidate drugs, such as Ritalin, which are used to treat children diagnosed as suffering from ADHD, have soared by 56% in the UK, from 420,000 in 2007 to 657,000 in 2012. Such “psychostimulants” are thought to stimulate a part of the brain that changes mental and behavioural reactions.
