In April I shared some information with you that I learned at the dentist office and the pediatric office. First, the dentist suggested that I have some of my children assessed for tonsillectomies for multiple reasons. The dentist had actually seen children with straight teeth just a few months after their tonsillectomies, who previously were candidates for orthodontics. In addition, the children were mouth breathing, which causes calcification,... more

An exciting story in HealthDay News by Krisha McCoy on Monday, June 25, 2007 caught my eye immediately. Scientists have actually found a way to reverse the symptoms of autism and mental retardation. Ok, it was only in mice, but isn’t that usually the first step. It didn’t even involve any radical surgery, just inhibiting a certain enzyme.

The enzyme that was inhibited affects the number, size, and shape of the connections between neurons and the brain and... more

I vacillated for weeks before we went to family camp about whether we would take the nine year old with us or use respite care for her that week. I am always willing to provide respite care for the children of other families, but rarely am I able to convince myself to use it. I struggle with good parent versus bad parent syndrome whenever I consider not taking one of my children on a family outing.

This was supposed to be my week of vacation and I really needed time to relax whether on the beach or in our rented cottage. The... more

I always knew that I didn’t like mice sneaking into the house although they seem to do it every year when snow comes, looking for warmth and food. However, I didn’t know that they could make your family sick and cause pregnant women to miscarry. Rats and mice can cause more than 35 diseases, worldwide.

One virus that rodents may carry called LCMV (Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus) can cause severe birth defects such as hydrocephalus, psychomotor retardation,... more

Our very good friends, who also have a large family, adopted two boys with Down syndrome, each at birth, through private adoption. The boys have different birth families, one was a local teenager, and one was through interstate adoption. As I watch the boys grow and mature, I ‘m frequently surprised by the differences in their development, neither is considered to be Mosaic Down syndrome. This re-enforces for me, that a diagnosis at birth, doesn’t guarantee a child’s long-term abilities, each... more

LuLu carries both Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder in her alphabet soup of labels. Some doctors label the ODD more as Intermittent Explosive Disorder, but regardless of what you call it, the combination is deadly.

LuLu gets stuck, so stuck that if you try to dissuade her she becomes increasingly agitated until she explodes. Or if you try to ignore her she persists on with incredible defiance. If you try to reason with her…well she usually ends up raging then too, or engaging you in an endless game of “Let’s Make a... more

One of the most apparent, most chronic, and sometimes most frustrating symptoms that LuLu exhibits is “getting stuck”. She is always stuck on something. Oddly enough, most of the things change periodically. Although her obsession with all things medical and with bugs have been life-long.

Her latest obsession is Lion King. And a major part of the obsession is Mufasa (Simba’s father). She wants everyone to call her Mufasa. This has become a bone of contention, mostly for Super Dad. At first I tried to discourage... more

What do you think that little smirk on my teenage daughter’s face means? I have to admit that I find it very annoying. I see it whenever I am trying to explain something to her, especially if what she did, was not appropriate.

Does it mean that instead of listening to me, she is thinking happy thoughts in her mind? Like the TV commercial with a smiling driver, who can only hear a favorite radio station, while being chewed out by a traffic officer. Perhaps she is thinking, “I’d really like to slap my mom,” and that makes her smile.... more

Nissen fundoplication is the final option, after medications haven’t worked, for controlling severe Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease(GERD). Reflux involves formula and stomach juices sloshing up into the esophagus. Reflux can make the baby spit up frequently, irritating the esophagus and if left untreated can result in esophageal cancer. Reflux can also cause apnea and cause formula and stomach juices to go into the baby’s lungs, which can cause lung damage.

Nissen fundoplication... more

LuLu has started a daily neurodevelopmental/sensory integration program called Learning Breakthrough. Billed as a powerful at-home learning aid, we chose this particular program at this juncture for a not very scientific reason: a school we’re interested in for LuLu was offering it this summer at a very reasonable price. So we thought it was a good way to get to know the school personnel better.

Learning Breakthrough is based on solid sensory integration theory and uses balance... more