Disneyworld? Yes, it is Magic!

With school out and summer here you may be considering taking your family to Disneyworld. Wondering "IF" you could take your ADHD or special needs child to such a crowded and fast moving place. I worried and wondered about the same thing for some time. Then I took a great big leap of faith and held my breath. Since I was about to turn blue I decided to breath.... and yes, I kept taking long calming breaths until I found my two feet planted in the world of Disney. I was traveling alone with my 4 year old wild child for out first trip to the world. This past april my son and I have completed our 6th trip together. Trust me you can do this!

~Fear of characters you say? Yes, my child too. The Easter Bunny was never a good thing at Easter Brunch.
~Fear of loud noises. Oh boy and Oh yes! We have never seen fireworks or made it past the first 60 seconds without screaming and running for shelter.
~Fear of large crowds, lots of commotion, to excited to have good behavior at a party. YES, YES and YES! This was my child.

Then one day, actually it was Christmas time. I, against my better judgement, boarded a airplane with my son to go to Disneyworld. Mind you this was with a 4 year old who could out run me! Out run me he did right to the first character he saw! Pinocchio! I was in a state of shock.

YES, YOU CAN! Do I sound like I am campaigning for Obama? Well, I am an advocate for children facing challenges and believe me you can do it! What many people do not know is that if your child has challenges such as ADHD, Autism or be it some other challenge physically limiting or mentally, you may receive accomodations at Disneyworld. Once you enter the parks you must visit their guest services office located at the front of each park. In this office you would speak with a "CM" letting them know your childs challenges. They will at their discretion give you a pass or handicap placard (for a stroller for example) which will give you accomdations for your child.

My son and I have visited Disneyworld twice a year now since he was 4 years old. This year we went at spring break which is the busiest time of year. I am a single mother and if I can do this alone so can you! Disneyworld is my son's favorite thing in the whole world. He is already counting down our next vacation there (Christmas 2009). Let me tell you, talk about being able to re-enforce positive behavior. When he misbehaves I remind him that Disneyworld is his reward for good behavior all year long! It works!

My favorite spot for information about everything Disney:

If you take a trip to the "World" please come back and let us know how it went! Also please do not attempt to go to Disney World without a plan. I suggest reading one of these books to help you prepare for your trip.




I hope your family can find the magic too! We LOVE Disneyworld!

Social Nuances

If your child has ADHD, ADD, learning disabilities or is a high functioning child on the autism spectrum this book is for you. As you probably are aware by now that these children do not recognizing social nuances, they lack of proper etiquette and have poor hygiene. This book will help them understand how others perceive their appearance and the social implications of neglecting personal hygiene. My son has curly hair and bad breath in the morning. It sure makes it easier to explain why we need to fix his unruly bed head and brush away the dragon breath!

While the author recommends this book for 9 - 12 years. I think she means if they were to read this book on their own. I have been reading this book with my son since he was 6 years old and he gets it! Of course, there are some chapters at this point which do not apply to him yet. However, we do from time to time read the chapter on puberty and funny smells. This was it will not be a shock to him one day, but also so he does not insult a child who may have body odors. I give this book my thumbs up and think you will too!

Vitamin B6 helps ADHD and Autism

Combining magnesium and vitamin B6 has shown promise for reducing symptoms of ADHD. Vitamin B6 has many functions in the body, including assisting in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and forming myelin, which protect nerves. Magnesium is also very important; it is involved in more than 300 metabolic reactions. At least three studies have demonstrated that the combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 improved behavior, decreased anxiety and aggression, and reduced hyperactivity among children with ADHD.


This month the FDA has placed a ban on the sales of Vitamin B6 - pyridoxamine***.

FDA Effectively Bans Common Form of Vitamin B6

B6 in controlled studies has helped children with ADHD and Autism. Mild magnesium deficiency is not uncommon in normally nourished children, and some experts believe that children with ADHD may be exhibiting the effects of mild magnesium deficiency. In one study of 116 children with ADHD, 95% were magnesium deficient. In a separate study, 75 magnesium-deficient children with ADHD were randomly assigned to receive magnesium supplements in addition to standard treatment or standard treatment alone for 6 months. Those who received magnesium demonstrated a significant improvement in behavior, whereas the control group exhibited worsening behavior.

Just recently, my son's doctor reccomended I start giving my son Magnesium and B6. My son is 50lbs so the reccomended dosage for a 50lb child is 13.5mg B6 and 135mg of Magneisium. I wonder now if he will have to write a prescription for B6. I also have to wonder why they now classify it as a drug? Anyways, I came across this article I lifted off the internet some time ago. It was from an online newsletter and at this point I no longer have the link, however the sources/references for the artilce are listed bellow. Tomorrow, I will be buying up all the B6 I can before they pull it from the shelves! I hope it has a long shelf life!


"Magnesium, Vitamin B6& ADHD"

Magnesium is an important element in the body because it’s needed for many basic functions, including acting as a cofactor for 300 different enzymes. It’s also involved in fatty acid oxidation, neurotransmission and immune function. About 99 percent of magnesium in your body is inside your cells including bone, muscles and brain cells. Only 1 percent circulates in the blood.
A recent French study by Mousain-Bosc published in a journal called Magnesium Research reports improvement in neurobehavioral disorders (ADHD and autism in a separate study) in children who were given supplements of magnesium and vitamin B6. This is not a new idea. For many years parents have reported improvements in “physical aggression” and improved “social responsiveness” when their children took these supplements.

Mousain-Bosc based their study on reports from other scientists plus their own observations. In 1997 researchers assessed magnesium levels in 116 children with ADHD using serum, red blood cells and hair samples. Magnesium deficiency was found in 95 per cent of these children. Almost 59 percent had low magnesium levels in red blood cells, while about 34 percent had low levels in serum. Over 77 percent had low hair levels. [However, the value of hair analyses is controversial.]
In another study reported by the same scientists they attempted to assess the effectiveness of magnesium on hyperactivity and ADHD in 50 children. The average magnesium dose used was 200 mg and the duration of the study was 6 months. The control children were composed of 25 children with ADHD and magnesium deficiency. They received standard treatments and no magnesium. After 6 months, the children who received the magnesium supplement had increased magnesium in hair and a significant decrease in hyperactivity compared to their baseline scores and also compared to the controls.

In 2004 Mousain-Bosc reported a study using magnesium and vitamin B6 supplements in 52 “hyperexcitable” children. At the end of the trial all patients had significantly fewer symptoms of excitability, and magnesium levels in their red blood cells were in the normal range. This was an open study, meaning there was no control group.
In a study [published in Russian so I could not read the actual article!] a supplement of magnesium and vitamin B6 was used to treat 31 children with ADHD. Twenty children with similar ADHD symptoms comprised the control group. They received a “poly-vitamin pill.” After 30 days the children were given several clinical-neuropsychological and biochemical tests. The group receiving the magnesium and vitamin B6 showed significant improvements in their behavior—less anxiety, less aggression, less hyperactivity and improved attention compared to the control children. The abstract did not say whether the study was double-blind. In other words, did the patients and researchers know who was receiving the magnesium and vitamin B6 and who was getting the vitamin pills?

Based on all this research, Mousain-Bosc in 2006 reported improvement in children with ADHD supplemented with magnesium and vitamin B6. The control group was 36 healthy children without ADHD. They followed 40 children who had ADHD over 8 weeks. The children received 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight for magnesium and 0.6 milligrams per kilogram for vitamin B6. For example, a 100 pound child weighs about 45 kilograms and would have received about 270 mgs of magnesium and 27 mgs of vitamin B6. Those children who received the magnesium-vitamin B6 tablet significantly increased their red blood cell magnesium and decreased their hyperactivity, aggressiveness and improved their attention. When the supplement was stopped, these symptoms returned.

One problem with this study is the absence of a group of similar ADHD children who received a look-a-like inactive substance. In ADHD—and in many other medical and mental disorders—the presence of a placebo affect is quite high. In other words, just taking an inactive tablet that you think might help you improves your symptoms! The researchers of this 2006 magnesium and vitamin B6 study chose not to have a placebo group and/or a group taking stimulant medications for the following reasons: They believed parents would be opposed because their children might receive the placebo and six months of active treatment would be lost. In addition, stimulant medications appear to affect magnesium levels.

Another interesting report from Mousain-Bosc and co-workers was a similar study in children with autism. Twenty three of 33 children improved their symptoms with no adverse effects. After the supplement was stopped, symptoms of autism worsened.
What does all this research have to do with your child? There is a simple test for magnesium deficiency. It’s called Chvostek’s sign. Just tap lightly in the hollow of your child’s check, halfway between the corner of his mouth and the bottom of his ear. The area you tap is the facial nerve. If the upper lip beneath his nose twitches or jumps, the test is considered “positive.” This usually indicates a magnesium and/or calcium deficiency. It’s impossible to fake this test. (*****my child would smile every time I tapped his cheek! But finally he did not smile and his lip did twitch!)

Magnesium chloride and magnesium citrate are two well-absorbed supplement forms. The only side effect of taking too much magnesium is diarrhea. After all, magnesium is the active ingredient in milk of magnesia! If your child gets diarrhea, stop the supplement for a few days. Then try it again at a lower dose. Supplementing magnesium is a safe, cheap, easy kind of therapy to try. (Children with kidney problems should take magnesium only under their doctor’s close supervision.) "

References
Coleman, M.C. 1979. A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Pyridoxine Administration in a Subgroup of Hyperkinetic Children: A Double-Blind Crossover Comparison with Methylphenidate. Biological Psychiatry. Vol. 14(5), pp.741-751.
Kozielec, T. 1997. Assessment of magnesium levels in children with attent6ion deficit hyperactivity disorder. Magnesium Research. Vol. 10(2), pp. 143-8.
Stratobrat-Hermelin, B. The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Positive reponse to magnesium oral loading test. Magnesium Research. Vol. 10(2), pp. 149-56.
Mousain-Bosc, M. Magnesium Vitamin B6 intake reduces central nervous system hyperexcitability in children. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Vol. 23(5), pp. 545S-548S.
Nobovitsina, O.R. 2006. Effect of MAGNE-B6 on the clinical and biochemical manifestations of the syndrome of attention deficit and hyperactivity in children. Eksp Klin Farmakol. Vol. 69(1), pp. 74-7. In Russian.
Mousain-Bosc, M. 2006. Improvement of neurobehavioral disorders in children supplemented with magnesium-vitamin B6. Magnesium Research. Vol.19(1), pp. 46-52for You.htm

***Update: It seems what the FDA has banned is pyridoxamine (pyr·i·dox·a·mine)
A crystalline amine that is one of several active forms of pyridoxine and is important in protein metabolism. However, if it is an active from of pyridoxine which is what was used in the studies it would make sense that this form would also no longer be availible to purchase. Does this include pyridoxine hydrochloride, or just pyridoxamine? The devil is in the details!
Thoughts?

Hyper Valentines Day!

Just in time for Valentines Day I found a "groovy" link aka new consumer tools from IATP help you avoid foods with synthetic food dyes. I have been playing with it all day looking up everything I have ever eaten! I have also places all the Valentine candy my DS received at school in a safe place so he would not eat it ...... the garbage!

Brain Food Selector

These links are also informative!

Smart Guide to Food Dyes

Have a Happier Valentine's Day

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Stay tuned new post coming soon!

Colors and more colors

Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1. If you guessed paint by numbers instructions try again! Colors of the rainbow? Wrong again! Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1 are food colorings commonly found in foods we eat. Yellow 6 and Yellow 5 are both somewhat controversial food colorings encompassed in a debate as to their potentially harmful effects to children, particularly in relation to behavior modification and ADHD in children.


One particular offender is the very popular meal that usually serves as breakfast and will do in a pinch for dinner as well ~ at least in our household. Cereal! But beware food coloring is not limited to cereal only! It is in pretty much every food you eat unless you shop at specialty stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or shop the health food section of your grocery store. Which more and more popular chain grocery stores are incorporating into their stores.

A recent study posted in the respected British medical journal The Lancet by England’s University of Southampton concluded that there was a correlation between particular combinations of food colors and preservatives in drinks. Due to the results of this study, the British Food Standards Agency to issue an immediate advisory to all parents warning them of the dangers of food coloring in foods.

In April of 2008, the British Guardian newspaper reported that the British Food Standards Agency was pushing further to have several colors removed from production including the colorings sunset yellow (E110), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122), allura red (E129), tatrazine (E102) and ponceau 4R (E124). These can all be found in processed food products here in the US and often found under different names such as: sunset yellow (E110), cyan yellow, color (E110), yellow 6, color (110)

In the Sept 6, 2007 issue of Time Magazine (Time.com), Time Magazine took note of this study and in turn wrote an article on this very subject stating:

“In terms of a question that’s been raging for years, it’s the best study to date — an extremely good study,” says Dr. Philip Shaw, a research psychiatrist in the Child Psychiatry branch of the National Institute of Mental Health.

and further said:

"The Lancet study is the first to nail down a link between artificial ingredients and hyperactivity, though the connection has long been suspected and was the basis for the Feingold Diet, which eliminates all artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives and was popularized in the 1970s as a treatment for ADHD. "

The Center for Science in the Public Interest last summer petitioned the FDA to ban use of the dyes, as well as sodium benzoate, a common preservative that critics also suspect of contributing to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The group is asking the FDA to ban the following eight food dyes: Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, and Yellow 6. These ingredients, primarily derived from petroleum and coal tars, are used in everything from candies to cereals, soft drinks, and snack foods. I personally also ban from out diet anything made with Vanillin - not Vanilla. Notice the difference in spelling. Vanillin is the waste product from paper factories! It is then reformulated to taste like Vanilla! and it is cheaper than Vanilla so it is used in many food products. ADHD children are also affected (behaviorally) to Vanillin. ( The Truth about ADHD and Food Flavorings )

As a mom of a child with ADHD, I eliminated food dyes completely from my sons diet. My house is now a die free, preservative free and hormone fee household. What does this mean? It means that my child does not eat any foods that contain food coloring, preservatives or meat, dairy, fish or poultry that has been treated or feed growth hormones. We also eat organic fruits and vegetables when it make a difference. For example a bananas skin is peeled. To buy organic bananas really do not make much of a difference as you peel the skin where the pesticides lie. Was it difficult? A first. Did I see a change in his behavior? Absolutely!

Something is not quite right..........

My sweet little boy did not start walking until well after he turned 1 year old. I noticed all the other children in our social groups were walking long before my son. But let me tell you when he did start walking, he took off running. I thought for sure he would be a soccer star one day, except for the fact that he had two left feet. But that is another story. My son also was a late talker. However, when he did decide to grace me with his speech, not only did he talk but he could read! Constantly on my boy was, as if someone had installed a battery pack in him.

All sorts of concerns raced through my head. That something was not quite right. We all have those worries and concerns about our children from the day they are conceived and growing in our bellies. Will they be okay? Will they have all their fingers and toes? Thankfully, my son has all of his body parts in working order, well pretty much everything. My son has ADHD and his brain runs a little funny sometimes. While ADHD is not the end all be all, there are worse things. It most certainly is a challenge!

I am a single mom to my darling 6 year old son. My son is actually what they call "Twice Exceptional". My son has ADHD and is also blessed with a very high IQ. This presents another challenge because he is functioning on a higher level than most children of the same age educationally, but he is really lagging emotional. So basically he is really smart, but really immature and lacking social skills. I choose not to medicate my son, however I have not completely ruled it out in the future. But for now we are happy with what we are doing to help him. Which is behavior modification, healthy eating and natural supplements.

The purpose of my blog (at least for now) if to connect with other moms who have children with ADHD. To share and compare what works and what doesn't and sometimes just to vent. So sit back, enjoy, respond but most of all welcome to my new blog!