Two resent studies identified new genetic variants that influence the risk of obesity and insulin resistance. People who are insulin resistant and obese are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The study in the UK looked at data from nearly 17,000 people of European descent. The research team led by Dr. Ruth J. F. Loos, from Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge confirmed prior research linking variants in the FTO gene with obesity. They also found genetic variants near the MC4R gene were strongly associated... more

As I read the article about treating severe depression with deep brain stimulation (DBS), I couldn’t help but wonder if it might offer hope for other disorders. Could it possibly help severe cases of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), too. Originally used to treat people with Parkinson’s disease, researchers found that 50 percent of those treated with DBS also showed a reduction in depression symptoms. Requiring a minimally invasive surgical procedure, deep brain stimulation is achieved by the placement... more

A new study is indicating that more than half of mothers are declining their doctors’ offers and the government’s guidelines to vaccinate their young daughters, those under 13 years, with Gardasil. The vaccine known as Gardasil offers protection for women against the human papillomavirus (HPV.) The FDA approved the Gardasil vaccine in 2006 for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. It is the primary cause of cervical cancer. The U.S. Center for Disease... more

If you haven’t already made your summer camp reservations for your children then you had better get started. Many of the best summer camps are already filled up for prime weeks and placing children on waiting lists, incase someone cancels. Some of the specialty camps may only offer one or two weeks to choose from over the entire summer making those spots more difficult to come by. Recently, I came across a list of summer camps available throughout the continental United States for children and adults with communication disorders.... more

A panic attack is defined as suddenly feeling intense fear that develops for no apparent reason and triggers severe physical reactions. Some people feel like they are having a heart attack or possibly dying during a panic attack. Certainly, there is fear in losing control. They can make your heart pound, cause dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath. While a panic attack would be frightening for anyone, it must be terrifying for a child. A child just placed with an adoptive or foster family probably... more

I’ve been missing-in-action for a few weeks. And today I’m blogging just to say my farewells. After 27 months of being an Adoptionblogs blogger, I’m hanging up my keyboard. It’s been a marvelous experience. After more than two years of daily blogging about parenting children with special needs, I’ve covered many of the topics we all face daily. We’ve talked about a lot of things, from specific disabilities and interventions to the commonality in the struggles all children with disabilities face to the need for strong advocacy for our children in schools, the medical... more

If you read one book about parenting special needs children this year...this one is IT! The Elephant in the Playroom is a compilation of essays written by parents of children with special needs, and eloquently compiled by Denise Brodey, editor in chief of Fitness magazine, and mom to a son with sensory integration dysfunction. Ms Brodey has captured the very essence of life as the parent of a “special” kid. I found myself laughing, crying and furiously... more

Many parts of the body are affected by Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Infants affected with this syndrome are considerably larger than normal. Technically, it is referred to as macrosomia. Beckwith-Wiedemann is classified as an overgrowth syndrome. Children who are diagnosed with this syndrome continue to grow and gain weight at an unusual rate during childhood. By the time these children reach the age of eight years, their growth begins to slow down. As they reach adulthood, their height should be comparable... more

Malaria can be deadly. Biting mosquitoes spread it and more than 1 million people, mostly children, die from Malaria each year. Malaria is preventable and it is treatable. Unfortunately, many areas that are affected by Malaria are impoverished. Therefore, the people do not have access to the medicines or tools to keep themselves and their families safe. Malaria is endemic in more than 100 countries and territories. World Malaria Day, April 25, hopes to build awareness to help put a stop to malaria... more

I just commented on one of Marie’s blogs last week about this, “It's Not Always About Adoption!” I confessed to Marie that after 14 years of foster care and adoption I sometimes still cannot tell the difference between an adoption issue and a child issue. I made the wrong call today, a couple of times. Bring out the crow; I’ll eat it for supper. My 10-year-old daughter, adopted in November, was having quite a day. I thought her behavior was passive aggressive. Yup, I thought she was... more