Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, we can get so caught up in  travel plans and preparing the meal that we often forget what Thanksgiving is all about.  Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on the things that we are grateful for.  Here are some ideas to help instill a sense of gratitude in your children (and some ways to keep them busy while the turkey is roasting…)

Thankful Placemats

Gather up your old magazines and family photos, markers, crayons, and even glitter if you’re brave.  Let your children choose their favorite color of rectangular construction paper. Then challenge your kids to make a collage with cut-outs, photos and drawings of all the things they are grateful for.   When they are done,  laminate their masterpieces so they can be used as place mats for Thanksgiving in years to come.

The Gratitude Book

Get a blank book such as a scrapbook or journal and  list each family member on a two page spread. Then ask each family member to write something at least three things about each person that they appreciate.  This could be anything from helping them with  homework to making them laugh.  This book is something that can be left out on the coffee table and added to all year round.

Toss the Birdie Game
Simply decorate a badminton shuttlecock with permanent marker, as shown.
Have someone toss the Birdie of Gratitude to someone else; as each person catches it, he names something that he is grateful for then tosses it to another player. (Variation: Name something you are appreciate about the person who is catching the Birdie, then toss it to another player and do the same)

“I’m Thankful” Game
“I’m thankful” game. Before eating the thanksgiving feast, go around the table listing things alphabetically that you are thankful for.   “I’m thankful for __ (something that starts with A). The next person continues by giving thanks for something that starts with B. Go around the table and see how far you can get in the alphabet.

Thanksgiving Coloring Page

Have your children color and complete this Thanksgiving coloring page of Zac and Maddie, the character’s in How Zac Got His Z’s:  A Guide to Getting Rid of Nightmares. Happy Thanksgiving! 

I’m a big fan of M&M’s and used to have an M&M dispenser in my office. I would reward children with a handful of candy after  a particularly good session. That is until I learned about the association between ADHD and food dyes. Until fairly recently, I was pretty skeptical about the relationship between food and ADHD.  However, a couple of things came to my attention and I knew I simply had to learn more about this issue.  Not long ago a friend of mine from high school shared a post on facebook regarding her son, who was struggling with ADHD-like symptoms for years.  Someone suggested it may be due to an allergy to food dyes, which prompted her to do some research and to begin an elimination diet.  She reported a dramatic improvement, similar to what I often see when a child begins medication for ADHD.  After reading her post, I began recommending that my clients try an elimination diet as well.  While many clients did report improvement, I must admit that I stopped recommending it for no other reason than than I simply forgot.  Fast forward to March 30, 2011 when I learned that the FDA was holding hearings to determine if there is a link between food dyes and adverse behaviors.  The issue was getting a lot of attention in the media so I began educating myself.  Some of what I learned was truly shocking! For instance, did you know that the British Food Standards Agency and the European Food Safety Agency have imposed warning labels on foods that contain dyes?  So much so that some American-made products sold overseas no longer contain food dyes, while these same products still contain food dyes in the states!  Companies such as Kraft, Coca-Cola and Walmart have removed dyes from foods that they distribute in the UK! Mars has eliminated some or all of the dyes from its Starburst Chews, Skittles, and M&M’s in Britain, but not in the US. In the UK, McDonald’s vanilla syrup  for milkshakes, strawberry syrup for milk shakes, and strawberry sauce for sundaes are colored with caramelized sugar and caramel coloring, beetroot juice concentrate, and actual strawberries, respectively; however in the United States, the same foods are colored with Yellows 5 and 6, Red 40, and Red 40, respectively.It seems there must be something to this whole food dyes thing if this is the case. What exactly is the issue?

Photo from allergy.com

For starters, most food dyes are petroleum derivatives and contain lead, mercury, and arsenic. There is absolutely NO nutritional value in these dyes. Food dyes are in more than just candy. They can also be found in bagels, pickles, BBQ sauce, ketchup, macaroni and cheese, beverages,  cheese, soft drinks, chips, crackers, gelatins, frozen desserts, breakfast cereals, and more.

The changes made overseas were prompted by a 2007 in-depth study known as the Southampton study.  Researchers found evidence of increased hyperactivity in children after they consumed a cocktail of artificial food colors and sodium benzoate, a preservative found in many candies and soft drinks. In this study of 153 three-year-olds and 144 eight-year-olds, the children’s families were asked to put them on a diet free from the additives used in the study. Over a six-week period the children were then given a drink each day which either contained one of two mixtures of food colours and benzoate preservative, or just fruit juice – with all the drinks looking and tasting identical.  Parents noticed a marked increase in hyperactivity- some within an hour after consumption. While some question the study as not all observers noted a significant change and it was difficult to determine which dye was the culprit, there was still enough compelling evidence to prompt legislative change. In July 2008, the EU decided that it would require manufacturers to label foods containing the six colors with the following warning: ‘May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.’”

After two days of hearings, the FDA did not come to the same conclusion. In a close 8 to 6 vote, the committee decided against warning labels and in a vote of 13-1, decided that additional studies are necessary to prove that the dyes cause hyperactivity in children who don’t have ADHD. However, the FDA did state that ‘For certain susceptible children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and other problem behaviors, however, the data suggest that their condition may be exacerbated by exposure to a number of substances in food, including, but not limited to, synthetic color additives.’

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

RED #40 or ALLURA RED: The most widely used food dye in the U.S. Found in Frito-Lay products; some Yoplait products; JELL-O Gelatin desserts; Quaker Instant Oatmeal; Trix; Froot-Loops; Apple Jacks; some Pop-Tart products; Kid Cuisine Kung Fu Panda products; Oscar Mayer Lunchables products; Hostess Twinkies; some Pillsbury rolls and frostings; some Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines frostings; and more

RED #3 or CARMOISINE: Only found in a few products. Candy, popsicles, cake decoration and other baked goods, maraschino cherries

YELLOW #3 or TARTAZINE: The second most widely used food dye.  Found in Nabisco Cheese Nips Four Cheese; Frito-Lay Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar and other Frito-Lay products; some Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding products; Lucky Charms; Eggo waffles and other waffle products; some Pop-Tarts products; various Kraft macaroni and cheese products; Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper and other products

YELLOW #5 or SUNSET YELLOW: The third most widely used food dye. Found in Frito-Lay Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Crunchy and other Frito-Lay products; Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-ups; some JELL-O gelatin deserts and instant puddings; Fruity Cheerios; Trix; some Eggo waffle products; some Kid Cuisine Kung Fu Panda products; some Kraft macaroni and cheese dinners; some Betty Crocker frostings; some M&M’s and Skittles candies; Sunkist Orange Soda; Fanta Orang

BLUE#1 or BRILLIANT BLUE- Frito-Lay Sun Chips French Onion and other Frito-Lay products; some Yoplait products; some JELL-O dessert products; Fruity Cheerios; Trix; Froot-Loops; Apple Jacks; Quaker Cap’N Crunch’s Crunch Berries; some Pop-Tarts products; some Oscar Mayer Lunchables; Duncan Hines Whipped Frosting Chocolate; Edy’s ice cream products; Skittles candies; Jolly Ranchers Screaming Sours Soft & Chew Candy; Eclipse gum; Fanta Grape

BLUE #2 or INDIGOTINE-Found in Froot-Loops; Post Fruity Pebbles; Pop-Tarts products; Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Strawberry Supreme Premium Cake Mix; Betty Crocker Frosting Rich & Creamy Cherry; M&M’s Milk Chocolate Candies; M&M’s Milk Chocolate Peanut Candies; Wonka Nerds Grape/Strawberry; pet foods

GREEN #3 or FAST GREEN FCF Rarely used . Found in canned peas, vegetables, fish, desserts, cotton candy and other candy

Now what? The jury is still out on food dyes- at least in the United States.  Since they don’t add any nutritional value and there is a good chance they contribute to behavior problems, why not try eliminating dyes from your diet?  Commit to a 30-day diet without any artificial colorings — for both children and adults. Start by sweeping clean your kitchen cupboards, pantry, and refrigerator. Get the kids involved in this process and make it a family project. Then, when you go grocery shopping you can make it a game with the children.  Ask them to help you read the labels. Generally speaking, if you can’t pronounce it on the label, it’s probably best to not add it to your shopping cart.  I now recommend to all clients that I suspect might have ADHD, and have heard lots of positive feedback.  Would love to hear your feedback too-feel free to post comments!

To: Mom and Dad
From: Me

1. Don’t spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all that I ask for. I’m only testing you.

2. Don’t be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it. It lets me know where I stand.

3. Don’t use force with me. It teaches me that power is all that counts. I will respond more readily to being led.

4. Don’t be inconsistent. That confuses me and makes me try harder to get away with everything that I can.

5. Don’t make promises; you may not be able to keep them. That will discourage my trust in you.

6. Don’t fall for my provocations when I say and do things just to upset you. Then I’ll tyr for more such “victories”.

7. Don’t be too upset when I say “I hate you”. I don’t mean it, but I want you to feel sorry for what you have done to me.

8. Don’t make me feel smaller than I am. I will make up for it by behaving like a “big shot”.

9. Don’t do things for me that I can do for myself. It makes me feel liek a baby, and I may continue to put you in my service.

10. Don’t let my “bad habits” get me a lot of your attention. It only encourages me to continue them.

11. Don’t correct me in front of people. I’ll take much more notice if you talk quietly with me in private.

12. Don’t try to discuss my behavior in the host of conflict. For some reason my hearing is not very good at this time, and my cooperation is even worse. It is all right to take the action required, but let’s not talk about it until later.

13. Don’t try to preach to me. You’d be surprised how well I know what’s right and wrong.

14. Don’t make me feel that my mistakes are sins. I have to learn to make mistakes without feeling I am no good.

15. Don’t nag. If you do, I shall have to protect myself by appearing deaf.

Adapted from The King’s Business Magazine published by the Bible Institute of California

Last week, the American Heart Association (AHA) announced a recommendation that will affect the way children and teens with ADHD who are either taking stimulant medication or who are thinking of getting started on stimulant medication. The AHA believes that children and teens with ADHD should receive a careful heart evaluation, including an electrocardiogram (ECG), before they begin taking any of the stimulant drugs commonly prescribed to treat ADHD.

Studies have shown that these medications can increase heart rate and blood pressure. While these adverse effects are generally insignificant for most children with ADHD, they become important to consider when a child or teen has a heart condition. In a study done by the AHA, up to 2 percent of healthy school aged children had potentially serious undiagnosed cardiac conditions identified by an ECG. Certain heart conditions increase the risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD), which can occur when the heart rhythm becomes erratic and doesn’t pump blood through the body.

Data from the Food and Drug Administration showed that between 1999 and 2004, 19 children taking ADHD medications died suddenly and 26 children experienced cardiovascular events such as strokes, cardiac arrests, and heart palpitations. For the past year, the FDA has required all manufacturers of drug products approved for ADHD treatment to develop Medication Guidelines to alert patients to possible cardiovascular risks.

“After ADHD is diagnosed, but before therapy with a stimulant or other medication is begun, we suggest that an ECG be added to the pre-treatment evaluation to increase the likelihood of identifying cardiac conditions that may place the child at risk for sudden death,” said Victoria L. Vetter, M.D., head of the statement writing committee and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

The medical workup currently done by pediatric and psychiatric practitioners who are prescribing stimulant medications for children and teens with ADHD includes a screen for cardiac disease, although the medical workup is often not as extensive as suggested by the AHA. ECG is not a standard evaluative tool administered by physicians before prescribing stimulant medications. However, the AHA found using ECG screening in this specific population of ADHD children and teens is medically indicated and reasonably priced.

Vetter also said doctors should evaluate children and adolescents already taking these medications if they were not evaluated when they started the treatment. Those with known or suspected heart conditions should be routinely monitored by their physician for side effects related to taking stimulant medication. This can mean a simple, routine blood pressure and heart rate check.

Children who are suspected of having heart problems after the screening evaluation is done by their pediatrician or psychiatrist should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist to get clearance for using a stimulant. Once stimulant treatment begins, these at risk children should have their heart health monitored periodically, with a blood pressure check within one to three months, then again at routine follow-ups every six to 12 months.

“While we feel that an ECG is reasonable and helpful as a tool to identify children with cardiac conditions that can lead to SCD, if, in the view of their physician, a child requires immediate treatment with stimulant medications, this recommendation is not meant to keep them from getting that treatment,” said Vetter, who added that some children may not have access to a pediatric cardiologist who can evaluate an ECG or perform a cardiology consultation.

The statement writing committee of the ADHD said its recommendations were not intended to limit the appropriate use of stimulants in children with ADHD. Their intention was to provide the physician with some tools to help identify heart conditions in children with ADHD and help them make decisions about the use of stimulant medicaitons. The goal of the committee was to reduce cardiac risk of stimulant products in susceptible children.

For more information see the link below.

So how does this relate to self-esteem? We all have the voices of the judges inside our heads. Unfortunately, some of us have far too much of the hyper-critical Simon and far too little of the sensitive and caring Paula. Even less of us have the sensible and realistic Randy. Every time we make negative comments to ourselves ( “I’m fat”, “I’m not good enough”) we are channeling Simon. Would we ever talk to the contestants with the same disdain that Simon uses? Then why is it okay to talk to ourselves that way? How often to we channel Paula? If we could learn to talk back to our inner-Simon the same way that Paula does- to tell him to shut up and stop being so negative, this would do wonders for our self-esteem. If we could learn to be more like Randy- to be realistic yet kind- we would feel better about our selves. The next time your inner-Simon says “I’m such a loser”, let your inner-Randy talk back and say “I made a mistake but I will learn from this” or let your inner-Paula find the good in what you’ve done (“You tried really hard and deserve credit for trying”)

Pay attention to the American Idol judges in your head. Simon Cowell might help Fox get the ratings but he doesn’t help your self-esteem. Talk back to your inner-Simon!