Dr. Sears' website (http://www.askdrsears.com) has a search box on the homepage. If you enter "ADD" you'll get a lot of information about diagnosis, management, nutrition, etc. (And just to let you know , there is drug information included as well.) I read The ADD Book by Dr. Sears (and a co-author??) a number of years ago. I thought it had a lot of practical info. in it. Then I loaned it to someone and never got it back, so maybe she found it helpful as well!

My sweetheart dh bought an elliptical trainer and today was the first available date for delivery. Through the years we've called the alcove in our basement "Babyland" when it was a baby-proofed play area and then "Legoland" in my attempt to restrict all the little pieces to one area of the house. And beginning today it will be an exercise area! Other than that, Valentine's Day will be pretty uneventful around here. Dd and I both have miserable colds. I think I'll suggest that she and I go to bed early and dh and ds can watch an Abbott and Costello dvd since they love 'em and dd and I don't!

The books in The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures series are great for studying specific countries. I've also used the Disney Learning book called Our World and a DK book: Celebrations! Festivals, Carnivals, and Feast Days From Around the World.

Tuesday Teatime! You can read about this at Julie Bogart's website (bravewriter.com). Near the bottom of the homepage you can click on "The Brave Writer Lifestyle" and get some ideas for things you can do with your dc that are fun as well as "educational". You'll also find a link to her blog for more ideas.

I found out about hippotherapy a few years ago and was all set to get my dc involved. We visited a therapeutic riding center but unfortunately my 2 city slickers walked around holding their shirts up over their noses because they didn't like the smell of the horses and had no interest or intention of riding one. I was disappointed but I just didn't have the energy to fight with them about riding horses. Then last week I saw an ad in a catalog for something called the igallop, a core/abs exercise machine. It was on sale, so I called the local store to see if they had one to try out. We took the dc to the mall and came home with our phony pony! So now we've got our own homemade version of hippotherapy going on in our family room. Good luck with your horse shopping! I'm green with envy!

My dh and I weren't even looking for a dog the day we got our puppy. We were at a mall, walked into a petstore, and there he was. He was the only big puppy in a small cage and I felt so sorry for him even though I'm a cat person. Dh is the dog lover here, but he didn't tell me how much training a dog requires. Had I known then what I know now, I'm sure I would've hardened my heart and left the store immediately! We learned the hard way about pet store pups...they (or at least ours) lose their instinct to keep their den clean when they are confined to a cage and have no where else but their cage to do their business. So... when we brought our golden retriever puppy home we had many, many, many messes to clean up while trying to housebreak him. We were instructed to do crate training, but even with that he would go in the crate, roll over in it, and then he and his crate would need to be cleaned. Shortly after we got him, a woman at a petfood store told us that he'd probably die or have something horribly wrong with him because he was probably from a puppy mill. Fortunately, he lived for 13 years until we lost him to cancer... with no signs of hip dysplasia, etc. I try not to think about the housebreaking problems and all the chewing and scratching damage he did around the house, but it was significant. We live in the city and didn't want to annoy the neighbors by leaving a barking dog outside when we were away. Our dog had "separation anxiety" when left alone, according to the vet. I don't know how much of that we can blame on his origins, but I always told my dh that we never should've taken a dog whose mother's name was Damaging Dixie! All that being said, he was very gentle with our dc, and for that I'll always be grateful!

My older ds and I used SOTW and I bought the Activity Guide. For my dd, I used The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History and got the pages that would go along with SOTW out of the AG. (She and I could read through that book together.) I also used the AG to get titles of books written for younger students to use with my dd.

I got tired of trying to find some plain jeans in the girls' department that aren't low-cut, glittery, etc. I started buying jeans for my skinny dd in the boys' department at JC Penney. Shhhh! Don't tell her!

Maybe your doctor could check your iron levels to make sure that you're not becoming anemic. I was very anemic for awhile before my surgery and had to take iron pills...headaches can be a symptom.

Are you by any chance taking a supplement called Acetyl L-Carnitine? I just bought a supplement containing this. It's supposed to promote cellular health/good brain function, but for me it gave me the worst insomnia I've ever had! Usually I have no problem falling asleep at night, but I'm a light sleeper and sometimes have trouble getting back to sleep if something wakes me up during the night. I only took one instead of the recommended two pills with breakfast and by bedtime I was still feeling wide awake and jittery and was up most of the night. I checked on the internet to see if this was a side effect, and it is. So...I cancelled my auto-delivery order 'cause I need my beauty sleep! I'm glad you liked the book. I've seen both Drs. on tv but haven't read any of their books. I think I'll start with this one. Thanks!

I got thrown into a surgical menopause last summer. Before that, I'd been having a monthly headache that I knew was hormonal because of the timing. When I started using ProGest progesterone cream the monthly headaches stopped. I'm still using the cream, but I follow the menopause rather than the perimenopause instructions on the package. I really like Dr. Christiane Northrup's book The Wisdom of Menopause. She also has a website (drnorthrup.com). I also like Dr. John Lee's book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause.

Sorry! The magnesium supplement is actually called Natural Calm. (It comes in a pretty large container, but I was able to buy some individual-sized packets at Whole Foods to try it out.) Or, you could try Epsom salt baths, which also contain magnesium, before bedtime to see if that helps your ds sleep better.

My dd developed a facial tic about a year ago when she had turned 10. Both are on the autism spectrum, and I had read that it isn't unusual for kids on the spectrum to have Tourette-like symptoms. Since the tics didn't interfere with daily life I didn't try to do anything about it. I had also read that tics will typically wax and wane over time, and that's exactly what happened here. At the moment both still have their quirks, but I'm not seeing any tics. Because of the similar timing in both of my dc I've wondered if the tics were set off by some sort of pre-puberty thing. Lately, I've been hearing that kids with ADHD are often low in magnesium, which is calming to the nervous system. I heard about a magnesium supplement called CALM from Peek a Boo over on the General Board and I bought some to use when I have insomnia. It definitely relaxes me and works better than my usual remedy of chamomile tea, and if I see any tics in my dc again I'm going to give that a try just in case it might help. (Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, so if you ever try it with a child I'd start with a really small amount.) Just remember, your ds is still a fantastic kid, with or without tics!

This has been a huge challenge for me, too. At times I've felt like taking a swing at people who just smile and tell me how God places special children with special people! If you haven't read The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Attwood I'd add that one to your collection. There's a good chapter on emotions, and he uses the term "emotional toolbox" and how we need to fill up our dc's toolboxes with a variety of coping strategies to deal with anger, frustration, etc. I also like the book Brain Gym for simple exercises to do to stimulate different areas of the brain. The Out of Sync Child and The Out of Sync Child Has Fun are also worth taking a look at. I heard someone on tv say that "motion is lotion" with regard to joints/mobility. In our house, I've definitely found that motion is lotion for mood as well! I have to make sure that my dc are getting enough activity which is harder this time of year. We go on walks, weather permitting, and we've got some indoor stuff like a mini-trampoline (used with parental supervision only!), pillow-like balls to toss, a tunnel to crawl through, and my ds's new pedal machine (about $30 at QVC). My ds loves gadgets so he just got a pedometer. He wears it all day and really gets a kick out of seeing how many steps he's taken throughout the day so this encourages him to keep moving. Do your ds's moods improve with sunny skies? I think my dd and I are both prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder so we need to get outside for sunshine as well as exercise. This year I started using natural light lightbulbs over our kitchen table and I really like them. I'm thinking about getting a lightbox as well. Diet is very important for mood/brain function. How's your ds's diet? Is he getting enough "good fats" in his diet from things like salmon, avocados, walnuts, etc.? Eggs are also a good brain food. And it's also important to stay well hydrated. Is there an autism support group for parents in your area? You might be able to find out about some local resources that way. And sometimes it's just comforting to be around other parents who can relate to your struggles! Best wishes to you and your family!

Velcro, bungee cords, Garden Claw, Grandpa's Weeder, Pillsbury biscuits in a can, Tempur-Pedic, and minivans

I just purchased the SWI B and downloaded the free lesson plans that go with it. I was just reading over this last night, and here's a quote from the author: "Although you can successfully use the SWI without the teacher's course, watching the Teacher's program before watching the student lesson will provide you with many of the reasons behind the instruction given as well as other teaching tips to aide your student in writing. If you do not have the teacher's course, you can still use the SWI successfully."

I'd take my cat to another vet ASAP to make sure that the shaking didn't harm it and I'd send a letter to the other vet to let him/her know about it. I'd probably send that letter with a cc to the local Humane Society or other animal welfare agency. I'd make sure that my concerns were documented, and if my cat started having seizures or something they'd be hearing from me again! I've had cats all my life and no vet/tech has ever treated them roughly. They've always gotten their shots in the exam room, and some have complained more loudly than others but not because anyone jerked them around or shook them. I'm sorry this happened to your kitty.

I schedule my doctor and dentist appointments for the first appt. of the day, which is 8am and 7am respectively. Both offices are very close (one is within walking distance) so there's minimal travel time involved for me, and since I'm the first appt. of the day there's no waiting because of delays. My dh stays with our dc until I get home...and usually he's able to get into work at his usual time. If for some reason I can't have the first appointment, I take a mid-day appointment and my dh comes home for lunch, or I take a late afternoon appointment and he comes home earlier that day and brings some work with him. When I schedule an appointment for myself I have to make sure that it doesn't interfere with something already on dh's calendar. And thankfully he's got some flexibility with his hours!

I'm using this with both dc this year. The punctuation exercises are at the end of the book but can be mixed in at any time. My dc are doing really well with the prepositional approach. Being able to identify and cross out the prepostional phrases (the "fat") has made it easier for them to find and focus on the bare bones of the sentence. The workbook exercises involve mostly crossing out, underlining, etc. which is especially helpful for my child with dysgraphia. I have no idea how to do links now, but there is a website if you're interested in finding out more: easygrammar.com.

The "pill expert" at our vet's office taught me this: Once you get the pill into the cat's mouth you blow on its nose, which will cause it to swallow. Then watch for the kitty to lick its nose...this should be a sign that the pill has been swallowed.

We've had good luck with the optical dept. at JC Penney. The glasses have been very durable. I do have a set of teeny tiny screw drivers that I use to tighten the screws on my ds's glasses periodically. I've never had to do this with my dd's glasses...I think my ds fidgets with his and loosens the screws. I can't remember exactly what she used, but I do remember that on one occasion the lady at JCP put something clear on top of the screws on ds's glasses to keep them in place. For all I know, it was clear nail polish, but don't quote me!

I watched the video. And yes, the waiting lists/wait times for evaluation are really that long! BTDT.

We have a mini-trampoline. Ours doesn't have a bar, but my dd has to hold my hands while she jumps. We also have a sit-and-spin, a fabric tunnel to crawl through, and a hoppity ball (kind of like an exercise ball, but with a handle). I just bought an exercise "pedal machine" from QVC for around $30. It doesn't take up a lot of space, and my ds likes to pedal while watching tv.