Lately I’ve been finding benefits from taking 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan). I was contacted by a fellow adoptive mom who has done extensive research on biomedical alternatives for her children about a study showing 5HTP as being helpful for weight loss in women. This study was of obese women who lost significant weight by taking high doses of 5HTP.

As my middle age, stress-related pudge was continuing to grow, I was intrigued.... more

Have you ever wondered about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? Which childhood special needs or diseases are treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? How does a child with medical special needs get accepted to the hospital? Where do families stay when they have a sick child at the hospital? Is it expensive? Frequently when I’m researching a medical condition or a treatment I’ll look on the St. Jude website. That is what made me curious about the children they provide treatment to and I thought you might be curious as well.

The late entertainer Danny... more

New research just released from Denver found that children on the autism spectrum who had 40 sessions in a mild hyperbaric oxygen chamber (mHBOT) had significant language gains compared to a control group.

This research, led by Dr. Dan Rossignol, found that not only did HBOT help with language issues, but also with sleep and intestinal issues. Rossignol has been researching the use of HBOT to improve the lives of autistic children for some time. The hypothesis of why... more

Here in Michigan we seem to be seeing a lot of ticks this year and not just outside. We have found them crawling around the house and through the dirty laundry. I nearly freaked when I was combing the 4-year-old’s hair and the comb became stuck on a big black tick that was fastened to her scalp. Luckily, those aren’t the ticks that carry Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected deer ticks, which are typically smaller than dog ticks... more

Are you thinking about parenting an older child or a teenager from the foster care system? Then be prepared to talk openly about sex and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teenagers in foster care are more likely than their peers to be sexually active are and less likely to use protection.

Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum and is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Often called “the great imitator,” syphilis is sometimes indistinguishable from other diseases, because of the many common signs and symptoms.

There were over 32,000 cases of syphilis... more

One of the many challenges of adopting an older child, especially a teenager, is to talk openly about sex and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teenagers that have been in foster care are more likely to be sexually active than their peers are and less likely to use protection.

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, provide ideal environments for the bacteria to... more

If you are adopting a teenager or you already have, you need to be prepared to speak openly about sex and sexually transmitted diseases. You need to know about the potential risk of disease, so you can share this information with your teenager. That is because teenagers in foster care are more likely to be sexually active than their peers are and less likely to use protection. While they may want to please you, chances are they will not stop this risky behavior just because you adopted them.

Approximately 6.2... more

Considering adopting an older child or a teenager from the foster care system? Then you need to be prepared to talk to your teenager about sex and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teenagers in foster care are more likely to be sexually active than their peers are and less likely to use protection.

A common STD, which is caused by bacteria, is Chlamydia. Any person, male or female, can contract Chlamydia by having sexual contact with an infected person. There may be no symptoms to indicate an infection. Symptoms that may occur are a burning feeling during urination or... more

If you are considering adopting an older child, especially a teenager, be prepared to talk openly about sex and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teenagers in foster care are more likely to be sexually active than their peers are and less likely to use protection. One out of every four female Americans over the age of 12 is infected with the Herpes Virus. At least 45 million Americans, or one out of every five people over 12 years, have this sexually transmitted disease.... more

A healthy diet that includes fruit rich in vitamin C and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids could help control asthma symptoms in your teenager. But, how will you convince your teenager to eat these healthy foods? In a study, involving 2000 twelfth grade students from around the U.S. and Canada, 86 percent didn't eat their five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

The study lasted about a year, during which time the researchers asked... more