==================================================
The ADD / ADHD GAZETTE
Knocking down the walls of ignorance

Gail Miller
==================================================

*** ISSUE #5 ***

The ADD / ADHD GAZETTE. A FREE online ezine all about
the issues surrounding ADD / ADHD and co-morbid conditions
and syndromes. Authors' veiws are not necessarily the
views of The ADD / ADHD Gazette.


=====Sponsor===========================================

The Mental Health Matters Newsletter
-----------------------------------------------------
Mental Health Matters!
The User-friendly Mental Health Directory
FREE search Service available.
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/

=======================================================


IN THIS ISSUE:

#1 -- NEWS & VIEWS

#2 -- ARTICLES
IS THERE A DANGER IN 'NATURAL' PRODUCTS?
ADHD at BK!

#3 -- LETTER FROM GAIL

#4 -- RESOURCES

===================================================
The ADD / ADHD Gazette requires letters, articles etc.
for possible publication, and SWAP-ADS with other
health ezines are welcomed.

Subscribers' email addresses wil NOT be passed to a third party
==================================================

# 1 News & Views

Dear Gail,
I am involved with ADHD and have some information to anyone
interested. I have a peer-reviewed clinical study out of
"PROCEEDINGS" an institute on medical research mentioning
the benefits of the introduction of GLYCONUTRITIONALS in
helping ADD/ADHD sufferers. Could I please inform readers
about my web site where they can learn a little more.I can
also send anybody interested the peer-reviewed clinical
study done regarding ADD/ADHD just for the asking.
http://www.mannapages.com/quickandhardy Thanks, Phillip.

---------------------------------------------------------

It was reported this month that a London comprehensive
school with nearly 2,000 has not permanently expelled
any pupils for three years. The school, Langdon Comp's
headteacher, Vanessa Wiseman, said that 10 years ago
the school was expelling pupils on average once every
3 weeks. But this has changed since the emphasis has
been finding workable alternatives to just excluding
disruptive kids. Their new policy, which still has
automatic expulsion for such acts as selling drugs for
example, strives to avoid expelling pupils, instead
developing a range of support services. This support
prevents incidents turning into confrontations. The
headteacher said that pupils find this new process of
corrective measures more difficult than a simple threat
of exclusion every time.

Now consultation between parents and teachers is
used to try to find ways of stopping disruptive
behaviour. This, along with an influx of specialist
support workers alleviates many of the problems of
EBD children. There has also been brought in a 'school
council' to encourage parents and pupils to have a
greater involvement with the school. The school still
doesn't tolerate bad behaviour, however, the setting
up of effective sanctions and using support staff has
been very successful and effective. The school & LEA
were highlighted in a recent conference
" An Inclusive Approach to Difficult Behaviour"

==========================================================

#2: Is there a danger in 'natural' preparations?

It has been reported recently that some of the 'natural'
prepareations being used to combat ADHD symptoms could
genetically damage sperm or even cause infertility.
Anyone thinking that herbs and other dietary supplements
which are advertised as natural, assuming they are
completely safe, should be made aware that many
prescription drugs were derived from some of the herbs
widely sold in health-food stores and supermarkets
these days. Therefore these preparations can have
dramatic side effects.

A study by researchers at Loma Linda University suggests
that St John,s Wort, ginkgo and achinacea could have
side effects causing conception difficulties. There was
also concern about genetic damage to sperm, therefore
raising the question of whether this could have long
term implications for unborn children.

Although test-tube studies of this kind do not show
complete proof that these herbs cause ACTUAL damage,
nobody has ever done research on herb users to
determine whether the products concentrate in their
sperm or eggs which is the key to showing a risk to
future offspring. Alan H. DeCherney, editor of
Fertility and Sterility, which published the study
said "This is a very important study that could provide
important information to those suffering from infertility".

This research reinforces warnings given to couples who
are asked to avoid certain 'natural' products while
trying to conceive. Often, when the word natural is
used to describe a product, it is immediately believed
to be 'good', however some of these herbal preparations
now being questioned, actually contain hormones like
estrogen that can also have implications on fertility.

The Loma Linda researchers, who tell us that some
herbs have been used for centuries to cause abortions,
did experiments on four herbs in relation to fertility.
Out of St. John's wort, (which treats mild depression)
ginkgo, (a purported memory enhancer) echinacea, (which
is thought to strengthen the immune system) and saw
palmetto, (used to treat men's enlarged prostates)only
saw palmetto did not damage eggs or sperm.

St. John's wort was the worst culprit, completely
blocking sperm's ability to penetrate eggs. Ginkgo and
echinacea both reduced ability. Doses of the herbs in
question were a fraction of recommended doses on labels
of herbs already on sale. However, at present it is not
known whether these herbs when swallowed end up in a
woman's eggs or a man's sperm.

What this research showed is that although there is a
high degree of willingness to take natural supplements
these days, there is still very little scientific
research to show if these products are completely safe.

=========================================================

ADHD at BK!!!

As it was school holidays this week, we decided (misguidedly)
to take the kids out to the burger bar one day. Eleanor, 4,
is always OK whenever we take her anywhere and is an absolute
credit to us, but George, 12, well ....... It is well known
by parents of ADHD kids that trips to McD’s or BK’s usually
only last 3 minutes on average. Why?

Family walks in to burger bar. Hyper kid goes charging
round, knocking the bucket with the soapy water and wet
mop in it all over the floor. Parent cringes with
embarassement and smiles appologetically to the other
customers. Child then switches the TV on and off repeatedly,
as other customers start to tut at each other and give
those looks we parents know so well! Parent starts to
get aggitated and goes to retreive kid, who by this time
has his head wedged under a refrigeration unit! After
forcibly removing said child, parent then scolds “Sit in
the corner Johnny”.

“****off Dick ’ed!” comes the screaching reply,
followed by hysterical laughter. Parent then grabs
ADHD child by the NECK and storms out. This usually
takes approximately 2 minutes 24 and a half seconds.

Sound familiar?

Anyway, as my husband was at home with me this
particular day, we decided to take the risk, and why
should Eleanor miss out because of George? We set off,
but by the time we got there the atmosphere was already
highly charged because George had insisted on flicking
Eleanor’s ear, poking her, and pulling his tongue out
at her in a disgusting sexual sort of way that is really
starting to disgust us, in the back of the car all the
way there. George of course, never takes responsibility
for the upset he causes. He vividly expresses his opinion
(expletives deleted) of how we make *his* life a misery. Ha!

We enter BK, Eleanor all smiles again and George scowling
and muttering under his breath. He of course doesn’t want
to sit at any of the tables I suggest.

“What do you want George?” hubby asks.
“A Whopper, no a Flamer - no a Whopper.”
“Well which one?!?!?”
“ A Flamer .......... no a Whopper.”
As hubby walks off to the counter, George calls after him,
“No, chicken nuggets!”

This of course, now only gives hubby a 1 in 3 chance of
getting the product George *actually* wants. As he
returns to the table George’s face drops as he sees he
has been bought a Whopper. The rest of the meal is spent
trying to stop George from metaphorically running amok.
He repeatedly pinches the little toy figure Eleanor got
with her meal, opens salt packets and makes patterns on
the table with the contents, mutters and scowls when he
is corrected or admonished. The embarassement factor
eventually beat us and we ended up walking out after
grabbing everything we could salvage and packing it
into Ellie’s child’s meal box. Oh happy days!

====================================================

#4 Resources

RAISING YOUR SPIRITED CHILD: A Guide for Parents Whose
Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent
& Energetic by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
The “strong-willed” or "difficult" child can easily
overwhelm parents, leaving them feeling impotent,
inadequate and frustrated. More intense, persistent,
perceptive, and uncomfortable with change, these children
can challenge any parent. Here, a refreshingly positive
viewpoint, offers parents strategies and emotional support
in bringing up their ‘spirited’ child.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060923288/theaddadhdgaze

PsychNet-UK ~ Your complete health and medical resource.
http://www.psychnet-uk.com

A SELECTION OF MEDICAL TREATMENTS for ADD and ADHD can be
found at http://www.addictions.net/treatmen.htm

REDIRECTING CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOUR - The awesome class
being taught all over the world is now available as a home course
with a 2 hour video and workbook. Further details at
http://www.theparentingnetwork.com/162.htm

HOLLIS HEALTH QUESTION AND ANSWER SITE
http://www.myfreeoffice.com/hollishealth/hollishealth.html
This page is for you and your health concerns. Any subject.
Do you or someone you know have a health problem that you
would like to discuss or find a soloution for? Ask your
questions via email and get a private reply. Hosted by
a certifired crisis counsellor, a wife, mother and
grandmother of 5. "I have researched Ritalin, Cylert and
other drugs, have their surprising history,I have a
PHYSICIANS DECK REFERENCE! I have success stories from
the use of Alternatives and horror stories of the
effects of the drugs."

FUNDING INFORMATION. For our British Support group readers,
I have found two valuable sites which can point you in
the direction of gaining funding for various projects.
They are; FUNDERS ON LINE http://www.fundersonline.org/
And UK FUNDRAISING http://www.fundraising.co.uk/

Subscriber Diana Dyer, MS, RD a Nutrition and Cancer
Consultant and Author and Publisher of "A Dietitian's
Cancer Story" has an excellent website at
http://www.dianadyermsrd.com Anyone with an interest
in diet and nutrition should check this out.

Explode your Profit Today! "How to Produce a Successful
Ezine" is a free e-book it has the following valuable
information:
-200 sites where you can place information on your ezine.
-175 authors who want to swap ads
-Tips on layout, best software for distribution, the easy way.
-600+ marketing ezines list ~~~ You can sell it, give it away
as a bonus or whatever you want, that's your choice. Mail
to mailto:paule@... with "e-book" in subject

Marketing On the Internet Serving ambitious
Internet marketers. Information/Tips/Trivia/Jokes/
Marketing/Health/Home/Etc.
Introducing The Crafters Showcase
Sell your crafts/art ? ??? FREE Links on our website
Something for everyone. FREE ad swaps
To subscribe: mailto:moinetnews2@...

===========================================================

This newsletter is transmitted by subscription ONLY & sent
out only to those who have requested it. Email addresses
will NEVER be passed on to a third party. If you have enjoyed
this newsletter please forward it to a few of your friends.

To subscribe send email to gailmiller@... with
subscribe ADHD in body of message. To unsubscribe send email
with unsubscribe ADHD in body of message

===============================================

LINKS
If you have a website and are looking for links. I am happy to
add a reciprical link to The ADHD (UK) Website. Take a look
at my site at http://www.gailmiller.clara.net and email me if
you would like to swap links

===============================================

SEE YA NEXT TIME ...............
Gail Miller 1999 gailmiller@...