As someone involved in the treatment of children with ADD and ADHD over the last 30 years, most parents want to know about alternatives to medication. I usually begin by stressing the importance of an appropriate educational placement. And that involves making sure that the classroom has as few pupils to teacher as possible, because these children need a lot of structure, and that they also, especially for hyperactive boys, are able to tolerate some modicum of behavioral outbursts since these kids tend to get into trouble.

Medication for ADHD is controversial, but it really shouldn't be. When it's used properly, it's very safe and very effective. It doesn't always work. It works about 80% of the time. When it does work, it works very much like a pair of eyeglasses. It allows you to focus. It doesn't make you smarter, but it allows you to use the smarts you've got, much as eyeglasses don't make you smarter, but they allow you to use the smarts you've got.

What is Autism? Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by cognitive impairments, social impairments, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors. Autism is a spectrum disorder which can range from very mild to severe symptoms and occurs in all ethnic, socioeconomic, and age groups. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females. In some children there are no symptoms of autism before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly they “regress” and begin to display symptoms.

Bullying has moved off of the playgrounds and into cyberspace. Cyberbullying is a national epidemic and parents need to be aware of their child’s involvement in cyberbullying. Whether your child is a victim, bully, bystander, or ally, their greatest resource for advice is you.

The term transgender describes people whose gender expression or identity does not match the sex that they were born with. Gender identity represents a person’s internal understanding of being male or female, while gender expression illustrates how people chose to share their gender identity. For example, gender expression can be shown through clothing, makeup, or certain behaviors. In today’s society transgender or gender-nonconforming identities are constantly changing in terms of how people perceive them and how they perceive themselves.

It's really interesting to me that so many mothers today still think that they don't make enough milk for their babies, when, in fact we have the evidence to support the idea that very few of us cannot make enough milk for our babies, probably only 5%. So why do mothers feel this way? What evidence shows, is that the leading cause of breastfeeding failure, is the belief that we don't have enough milk, and that's contributed to by not having the education that tells us, not only how milk is made, but how to get milk started, and how to maintain a good supply.

Colic, frustrating for babies and parents alike, marks a period where an otherwise healthy baby shows signs of significant distress through crying. Babies show symptoms of colic when they cry more than three hours a day, three days a week, and for three weeks or more. Colic does not always occur after feeding; babies might cry non-stop for many hours during the day. However, colic is generally temporary and short-lived. It is important to understand that all fussy babies don’t necessarily have colic. Specific signs of colic include:

What is Pre-Term Labor? As the word suggests, pre-term labor or premature labor means that your contractions start ahead of your calculated due date, and/or your water breaks and the baby is born ahead of schedule; in some cases, it could also mean that some of the organs, such as the lungs, may not be fully developed. If you experience contractions prior to your 37th week of pregnancy, this is a good indication of pre-term labor.

Pregnant women not previously diagnosed with another type of diabetes can be found to have gestational diabetes. A high blood glucose (sugar) level is the main indicator of this condition. The cause of gestational diabetes is not known exactly, but experts have concluded that it is a result of insulin resistance in the body. Gestational diabetes can be diagnosed if a women’s body is not able to make or use all the insulin needed during pregnancy. Insulin takes glucose from the blood stream and transfers it into cells to produce energy.