For more info, visit http://commonwealthparenting.org/event/adhd-paths-to-success-parents-of-school-age-children/.

To enroll, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parenting-the-impulsive-child-4-11-yrs-tickets-11574089413

Tuesday, April 8th 7- 9:30 pm $20 per adult

For more information and registration contact Suzanne Hanky suzannehanky@gmail.com

October is ADHD National Awareness Month.

Space Cadet.  Air head.  Day dreamer.  Energizer Bunny.  Oblivious.

If you have ever used these adjectives to describe your child or have had your child described to you by someone else by using them, you have probably had the thought that your kid may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or (ADHD.)  In simple terms, ADHD is chemical imbalance in the brain.  It contributes to hyperactivity and impulse control issues in both children and adults.

For a diagnosis of ADHD to be made symptoms must be present in at least two life settings.  For example: Work or school, home life and social situations.  The symptoms must cause significant impairment.  The diagnosis is usually made by someone in the Mental Health field, although it is many times first noticed by teachers and parents.  There is no cure for ADHD but there are medicines to help ease the symptoms so that the person can focus better and “Fit in” socially.

At home, does your child have difficulty finishing homework or chores?  Does he lose things often?  Does he have trouble playing quietly?  At school does your child have trouble getting organized?  Have trouble sitting still?  Make careless mistakes?  In social situations does your child talk excessively?  Interrupt others frequently?  Have a hard time waiting his turn?

These symptoms are tough to live with for both the child affected and the family that loves them.  However, when the symptoms are properly diagnosed and behaviors are managed, a person can continue and lead happy, successful lives.

Easier said than done, I know.

When my oldest son, now twenty-seven, was diagnosed as being ADHD, he was in the third grade.  I was blind-sided when his teacher called me in for a conference to tell me of her concerns.  Yes, Mikey was very active, had a hard time sitting still, didn’t like to be alone, was always ‘bugging’ his little sister and cousins by poking or touching them, didn’t seem to understand personal space concept, never wanted to go to bed, interrupt a lot, was disorganized etc.  But, he was my first child and male, so I just thought he was ‘being a boy!’  He was a challenge at times, I used to compare him to a wild pony that needed to be broken in, in order for him to follow society’s rules, unfair as that seemed.  His teacher calmly explained that Mikey was basically a “hot mess!”  My words not hers  

Whenever it was time to quickly grab a spelling book, say out from his desk, the other students would have it instantly. Mikey would end up pulling out every book, piece of paper, pencil, crayon, eraser etc. and spread them all over the floor surrounding his desk.  He either could not find his spelling book or got distracted on the way to finding his spelling book! He had a hard time remembering to raise his hand, blurting out the answer instead.  He could not keep his hands to himself so he ended up sitting alone by the teacher often.  He was frequently tardy to school because he could not stay on task. (I learned to hate hearing that phrase from teachers…)

She told me of drugs like Ritalin that were doing amazing things with kids like Mikey.  She was talking about wanting me to give my kid Psychotropic drugs!   I remember sitting there in that classroom in a too small for me chair, feeling so overwhelmed with what was being said to me about my little boy…

What followed were visits to pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, testing after testing done by various “experts”, the maze of getting an IEP from the county school system, and fighting for every resource available for my son’s health and education.  Mikey was started on a low dose of Ritalin.  This, when Ritalin was being debated big time in the media, did not help with my very tough decision to start Mikey on these strong mind altering drugs.  To be honest, Mikey has been on so many varied prescriptions now, that I cannot remember exactly why we switched off the Ritalin.  I think Adderalll was the next med we tried because each one seemed to have a different debilitating side effect so we kept on and on until we could find one that he could tolerate.

Since ADHD is a chemical imbalance in the brain, the trick is to get the low level of dopamine equal to that of someone who does NOT have ADHD.  Other meds are Lexapro, which is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, (SSRI)  Quiets anxiety and helps with depression.  Adderall, (Amphetamine and Dextroamphetimine) is a central nervous system stimulant that affects chemicals in brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.  It is overwhelming for sure when dealing with all these scary and confusing meds.  But here is what I know:  After getting a diagnosis of ADHD meds should only be a part of the treatment plan.  Educational and social aspects need attention too.  I vividly remembering crying the several times my son did not receive an invitation to birthday parties because I just knew he was considered too hyperactive.

On the other side of the coin of ADHD is the creative genius that seems to often go hand in hand with a mental health issue.  Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin and Wolfgang Mozart all were thought to have exhibited ADHD symptoms.  More current celebrities have come forward to own their ADHD and encourage others that the symptoms can be managed and put to good use.  And Ty Pennington, (duh), host of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, has said that as a child he had trouble with hyperactivity that affected his school performance all the way through High School.  He was finally diagnosed with ADHD during college and said that starting meds changed his life.  Jim Carrey as a kid would finish his assignments quickly then disrupt the rest of the class.  He has undergone treatment since childhood.  As an adult he has used his ADHD symptoms to his advantage through his creativity and high energy level as a comedian.

Justin Timberlake says he has adult ADHD mixed with OCD symptoms and that having the two disorders together has presented a challenge but has not stopped his success.  People with ADHD may also have other mental health disorders such as OCD, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.  Gold Medal Olympian swimmer, Michael Phelps, was diagnosed and began taking meds when he was nine-years-old.  He channels his hyperactivity into swimming.  Has told Sports Illustrated Magazine that he is “a different person” in the pool.

A set routine to follow and being rewarded for good behavior are strategies that have been shown to help kids with ADHD.  Sports are a great outlet for this reason.

It boils down to this, I think.  If you suspect that your very bright child is not testing well in school, is not being invited for play dates, does not seem to understand that there are consequences for impulsive decisions, or is being labeled a trouble maker, talk to your pediatrician or school counselor they can help you on your next step to guiding your precious child to a happy and healthy life.

Rosemary Burns is a freelance writer and substitute teacher residing in Henrico County.  She is a wife and mother to four children ranging in age from eight to twenty-seven-years old  

Have an event to add to our calendar? Email us at kate@richmondmom.com!

ALWAYS check dates, times and locations of events as they may change after posting here.

Ongoing

February 19-24, 2013

Mary Poppins at the Landmark Theatre.

Events by day of the month

Monday, January 21

The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site will host, “Elvira’s Eyes,” at 2 pm – a documentary produced by 17-year-old park volunteer Sydney Shavers. The documentary tells the story of the Henrico High School senior’s quest to document more fully the story of her great-great-great grandmother, Elvira Sophia Abernathy, who lived during both slavery and segregation. The presentation will take place in the park’s visitor center at 2 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Parenting an Anxious Child – About kids 2-8. Commonwealth Parenting. Join Family Educator Susan Brown to learn how to calm your child’s anxieties and maybe even your own. Great opportunity to feel more confident in your parenting.

Painting: Winter Watercolors at CMoR Central. Homeschool Program: Classes for 3-5, and 6-8 year olds. See website for times and details. Children use watercolors, cottonballs, and lots of other things to create art. 1pm-2pm and 3pm-4pm.

Martin Luther King Jr Day Celebration at all CMoR locations – 10 am – 4 pm. Paint your own dream in the art studios or listen to special story times in all three museum locations to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Read special facts throughout all locations about the importance and significance of this great leader.  Remember that CMoR is now open all day every Monday so come celebrate history with us!

Tuesday, January 22

Read 2 Rover at Central Library in Chesterfield. For children struggling with reading, the comfort and companionship of the therapy dogs helps to turn something stressful into an activity that is fun and soothing.

Young at Art at VMFA at 10 a.m. Designed for children 2 to 5 years of age accompanied by an adult. The children enjoy stories, activities, and a gallery visit; this month’s theme is Moving Mobiles. the Painter. Repeats each week and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. Register: 804-340-1405.

Snow Day Craft at Pottery Barn Kids in Short Pump Mall at 11:30 a.m.  Story, hands-on deluxe crafting projects.

Wednesday, January 23

Painting: Winter Watercolors at CMoR Chesterfield. Homeschool Program: Classes for 3-5, and 6-8 year olds. See website for times and details. Children use watercolors, cottonballs, and lots of other things to create art. 1pm-2pm and 3pm-4pm.

Lunch Break Science at the Science Museum at noon. Closer Look at Common Eye Conditions presented by Tami Flowers, MD, Commonwealth Eye Care Associates.

Thursday, January 24

Friday, January 25

Family Fun Night: Pajama Party. Commonwealth Parenting – Bring the whole family for an evening of fun together! Wear your favorite pajamas and enjoy pizza, cookies, and storytime with Mr. Chris 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Canterbury Community Preschool, 601 N. Parham Road, Richmond  23229 – *Door prizes for parents and kids! Click here to register: Individual tickets or Family 4-pack tickets.

Painting: Winter Watercolors at CMoR Short Pump. Homeschool Program: Classes for 3-5, and 6-8 year olds. See website for times and details. Children use watercolors, cottonballs, and lots of other things to create art. 1pm-2pm and 3pm-4pm.

Family Night Pajama Party at Canterbury Nursery School (8960 River Road, Richmond). Come dressed in your pj’s to enjoy pizza, cookies, and storytime with Mr. Chris! Tickets available at the website. Family 4-pack $20, individual tickets $6. Doorprizes for adults and kids. Email info@commonwealthparenting.org with questions.

American Girl Book Club at Barnes & Noble Short Pump at 7pm. Bring your dool to this program. It’s free. Call 804.360.0103 with questions.

Saturday, January 26

Midas is having a blood drive. Mark your calendar for 1/26 — it’s a day that will allow you to save lives with car care — donate a pint of blood and get a free oil change!

Shakespeare and Galileo at 1pm at the Science Museum. The Carpenter Science Theatre performs Shakespeare and Galileo – a hypothetical meeting between the Bard and the Father of Modern Science. Enjoy humor, mystery and espionage of this play inside of the Museum’s Ms. Barbara Thalhimer Theater. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Included with exhibit admission.

Teaching Empathy, Tolerance and Inclusion – An anti-bullying workshop. While bullying takes place at every age, it seems that the middle school years are at a time when sadly, for many children, it becomes a way of life. What is happening in the middle school years that make children vulnerable to bullying and what can adults do to strengthen self esteem?

Clifford’s 50th Birthday Bash at CMoR Chesterfield.  10am-4pm. Enjoy story times, art projects, activities with PBS, sweet treats and much more….along with a special birthday serenade by our guests at 12 o’clock noon so Clifford can blow out his candle on his cake and accept his birthday cards!  Free with museum admission.

Barefoot Puppets: Little Red and the Gingerbread Man. Richmond CenterStage – this show combines two well-loved, classic tales to create an original, fun-filled romp through fairy tales. Join Little Red and she pursues a mischievous Gingerbread cookie through the woods to Grandma’s house. Original music, snowy scenery, and everyone’s favorite Big Bad Wolf make up this seasonal favorite for our youngest audiences.  Recommended for ages 3 and up – 10 a.m.

Virginia State Yo-Yo Competition at CMoR Central. Yo-Yo champions and lots of demonstrations!

Mickey Mouse Mania! Musical Playdate at Melody Magic Music Studio. Enjoy a playdate focused on everyone’s favorite guy! Featuring all your favorite clubhouse songs — Clubhouse theme song, Hot Dog, Choo Choo Express — Mickey Mouse Mania is sure to please each and every child! Ages 0-7 years, with a parent. Enroll online for just $9 per child.

Family Features at VMFA. Warm up inside the museum with a feature-length film, and create a self-directed craft at the end of the show. Movie ticket includes a free hot chocolate, tea, or coffee in Best Café before or after the film. 804-340-1405. 10:30 a.m.

Virginia Dance Festival at James River High School, 3700 James River Road, Midlothian. A benefit event dedicated to helping children in Central Virginia through Children’s Hospital Foundation and celebrating dance in all of its many forms, including Tap, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Ballet, Classical Indian, Irish, Ballroom, Musical Theater, and American Indian dances and more. Performances at 3pm and 7pm. Tickets are $12/adult and $10/child (ages 3-11) for one show, and $18/adult and $15/child for both shows. Tickets will be sold at the door the day of the show. Call (804) 739-7600 or visit the website for more information.

Sunday, January 27

Clifford’s 50th Birthday Bash at CMoR Chesterfield.  10am-4pm. Enjoy story times, art projects, activities with PBS, sweet treats and much more….along with a special birthday serenade by our guests at 12 o’clock noon so Clifford can blow out his candle on his cake and accept his birthday cards!  Free with museum admission.

Shakespeare and Galileo at 1pm at the Science Museum. The Carpenter Science Theatre performs Shakespeare and Galileo – a hypothetical meeting between the Bard and the Father of Modern Science. Enjoy humor, mystery and espionage of this play inside of the Museum’s Ms. Barbara Thalhimer Theater. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Included with exhibit admission.

Lunar Year 2013 Celebration at CMoR Central with tastes, sights, and sounds of this colorful holiday when families of Asian descent enjoy family reunions and special meals – to bring health, wealth and happiness in the New Year.

Winter Concert – Annual concert presented by the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra. Free – 7pm-8pm.

Reprinted from Brain Balance website

Brain Balance Achievement Centers help kids with ADHD improve their focus and attention leading to a more successful academic and personal life. At Brain Balance, we contend that neuro-behavioral disorders like ADHD and Asperger Syndrome, as well as learning disorders like Dyslexia, have in common an imbalance in the connections and function between and within the hemispheres of your child’s brain. In other words, the brain of a child with ADHD is out-of sync, which  contributes to the symptoms of ADHD and other disorders. At Brain Balance, we call this imbalance a Functional Disconnection. The good news is the brain can improve and change throughout a person’s lifetime. This phenomenon, called neuroplasticity, is at the heart of the Brain Balance Program®.

After completing a comprehensive assessment of your child’s brain and body function, your Brain Balance team creates a customized physical, sensory-motor, and cognitive program for your child aimed at correcting the imbalance and improving motor function, which leads to a reduction or elimination of negative behaviors and symptoms associated with ADHD. Read what Chris and Angela have to say about their son’s progress in our program:

We chose the Brain Balance Center for our son with ADHD because we wanted to see if he would benefit from a non-pharmaceutical approach… It worked! Our son’s impulsiveness was greatly reduced and he was able to improve his focus as he went through… He made great strides in his conversational speech and his coordination improved. He was also able to gain some weight as his appetite increased.

We were very satisfied with the results… While he still exhibits symptoms of ADHD, he has learned some good tools to help him manage his symptoms. The stress ADHD has placed on our family is a little more manageable now! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard with us.

-Chris and Angela

If your child with ADHD could benefit from increased attention and focus, better social skills, and academic improvement, consider the Brain Balance Program®. Our non-medical, proprietary learning program has helped thousands of children with ADHD reach their social, physical, behavioral, and academic potential.

Contact us today to learn more!

Name: Brain Balance Center of Richmond

Phone: 804-977-2747

Fax: 804-977-2717

Address:15833 City View Drive
Midlothian, VA 23113

Brain Balance is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com

WHAT? Another SHOOTING? DEAR GOD. NO not again. This cannot be happening. Why? Why? Why? It’s everywhere!

On the TV, on Twitter, on Facebook, the radio and in all of our hearts. We are devastated for everyone. We are in complete disbelief and no matter how removed you are and how strong you think you are.. you crumble, cry like a baby and you thank God that it wasn’t your child. Then you feel guilty for even having that thought. You commiserate with your family, your friends, you hold your children tight and you fall apart again knowing those families can only dream of doing this again. The pain is palpable and it’s everywhere. You pass people in the grocery store and there’s a sense of unity because we all feel it and it’s awful. There are no words to describe what that town is going through, those families, those children who survived, those selfless teachers who saved lives and now have to carry on with such a traumatic incident and the scasrs left on the hearts must be enormous.

Then the endless media takes it one step further.

Did I just hear that correctly? Did they say the shooter had Aspergers? Why did they say that? They didn’t mention his hair color, or his digestive ability. I heard no mention of his favorite meal or eye color? I don’t want to know anything about him except how he could’ve used some psychiatric help before he reached this point. I don’t care if he was over or under weight so why would I care about his development/learning disorder? Would you tell me if he had cancer? Would that make him shoot innocent children? Well surely that’s the last I’ll hear of that. WHAT?? They’re talking about this again. People are saying it was a contributing factor? You must be kidding me. That’s ludicrous and it’s idiotic and it defies all factual evidence that we know to be true about Autism/Aspergers. Now there’s some letter floating all over facebook? I’ll just continue to ignore this. This story is like a Kardashian marriage and it’ll be over before you know it. Surely the media wouldn’t perpetuate false information knowingly. They have people who do research and understand their impact on thoughts and perception. The world is more enlightened than this and they know the plight of those with Autism and they would never add insult to injury in such an irresponsible way.

The crud hits my house and I am cleaning up projectile vomit when on my TV screen is a story about Autism/Aspergers and the connection with Connecticut. WAIT!! There is NO connection!

(I add this vomit tidbit because my son has autism and he can’t plan to vomit. He doesn’t do it enough to reference where this awful activity should take place).

They say “Although there’s no link between violence and autism the backlash has been profound”. Ummm did they just inject a reason to question the “findings”? Yes it seems they did. My hometown Channel 12 news will do a great job with this. I sit down and I am filled with rage as I see a title of a hate group on facebook who prides itself in killing (by setting on fire the next kid they find with Aspergers). This is when I feel something so unfamiliar to me that I hardly recognize myself over the next few hours. The underlying tone of this story is sympathetic to families of Autism, but the message is NOT clear and the title itself lends doubt. This is something we can’t afford. We have to deal with stares and public judgment and ostracizing of our children, but fear? NO never. Nobody in their right mind would be fearful of a child with Autism. The most premeditated they get is how to get a favorite snack or outing.

The story should’ve been definitive, educational and calmed the fears of our community. The story, if there had to be one, should NOT have featured a hate group and it definitely shouldn’t have featured their mission to kill. By the way, I don’t care if the group has been removed from Facebook. They made my local evening news which is more than I did as an Autism Advocate. How many ding dongs actually typed that into their search bar to find out what the media isn’t telling them because they already embrace fear and just need an extra dose to strike out at a child with autism.

Let me be perfectly clear. That horrific massacre was not induced by, contributed by, caused by Autism/Aspergers any more than his hair color did. I say that definitively because I can. The facts are the facts. The sun is still in the sky too people. How do I know this? It’s a fact.

Mourn in the way that helps you deal with this, but don’t go out on a witch hunt to satisfy your need to avenge these children and adults who were murdered. It won’t bring them back and it won’t serve one single positive purpose.

We the Autism community have a mountain of obstacles to overcome and the people living with Autism/Aspergers have even bigger ones, so if you don’t mind, pretty frickin please, do not add to our already difficult existence by including our beautiful, loving, sweet and harmless children in such a debauchery of information.

On behalf of all of us,

Thank you!

Want to learn more about Autism and how you can help. I invite you to attend our TACA monthly meeting on the first Friday of each month. It’s free, there’s no hazing, free snacks, learning material, bonding with other families and a support system like no other.

 

TACA- Talk About Curing Autism

January 4th 7pm-9pm (meetings first Friday of each month)

St. Andrews United Methodist Church

9801 Fort King Road

Richmond, VA 23229

Families with Autism Helping Families with Autism

According to their website:

Are you considering The Brain Balance Program this holiday season for your child with attention, learning, and social issues? Give your child the gift of success with our proprietary method for reducing or eliminating symptoms of neuro-behavioral disorders like ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, dyslexia, and other learning differences. Enjoy $500 off the cost of our program at a participating center when you enroll by December 31, 2012 and pay for your program during the promotional period!

How are we different?
Our approach is different because we recognize that many childhood disorders are actually manifestations of a single underlying condition called Functional Disconnection Syndrome. This disconnection is an imbalance in the communication and function between and within the hemispheres, or sides, of your child’s brain. Improving this connection issue can reduce or eliminate your child’s negative symptoms and behaviors.

Visit Brain Balance and take advantage of this great deal – or visit their website for more information.

Brain Balance is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com.

I was intrigued by her comments about how her son had progressed from being “behind in his class” a couple of years ago, to being the “top of his class” now, and he was finding it much easier to grasp new concepts and ideas through reading. She talked about how much he now enjoys reading when prior to attending LearningRx training, he didn’t even want to be near a book. It was obvious she was truly grateful for what LearningRx had done for her son.

As an interested and engaged grandparent, I am always trying to keep up with what is going on in the field of education. Fortunately, my granddaughter and grandson are both doing very well in school. But I know that every year gets more challenging and we need to know as much as possible about helping children excel.

I also feel that anyone can be a resource to other parents or grandparents who are presented with challenges in many areas of life, so keeping up with what’s new in education is just a good idea all the way around.

So when I returned home, I did some research on the program.

Train the brain

I learned that LearningRx can actually help “train the brain” and unlock doors so a child regains enthusiasm for reading, overcomes life-long learning and reading problems, and immediately begins to enjoy long-term success in school and in life. I was amazed to find that “brain training” is one of the keys that brings the science behind learning and reading success to life for many children.

Although it sounded unbelievable to me, I knew it was true because I had heard this woman extol the value of the LearningRx program. When I mentioned this to another friend later, she quickly chimed in that she knew someone who had attended LearningRx and had the same experience. She said it was unbelievable what they could do in a short amount of time.

Not just for children

The thing that intrigues me most about LearningRx is the fact that their programs are not just designed for children. They help all types and ages of people learn, read and think faster and easier. And that includes people with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and similar disorders. They also offer help to college students, career adults, senior adults and struggling students of any age, including preschool and first graders.

I share this with our readers because I believe there are often so many stigmas associated with disorders and conditions that create challenges in learning. There are also many people who believe that children who don’t do well in school are just not trying hard enough or are not capable of doing better.

I am also encouraged that LearningRx has programs for cognitive challenges that people face as they get older. Their website states, “Age-related mental decline can be stopped in its tracks”. My own mother passed away with complications from Alzheimer’s Disease three years ago, and I constantly search for ways to keep my own brain engaged, challenged and, yes, “trained”.  Scientifically-based programs such as LearningRx may hold one of the keys to unlock doors for aging adults who find their minds are not as sharp as they once were – that is reason for celebration.

Proven success

LearningRx is a program that demonstrates that there are proven ways to overcome problems associated with learning challenges and barriers. It may be as simple as taking the step to call them to get the right help for a child, or even an adult, that will change the way they see the world and live the rest of their lives.

I encourage parents and grandparents who encounter learning challenges in their children, grandchildren or themselves, to contact LearningRx and find out what it’s all about.

It may the one phone call that turns a life around.

If you have experience with LearningRx and would like to share your story, please leave a comment or contact us here at Richmondmom.com (kate@richmondmom.com). We’d love to share your story with our readers.