I am sure your doctor will have a lot more advice for you (and specific to YOU) but 2 things are important: 1. Portion control---small amounts of carbs and higher on the proteins and low carbs like veggies. 2. Moderate Exercise--walking is the exercise they mention the most at the class my dh took. Even 15-20 minutes a day would be a big help. Try Leslie Sansone DVDs for indoor walking, letting the kids ride their bikes while you walk, have them walk with you, find a walking buddy, etc.

Well, the coupons said 1 coupon per PERSON (not PARTY) on them so I think it was fine to use more than 1 coupon, if there were more people there. I find that some stores will just let you use multiple coupons in 1 transaction as it saves them time but others have you each pay for your own order.

Isn't that great to see? My "never will be able to read" dd is now reading chapter books on her own and seems to have her "nose in a book" quite often. http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm Here are some easy readers you can print out---they might be too easy for him but they are cute and FREE> They also give a lot of practice with some of the tougher words.

Certainly go to a Children's hospital ER. Likely they can do the MRI ASAP---as in within 1-2 hours or less. They have someone there that can read them right away as well. We have done 8-10 MRIs for each of my girls and they are not bad. Our hospital has video goggles so my girls get upset that the MRI is done before the movie they picked out is done. Make sure you tell them EXACTLY what is going on and that she is getting WORSE. Pack a bag as if you were staying the night. You might not need it but if you do, you will be glad to have it. Take along the cell phone charger and some books. keep us posted.

Today is the semi-anual "try on the clothes to see what fits" day here. We have LOTS of hand me downs so there is a lot to go through that has been in storage. I am running into the problem that so many of the shirts are cut so SHORT that my girls belly hangs out. We don't like that look. They wear size 12 or so in girls but have developed some so we need ones that fit well over a bra as well. Would looking at small womens or junior sizes help me? They are tiny girls--only 4'9" tall and 80 pounds at 12 and 13. They are not long in the torso either. Where should I look? Even which department might help as we like to shop thrift stores, etc. I just want your basic summer shirts that will go with demin shorts/capris, etc.

I am not sure how that compares to Ritalin or Dexedrine but they both come in much smaller doseage sizes---like 5mg. Talk to the doctor about your other options.

Is the Vyvanse a pill? If so, the dose might be too high. It can make a kid like they are on speed or hypomanic if it too high. It might be a great med, just need a lower dose. If you see this again tomorrow, call the doctor and discuss the options. He might adjust to it but often it is better to start with a lower dose and move up as needed. Some kids take very low doses and get great results while other kids the same age/size need a higher dose to even make a dent in the ADHD. It sure would be nice if 1 size would fit all.

Can you see a GOOD pediatric psychiatrist? I have a daughter iwth bipolar and the meds can be very tricky. First of all, Strattera is NOT indicated for kids with mood disorders. It is KNOWN to cause those exact problems you mention. If you suspect bipolar and/or dperession, I would see about treating that FIRST and then any remaining ADD/ADHD. Most likely you need to look at mood stabilizers first. Stimulants for kids with mood disorders that are not already stable on mood stabilizers are not a good idea. http://www.bpkids.org/site/DocServer/treatment_guidelines.pdf Check out this article. It is a few years old and they now use Lamictal very successfully for kids with bipolar but the article is very helpful.

VERY good post. There is such a stigma around meds for ADHD and other mental health issues. No one questions meds for cancer, diabetes, Tylenol, etc. even though they all have risks and benefits. For your dd, I think it would be worth a try. Given her other issues, you might want to see a pediatric psychiatrist to make sure you have an expert working with you on the meds. It can take several different trials of different meds to find the one that works the best for her with the fewest or no side effects. Meds do NOT have to be forever. Give it a good trial and if they work, great, keep going. If not, nothing says you can't stop them (certain meds need to be weaned but the doctor can help with that). My own now 12dd gained 2 years of academic skills in 6 months after we started meds. She could finally focus on her work.

Great. Glad you won't have a problem with zoning. We are in Michigan and some townships have very strict zoning and others very lax. What you can do on one side of the street is vastly different than what you can do in another township---just across the street.

I don't know anything about milk goats but would suggest that you check your zoning laws FIRST. In some areas you can do whatever you want with your land--even just 1 acre. In our area (rural) you need 2 acres to have a goat or 2. There might be rules about the number of goats, where they are located on the property, type of shelter required, etc. Your local zoning laws may or may not allow milk goats.

http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm Check out these books. Print them out and then have him say the sounds and read the words. They teach phonics but the child just learns the sounds as they need to them to read---no learning 44 sounds all at once. The books are really cute and motivating for a child. http://www.roadstoeverywhere.com/3RsPlusRead.html This website sells the books. The UK site has lots of great information on it as well--see the link on the top right.

I would certainly let the church leadership know of this situation and have them help monitor it. Another way (in addition to the above) is to have the MEN of the church become involved with this guy. Have the MEN meet with him for coffee, a meal, Bible Study, a sporting event, etc. Have the MEN get to know him better and involve him in activities. Over time, it would likely become VERY clear what this man is about. They could even discuss in general terms about the church's policy of watching out for the kids, protecting them, etc. If the guy becomes very involved in normal activites for his age then maybe things aren't as concerning (but people I don't know well don't hold my kids--and never out of my sight) but if he decides to switch churches, etc. then likely your gut instinct was correct.

Does she have any other neurological symptoms? With the headaches and small back pain, I wonder about a Chiari I with a tethered cord. With the Chiari I, there is not enough room in the back/base of the skull for the brain and it gets compressed. It can also impair the flow of cerebral spinal fluid. It can be linked to a tethered spinal cord as well. A CT or MRI could show you what is going on. Headaches that last that long in a child with no clear reason should be worked up.

How about skipping a traditional phonics program right now and teaching him to read? http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm These are the books that I used to teach my kids to read. You can print them out for free. http://www.roadstoeverywhere.com/3RsPlusRead.html is the website that sells the books if you like them. Read the getting started information, etc. to see how to use the books. The basic jist of the matter is that you teach them to blend the sounds into the words and that is it. For see you teach the /s/ sound and /ee/ (the 2 e together as the long sound). Kids usually like reading books much more than doing the worksheets but they will be learning the phonics as they learn to read. http://www.piperbooks.co.uk/index.htm is the UK site for the books and has more samples, downloads, etc.

My girls are totally horse crazy as well but don't have the skills/ability to ride high level shows. They were SO happy last night at lessons to be able to JUMP for the first time ever. This was huge as both of my girls have special needs and they were riding the instructor's new horse that her own kids had never jumped with--didn't even know she jumped until my 12dd tried trotting her over a lot and she jumped it and they went from there. Anyway, the 4H direction would be very good. Your dd is younger so working off her lessons/extra riding time is not really an option now but at 12 or 13 she might be able to pay for 1 lesson and then work off more through the week. Also, at her age, waiting a few years to become more heavily involved in showing likely won't hurt her. Many schools have equestrian teams and they may or may not allow homeschoolers but it is worth a check---most start in 6th or 7th grade or even highschool. Be sure to check out the used stuff at tack sales. One mom said that she found a child just 1-2 years older than her own and each year would buy that child's outgrown clothes, boots, etc. I would not though go with used helmets as safety is key. Could relatives or even you give her riding lessons for birthday and Christmas gifts? My girls get almost all horse stuff as gifts. It is what they want and need. This last weekend I went to Equine Affaire which is a HUGE horse expo for 4 days. I spent time with a lady that was a US Grand Prix dressage rider (not sure if I have the terminology correct), one that showed high level western shows, etc. and then there was my friend and I that like to trail ride---just walk and talk and enjoy the scenery. Riding can be done at all levels and still be fun.

Very nice point, swellmomma. Meds are overused and UNDERused. A good doctor is going to rule out other physical issues---thyroid, seizures, allergies, lead poisoning, sleep issues, etc. before giving meds for ADHD or other mental health issue. Your local pediatrician or family doctor most likely is NOT an expert in this area and should not be making the diagnosis and starting treatment. I think that if the kids would all see a peds. psychiatrist or neurologist or dev. ped. then we would have a better track record of kids needing meds getting them (and the correct ones) and the kids that don't need them, not getting them. We started with the pdoc before my daughter even turned 3. She did though test for thyroid (found dd was hypothyroid and is now under the care of a peds. endocrinologist), urinalysis (dd had a low grade infection that was treated--now sees a nephrologist), did an EEG (found dd had seizures and now sees a neurologist), etc. All of those pieces were important for getting the right treatment. That said, she STILL has bipolar and ADHD and must take her meds to remain at home safely. At 5 she was crying because she was homicidal, suicidal, and hallucinating gory things. Leaving her to live like that was not an option for us. Now on the proper meds, most people would never know that she has bipolar, was psychotic in the past, etc. Back to the original post. While some kids are medicated when they aren't needed, lets not make parents feel terrible for using medication correctly if their child needs it. The key is proper diagnosis and treatment by a specialist---not just going off a teacher's suggestion, etc.

If he is not yet reading at a solid 3rd grade level, I would suggest looking at the I See Sam readers, also know as Beginning Reading Instruction. http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm Here are the 1st 2 sets in PDF format. See if he can read these fluently. If not, start here. http://www.sitespace.org.uk this is a website on the books which is a work in progress. http://www.piperbooks.co.uk/index.htm Here is the UK website for the books that has samples of the higher level books. There is also a yahoo group for people using the books. They have brought my girls from non readers to reading chapter books.

Personally, I would not really worry about it. My dd could never rhyme either. She is learning to read with the I See Sam books from http://www.sitespace.org.uk/. You can see the first 2 sets for free at http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm We have apraxia, mild CP, cognitive impairments, etc. here as well. [

My 13 dd has bipolar and has been on meds since she was 3. She also has seizures. A positive is that some seizure meds (Tegretol, Lamictal, and Depakote) can also double as mood stabilizers. They might not be enough but it can be a start. I know there is the theory about early treatment and it does make sense. I have heard it likened to diabetes. If you catch it very early, eat right, take the right meds, insulin, etc. then it is easier to control long term with less problems than if you allow it to go on and on, not take the meds/insulin, etc. http://www.bpkids.org/site/DocServer/treatment_guidelines.pdf is a good document (but a few years old so Lamictal is much more widely used and proven safer now). This will explain a great deal about the various meds, how to chose which med, side effects, using combinations of meds, etc. Bipolar is scary but properly managed, they can lead normal lives. I think one KEY (esp. if this really is bipolar) is to make SURE the meds are taken as prescribed. The biggest downfall for adults with bipolar is that they cycle, get on meds, the meds work, they then decide they don't need the meds, go off the meds, start cycling again, etc. That makes the bipolar harder to treat than if you treat it right and stay on the meds that work. This is my own little soapbox.:glare:

Well, we started meds at age 3---and saw the psychiatrist before her 3rd birthday--things were that bad. We have bipolar, ADHD, and a host of other issues. We DO use vitamins/supplements---esp. the Omega 3s but they are not enough. Meds have made about 80-90% of the difference for my dd. She is now able to function well at home where her social worker had said that she thought she would need to be in an institutional setting by school age. Meds are a hard decision and not one to take lightly but there are times when meds ARE the right decision. It can take some trial and error to find the right med(s), dosage, timing, etc. but it can make such a huge difference. It is sad that people would never question you about giving your child meds for asthma, diabetes, cancer, or even an ear infection but give lots of grief over meds for mental health issues.

I have been out of town so coming in late but this is what I use: http://www.roadstoeverywhere.com/3RsPlusRead.html Check out the link to the UK site for even more great ideas. http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm Here are free downloads of the first 52 books. http://www.sitespace.org.uk/ this site is under construction but has great information about the I See Sam books. These are the ONLY books that got my girls with special needs reading. I have posted a great deal about them.

I was hoping someone from here would be there to meet up at some point. It will be a busy 4 days packed with seminars, shopping (very limited as we are building a barn), lots of walking, etc. I will have some email access so if any does head there, let me know.

I know this is way off topic but was wondering if anyone was heading to Equine Affaire (also Canine Affaire) in Ohio this weekend? I am going with a friend.

For future reference, ask for a "hat". It is a plastic thing that fits in the toilet like an upside down hat. It is designed specifically for urine catching. We have a few of these at home along with the specimen cups, wipes, etc.