The Hug Nurse

I have worked in Pediatric clinics for the last 15 years.  I have seen medications like Adderall, Ritalin, Seroquel, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Paxil given to children often.  I do belief there are times that these form of medication may be needed but I think they are given out way to much.  I think even as adults we tend to turn to these drugs quickly.

I have to say that I feel like there where many many times I have felt like parents brought their child to the office because they just wanted their children to just behave and that lots of parents just wanted the easy way out, and sometimes they felt like it was just to hard.  Parenting is hard and a full time job and definitely some children are harder than others but are drugs really the answer.

ABC’s 20/20 did a show on foster children being put on many of these drugs, lots of times more than one at the same time.  These children said these drugs made them  feel not normal,  like a zombie, they felt heavy and irritable. Their stomachs hurt and they did not want to eat. Even these children realized that these were not good for them and that there had to be a better way.

I think we have to remember that these drugs are considered potent, mind altering they change their brain chemistry.   It changes who they are as far as how they feel, think and act.

I thing it is very important to do your research and check out other options  but time is limited and its hard when your life is full with family and work.

One thing I can tell you I talked a lot about while working pediatrics is constipation!!  Not a day would go by with out parents calling about their kiddos pooping issues.

Let me say that not everyone poops everyday and that goes for children too.  You are considered constipated if your stools are hard balls or thick like peanut butter.  It is so normal for babies  to strain and turn red in the face.  If their stools are soft and they strain its ok

Here is something to think about if you have a child who complains of stomach pain, has a decreased appetite and  has stool accidents. A word some parents may never of heard of.  Encopresis.  Lots of times the reason this happens is that maybe they are a little constipated, their stools are a little hard and when they try to poop it hurts so they end up holding it.  Over time that can cause them to be  full of poop,  they have hard stool in their colon and they can’t get it out so they have a back up.  The stool behind the hard stool squeezes out around it  and can cause them to have accidents and lots of time that stool can be soft even like diarrhea. They are not doing this on purpose, lots of the time they do no even know.

Do not instantly think they are to lazy or to busy playing.  Easy way to find out is an x-ray of there stomach specifically looking at how full they are.  There are easy solutions to this.  Mira lax over the counter being one we used all the time but it has to be given over several months to clean them out completely.

So the Fox channel has a new show out called I Hate My Teenage Daughter.  The first time I heard this I have to say I was completely disgusted.  The more I think about it it truly makes me sick.

This is a statement that NO child should ever hear out a parents mouth.  Like Dr Phil says there is pivotal moments in everyone’s life who defines who they are and I definitely think this qualifies as one.

How anyone can even think this is OK even as a title of a show is beyond me.  I do not even care a little bit to see what the show is about and will never take 1 second of my time to even find out.

Tell me what you think?

Dr. Oz discusses the child obesity epidemic in America.

Dr Oz did a show that asked the questions “should it be considered child abuse if you have an obese child”.  It is very sad to hear how being obese affects their young lives.

To me this is a form of abuse as the meaning of abuse is to hurt of injure.  Being obese definitely hurts our children in many ways in regard to their physical and emotional health.    How often  have we heard recently about children committing  suicide due to being picked on in school?  Don’t think for a moment that most over weight children are not experiencing bullying in school and in other peer activities.

I know being a loving mother who is crazy about her son I want nothing more for him than being happy and lots of times that seems like it means giving them every thing they want including food.

It defiantly matters what food we bring into the house.  If its not there we can’t eat it and neither can our children. It is our fault if we have fattening food in the house and yes if you have a child that is obese than you don’t get to have it either if you are behaving responsibly.  This is a price you pay to help your child have a better life.  Our children learn from us including our eating habits whether they are positive or negative doesn’t matter, in the end they will emulate what they watch us do.

Some parents seem to feel it is punishment if they don’t allow their children to have junk food.  To me this is a groundless argument.  The fact is that some people can eat junk food and not gain weight and you may just have to accept the fact that you and/or your child may not be one of them.  I think being over weight and being made fun of is much more of a heart break for our children than not giving them an ice cream cone.

So what do you think about this?  When does it cross the line from some kids are just chubby to a child that is clearly morbidly obese and in danger of serious emotional and physical problems or even death?   More over, how big is the gray area between the two and what is the best solution to this problem?  One thing we know is government can’t solve something like this, so it is a problem that is up to those of us who love all children to solve.

It’s funny to me that as I get older there are so many things I thing I knew I really did not know at all.  It is not ok to just listen to certain groups of people and believe what they say because of who they are and we were told they knew everything.

The thing that is bothering me today. I did not realize that it is illegal for food and supplement producers to share any peer-reviewed scientific findings and natural health products with the public.

One example I read about was about cherry growers.  They are not allowed to mention any scientific studies done by Harvard that tells any health benefits of cherries which proved cherries showed benefits to people with gout and arthritis.  If the cherry growers where found to give out this information the can serve jail time which they were threatened by the FDA.

All I can think is What the ____!  If this is what you think read this article by Dr. Mercola and at the bottom there is a letter you can send to your state representatives regarding a new bill introduced  by congressman Jason Chaffetz and Jared Polis  that can change this.

Yesterday while doing some research and reading I found a site parents made for their son, Matthew, who died at the age of 14.  His death certificate states “Death caused from Long Term Use of Methylphenidate, Ritalin.”  Matthew did not have any pre-existing heart disease or defect.

Shocking?   Definitely!  Millions of our children are on this everyday!!!

This is exactly why you have to do your own research and don’t always accept what you are told, because you may not be getting everything you need to make such a huge decision.

Check out their story I am sure you will be surprised on some of the facts they have listed about psycho-tropic, psycho-stimulant meds.

Did you know that a child taking a psycho-tropic, psycho-stimulant drugs like Ritalin after the age of 12 is ineligible for military service? I had no idea and it makes me want to ask two questions…

1. What does the military know that doctors don’t?
2. Should doctors and pharmaceutical companies be held liable for the destruction of potential military careers?

Take the time your child deserves, don’t just start your children on these types of medications until you  research and read about the health risks, dangers, deaths and suicides that are a direct result of administering Ritalin and other psychiatric drugs to children. Exhaust all other options first.

Last week I wrote a little about how I felt it is so important for our children to have time outside and fun exercise outside with friends and family. I feel like both of these things are beneficial to how they feel and how they act.  This to me is common sense.

Why would someone not try this before putting their children on medication that changes who they are and how they feel?

Today I came across a couple articles I wanted to share.

1. Treating ADHD with Diet and Exercise
2. The Fresh Air Fix

I do believe there are some children where medication may be beneficial but I also feel like it is over diagnosed and some parents use it to make their lives easier by making there children more manageable.  Being a parent is hard work and not to be taken lightly.

Please do your own research and do not just accept what the schools and doctors say alone.

I was thinking today about the children in the world and how come there are so many that are depressed and angry.  It just does not sit well with me.  I can not understand it.  My heart hurts to think about it.

Today I pulled out my bible and just opened it up and read in Proverbs the value of wisdom.  My wisdom today is telling me is our children need us.  They need more of our time and we should not be locked up in buildings all day. There is something about just going outside that can make you feel better.

Between the tv, video games, phones and work there is little left to give to our children.  I think one of the best things we can do is to turn it all off,  go outside and have fun with each other.

When I was a single mother, in the  evening Matt and I would go outside.  We had races, baseball games, watergun fights with several of the kids in the apartments were we lived. We had so much fun!  I have so many wonderful memories and so does he..

One thing I know, when we did these things we where always happy.

Try for the next week,  turn everything off, go outside play a baseball game with your children or have races.  Do they seem happier and sleep better.  Its an easy thing to do for our kids and see if it changes them.

Just to let you know I am over my head right now.  I hate moving.  Where did all this stuff come from?

Right now we have the painters here, painting everything. People bringing dumpster tomorrow because we have accumulated so much crap.  Then the carpet people.

Between that stress and the stress of leaving my family I can not think clearly,  so,  I will take a few days and start again in several days to write again.

Thank you all for your support!