Friday, June 15, 2012

Symbtoms and Stratigies for ADD/ADHD




The common symptoms of adhd  include restlessness, irritable. That specially happens when the prefrontal cortex is impaired. An interesting thing is that when an important event occurs the prefrontal cortex will pop on and awaken. Arguments and conflicts will do the same. People with ADHD often become conflict driven. ADD people fight for no reason at all, but the fights do them some good for a short period of time by actually helping their brain function in a much better way.

All these problems in ADHD people can lead to social difficulties and can end in ostracism. Their judgment is impaired and they will do things and say things that will confuse other people. This leads to isolation and a feeling of failure which in low or lack of self-esteem. In the past the social and self esteem problems with ADD/ADHD have been ignored in the past and I think they are as important as the other people who do not have the disease. These people have career problems due to ADD, so these people are important too.

Help is now available with the stimulants or ADHD-care which is effective. ADHD-care is known as the traditional and natural supplement at the Amen clinic, by SPECT brain imaging and the Conner’s ADHD impulsivity test.  The condition of severe self-esteem and social problems are not to be ignored or the results will be severe.


Other strategies can be shopping lists and lists of daily responsibilities, a calendar of important dates, routine to simplify housework as much as possible, planning projects and outlining in advance. The non ADHD partner is supposed to take responsibility of any financial or legal problems that occur and should make sure that any resentment does not arise. Reminders should be set on the computers or cellphones so tasks that need to be done can be done.

The relationship problems might not even be there if the ADHD partner has everything under control. Medicines are available for that and are discussed on the websites. But drugs might be insufficient. There is only so much medication can do so it may be a good idea to speak to a psychologist experienced in attention deficit disorder. Counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy are useful for some sufferers.

Other helpful techniques can be group therapy, family therapy, coaching, tutoring, physical exercise, proper rest, and adequate nutrition.  ADHD and partner-focused peer support groups can also help. Marriage counseling can also be used to resolve issues that arise in a relationship due to ADHD.

Relationships and ADHD: Obstacles and Solutions


People with ADHD can turn out to be very successful in life but the symptoms of ADHD can be hard on relationships. They talk too much or find them selves unable to follow the conversation and even misread social cues. Shifts in energy in the person with ADD might make it hard for the partner to keep up. Relationships might get messed up at a time of stress when those with poor impulse control may come strong.

The non-ADHD partner would find it hard to carry out all the responsibilities like planning, cleaning, organizing, bill paying and family commitments, arriving on time and discussion about awkward situations caused by the ADHD partner. The non-ADHD partner has to be strong and has to deal with the side effects of the medication taken by the ADHD patient.

Symptoms of ADHD include, forgetfulness, inattentiveness, difficulty in completing tasks and impulsivity. These can cause issues in a relationship. It gets even more complicated if children are involved. Even adults with ADHD find it hard to maintain attentiveness  during conversations. They may forget things, fail to pay bills and keep the home safe for their kids. They might even forget and miss the important birthdays and anniversaries. The non ADHD partner gets stressed and hurt even though he/she knows that it is the result of ADD.

Impulsive behavior can lead to reckless, irresponsible actions and overreaction to small problems. These can cause misunderstandings and arguments that can get out of control. As adults with ADHD had not been understood, believed and trusted for years,

These can lead to anger and anxiety if not recognized and controlled.

Dr Klaus Minde from university of Montreal, Canada, did a study and looked closely at the family relationships of 33 adults with ADHD. Married adults with ADHD had poor overall marital adjustments and more family dysfunction. The researchers say, “The findings in this study underscore the need for assessments and treatments to address marital and family functioning of adults with ADHD.”


The team also looked at what the results were on children of having ADD adults. They reported,

“Family and marital functions were impaired in ADHD families regardless of the gender of the affected parent. Children without attention deficit disorder from families with one psychiatrically healthy parent did well, while the behavior of children with ADHD was always poor and not associated with parental mental health.” They highlighted the important influence of the non-ADHD parent.

To maintain a steady relationship, both the partners need to understand the differences in the perceptions and communication styles. Accepting the differences would make the ADD partner feel important and respected. That can eventually make other things easier.

Expressing resentment or other negative feelings in important, and it becomes difficult when a partner has a hard time listening without interrupting. This can be helped by writing down the feelings of each partner, like what is bothering them and how they feel about it. This is not done face to face so no partner will be interrupted or distracted from their work.

The top priorities of each partner can be written down, both day to day and long term.

The causes of tension might be revealed after doing this and the partners will finally be able to work together to overcome such obstacles and mutual trust and clarity.

Psychological Treatment For ADHD Disorder & Causes, Symptoms


ADHD means Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Parents and teachers should be aware of how to deal with inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive kids.

ADHD is actually the disorder of brain and behaviour and affects 3-5% of children. The symptoms start before seven years of age. If seen globally the children affected by ADHD is 5 %. ADHD, is one of the most common mental disorders in children. Children who have ADHD find it hard to be around people, at home, school and in relationships with peers. If the disorder is not treated, the disorder might have long term effects in childhood and adolescence.

The symptoms of ADHD are as follows:

Impulsiveness:

Doing things without thinking about the result, doing one task and jumping to the other in the next second, disorganization, interrupting when other people are talking.

Hyperactivity:

Restlessness, not being able to sit still, fidgeting continously, squirming, climbing and restless sleep.

Inattention:

Easily distracted, day dreaming, incomplete tasks, difficulty in listening.




Subtypes of ADHD:

Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive:

 Most symptoms (six or more) are in the hyperactivity-impulsivity categories. 
Fewer inattention symptoms are present, but they are present.

Predominantly inattentive:

The majority of symptoms (six or more) are in the inattention category and fewer than six symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present, and hyper activity-impulsivity might still be present. Children like these have less likely to have difficulties getting along with other people. They just sit quietly and do not pay attention to what the others are doing. So, it is possible that a child who has ADHD might be neglected and the teachers might not notice the ADHD symptoms.

Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive:

Six or more symptoms of inattention and six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present. 
Most children have the combined type of ADHD

Causes:

There are no special causes of ADHD. However, there are some factors that lead to ADHD. These include genetics, diet, social and physical environments.

Genetic factors:

Studies have shown that ADHD is very much heritable and genetics are a factor in about 75% of ADHD cases. Hyperactivity is also said to be a genetic condition but there are other causes which have an affect. A large majority of ADHD cases arise from a combination of various genes, which also affects a chemical in the brain called dopamine. ADHD might not really be a gentic disease and should be seen as a complex interaction among genetic and environmental factors.

Environmental factors:

Environmental factors that lead to ADHD include alcohol and tobacco smoke exposure when a women is pregnant. Complications during the time-period of pregnancy and birth might also contribute to the ADHD problems.

Diet 
Additives

According to studies, dietary elimination of artificial food coloring and preservatives benefit children with sugar regulation. It is also known that sugar intake does not contribute to the symptoms diagnosed in children with ADHD.

Omega-3 supplement

Omega-3 supplement is another treatment for ADHD but there have been some conflicts about the supplement.

Social factors

Social factors alone are not a cause of ADHD. Studies have shown that if children are not given much attention by their caretakers, it might have a profound effect on the self-regulatory abilities. It was also seen that the children living in the foster homes had symptoms that were closely related with ADHD. These also included those children who were emotionally abused and had gone through violence.

Head injury

Another cause of ADHD might also be the head injuries, but some evidence has shown that head injuries might not really be the cause of ADHD in the patients observed.

Natural Supplements For ADHD - How To Assess What Is Right For Your Child To Grow Up Happily


Some medical treatments have severe effects on children and approximately 30 percent children face such problems. They are disturbed during their sleep and also have appetite problems. Their growth is affected and some of them consider their selves as zombies. This can be figured out on any of the ADHD reports. That is why, natural treatments are considered to be the best and a very safer mode of treating this evil disase.

The reasons why you should use natural supplements for ADHD are: your child will be risk free from the severe effects of medication after it wears off and it is considered to be the most critical situation for the child. The child can suffer from aggression or impulsion. Once the effects of medication wears off, the child is in the risk of all sort of bad results.

And when any of the fellow of the child can demand those medicines as they are serving as drugs for the child and are useless for him. The child will never agree to go for such medication at school level or he can ask to sell ‘dexies’, the most popular medicine available in the market and also called Adderall and Dexadrine.

All the reasons should be kept in mind while going for choosing natural treatment for ADHD that is best for your child. A lot of websites are there that tell us about all the positive and negative points of such treatments.

Is There a Reliable ADHD Test? - Diagnostic Methods


It is very important to know that there is no specific diagnostic test that will present some positive or negative result for ADHD. Some people believe about availability of some ADHD test but this is not true.


First thing, it is a neurological disorder linked with heredity. Statistics say that both boys and girls develop this disorder evenly. Before it was believed that only a healthy number of boy grow this disorder. The rate  in adults is 4.5%. In USA, 10% of the population is being affected by ADHD, note before this research it was believed that only 5% of the population grow this disorder. 


It is rightly think that hyperactivity and impulsive conduct might be a normal infancy problem. But the question is, how many of us are multi-taskers and be able to disrupt the discussions. Therefore, the doctor will be interested in knowing the period of this disorder, for example he will be keen to know if this has happened before the age of 7 and after how much time it lasted. Moreover, the doctor can determine by some questions how much damaging these disorders are for the growth of at least two periods of child’s life; the community, the school classroom, and school playground.

Questions are normally used to know the patient’s condition precisely. The doctor may also ask questions about the attention deficit-disorder as doing homework and getting distraction. With hyperactivity, question will be, how much embarrassing it becomes. And how many times the child comes out with answers and break in on discussions.


 The doctor may also have questions for the parents to tell about any history of ADHD in the family or about any hectic circumstances at home. Once all the information is congregated for the ADHD test, then its  comparison with normal children draws out a accurate diagnosis.

Health Insurance of ADHD patient


ADHD is classified as a chronic neurological condition that can manifest in many observable ways including an innate affinity or propensity for impulsivity and the inability to pay attention. An ADHD patient has difficulties with focus and concentration and engagment in passive activities, or both. ADHD is present from birth but the diagnosis before the ages of 4-5 is difficult. The child may be diagnosed earlier if severe symptoms are shown. Some people with ADHD are not diagnosed until they reach adulthood. The ADHD disorder is found in 8% of the adolescent school children within the US and is expected to grow according to The National Institute of Health.

There are controversies when it comes to major medical health insurance. Some plans cover the insurance while some provide coverage under very specific guidelines.

This article is being written to assist the people who need insurance plan for the treatment of ADHD without endorsing limitable riders or attached exclusions written on the policy placed and issued.

ADHD specialty coverage is categorized under mental health treatment benefits in the individual private healthcare market. Any plan that excludes mental health related benefits will not be provided with insurance for ADHD. One should be prudent when considering a plan as most plans specifically exclude ADHD coverage in their schedule.


Tip: There is statistical epidemiologic data indicating that ADHD and substance abuse coexist or occur together more frequently than chance alone. In some aspects studies have found the root of this problem may be linked to overtly being overmedicated to stimulants therefore cultivating neurotransmitters to the drugs addictive properties. This one is tough to beat, health insurance underwriters reserve the right to request a paramedical examination if there is reason to have suspicion. In this case consider detoxification protocols several days before an application is submitted. There are numerous methods of accomplishing this and proving the information here may be beyond the scope of this article but at least now there is sufficient time for preparation.

Health Insurance and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)


ADHD specialty coverage is categorized under mental health treatment benefits in the individual private healthcare market. Any plan that excludes mental health related benefits will not be provided with insurance for ADHD. One should be prudent when considering a plan as most plans specifically exclude ADHD coverage in their schedule.

There is some good news, most states have made some mental health parity laws to cover ADHD if a patient is approved. If the health insurance company approves an application after an initial medical underwriting review screen then they have to provide coverage for ADHD patient. The federally mandated states which are applicable for the individual private healthcare market constitute of Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.

Secondly, it is imperative to prepare for the ensuing interrogative underwriting questionnaire screening, if the applicant is domiciled in a resident state not enlisted above and a plan covering treatment of ADHD has been applied for. The key to obtain a successful outcome is the three underwriting concerns with ADHD and preparation with underwriters which is vitally high.

   1. ADHD can cause depression in people. Depression carries its own underwriting risks. It has been known for stimulants to increase the severity of depression, which can also have a risk for co-morbid conditions.

      Tip: : Insurance companies are very skeptical about approving an application on behalf of an applicant with a diagnosis of certain anxiety disorders or depression. It has been shown that the medications of ADHD are all considered as “Off label”. It means that the medications have not been proved by the United States Food and drug administration.

These prescriptions include stimulant preparation such as Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, or Adderal as well as non-stimulant medications including Wellbutrin, Effexor, and Strattera which are commonly used to treat depression. If any of these drugs are being used, clarification to the health insurance underwriter along with notes from the physician about their role in treating ADHD and not depression will aid tremendously. The only medicine for ADHD that has been proved by FDA is Strattera.

(2) The second concern is that there is a motor vehicle driving risk with ADHD. This includes a higher risk for fatal accidents, casualties, and more citations for speeding or reckless driving.

Tip: ADHD is associated with an increased risk for accidents, collisions and fatalities.  Stimulant treatment along with immediate release Methylphendiate has demonstrated to improve driving performance and neuropsychological functioning. A clean driver record along with a written prescription from a licensed practitioner of medicine has worked well for medical clearance in underwriting decision making.

(3) There is also a higher incidence of substance abuse present with ADHD. There is an early onset of chemical addiction, a longer frequent period of induced intoxication, and a lower rate of recovery.

Frequency of ADHD


There has been a major increase in  ADHD last ten years. With different names and attributes ADHD diagnoses has been around for last fifty years. How to verify indications of ADHD, how to treat a person having ADHD, these have been problematic questions for years and many discussions have been held on this problem among professionals. Use of stimulant medications and testing of ADHD are animated issues of many people. The following article will put into light persons concerning ADHD and its occurrence in USA. 


History reveals that United States has the stigma of high rate of ADHD. And they owes its continuation to ADHD. Even in immigrants to United States these symptoms have been found. The fact is the existence of symptoms of ADHD in teens and adults is clearly high as compared with other countries on different basis. Impulsivity is a most important characteristic in ADHD it means to take risks and decision without thoughts. Intentional immigrants to the new country face great dangers to formulate their life better for themselves. ADHD people distinctive excel in the innovative fields. The world knows USA as a leader in all walks of life. The U.S. is recognized for getting upset and getting over it rapidly. An amazing characteristic with ADHD is quick to mad and quick to peaceful after that. If you see the history you find high proportion of ADHD people. But the question is why we are trying to diagnosis these traits.

The answer to this question is satire itself. People having ADHD are innovative but uninterested people. And U.S. creates the ways to modernize our life at some cost. Ben Franklin went to school for only two years. He did not attend any college. And it is powerfully thought that Franklin was ADHD. Today the capability to read is must but in Ben’s time it was outstanding. The fact is that ADHD have formed a world in which they resist to live in and this is the thing that has changed.


Facts Your Doctor Won't Tell You About ADHD Medication


Most of the children suffer from disorder of hyperactivity deficit and giving the medicines of ADHD treats them. These drugs like Ritalin are considered to more effective for such treatment because they keep the level of neurotransmitter imbalance that is the main reason for disorder. But in fact the treatment of ADHD is not a best way for treatment of your child. The following facts will make it clear.

This category of drug is the same like cocaine.

Some people called Ritalin kiddie cocaine. This is just considered slang but there is some truth behind it. The effects of this drug are on the chemicals of brain called dopamine and norepinephrine that function as focusing, attention and control of impulse. The other name used for Ritalin is Methylphenidate and it consists of elements, which are present in cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines. These drugs have short-term positive effects on child’s nervous system usually for several hours. After the effects of this drug vanished, the child feels same like an adult of cocaine and other such supplements. That means same side effects will occur on child that are caused by cocaine.

Worst side effects of ADHD medication.

Some of the side effects of ADHD medication are Stunted growth, insomnia, and poor appetite. These symptoms are not considered very important. These symptoms are usually caused by the nutritional deficiencies. And if your child is lacking sleep, it will have bad effects on their studies because they cannot pay attention to their class. The other most harmful side effects of this medication are a strange change in personality and psychotic behavior, tic disorder. And these effects were also found in the users of illegal supplements. And adopting this medication of children because they were suffering heart problems also causes a lot of deaths. ADHD medication cannot work for long time.

If this medication could really cure ADHD then its effects could be accepted. But this medication provides benefits for some hours. This is the reason there should be 2 or 3 times dozes of pills. Another amazing thing is that the long term use of these medicines vanish their further impacts on children.

You can use natural remedies for your child in order to cure for ADHD. These treatments are easy and safer than those and they have a lifetime effects on your child to get rid of ADHD.

Children with ADHD - How to Recognize the Early Signs of ADHD in Children


If your child is behaving in the age of two years than your other children i.e. he is exhausting you, does not sit at one place, does not pay attention to your instructions and always find him in troubles. A foster mother who had many children suffered from ADHD said that these children are always making me tired .

And if there is any problem of behavior in your child, what should be your next step? You will find yourself in confusion to get your child for treatment. You can put a lot of questions that our child has a lot of energy so why should we go for a treatment?

Typical Milestones of Children without Child Behavior Problems

In the age of three years, he is playing with other children and going for some sports activities.

When he is four years old, he starts talking, engage in typical playing games, make discussions and help others when required.

At the age of five years, he is learning some principles and rules. He says sorry when something is done wrongly, there are different emotions arise in various situations, provides help to his peers, and also ask for help to his elders.

When It Is Time to Get Your Child's Assessment

If all of these activities are not performed and your child is above the age of five, you should go for a treatment because your child is suffering from ADHD and you should not wait anymore.

Go to a professional and acquire his suggestions for diagnosis. They will probable tell you to wait until your child is above the age of five to go for treatment and medication.

And if your child is showing severe problems than your doctors and physician may make some exceptions. Some defiant children need special guidance to stop development of ODD (oppositional defiant disorder).

If your child is below the age of seven and showing all the symptoms, you should start taking journals on the problems of behavior of children.

Keeping a History Journal to Record Child Behavior Problems

You should start a journal if your child is really showing the conditions that are defined medically. The journal will work so importantly that you can hardly imagine.

You should notice all of symptoms and their occurrence time and places as how your child eats and sleeps, behavior with siblings, conditions that are not controlled easily, his or her aggression. You will have to gather all the information of his behavior in school times, restaurants, stores and family functions in order report at the time of professional assessment.

Childhood ADHD Linked to Adult Criminal Behavior


A new research on childhood ADHD has made the parents nervous. This new research was published in a journal “Mental Health Policy and Economics”. In this research it is mentioned that kids with ADHD are apt to commend theft or sell drugs in their teens and adult years. This research surveyed over 10,000 youngsters with ADHD during their childhood and adult years.

The research lead author is Jason Fletcher of the Yale School of Public Health. The results of this research recommend that kids with ADHD are an at-risk group. The research results show a relationship between symptoms and crime, whether they are hyperactive or distracted. The planning is that to see whether medications like Ritalin decrease or exaggerate the possibility of criminal activities in childhood. The also plan to research on symptoms of ADHD in childhood and later earnings.


But the fact is that the research does not present helpful information on childhood ADHD. If children with ADHD do not have proper treatment, they are apt to strike out of school, use drugs, become teenage parents, or present attitude disorders in their teen years. It the problem is fixed in time with the help of parents role the kids with ADHD turn out to be honorable citizens. The children who make out how to manage their wishes live a normal life.


This research shows another dishonour of childhood ADHD. The children with ADHD face many hardships to cope with their schoolwork and teachers. These problems hit their self-respect and moreover branding children with ADHD as an “at risk group”. So, the teachers and parents can discover ways to lift their self-respect, accommodate their requirements, and educate them the skills that make their life successful.

ADHD Treatment in Children


In ADHD cases drug therapy can be used and this is the first line therapy according to some specialists. In order for a child to behave normally in his surrounding, all a child needs is some stimulant drugs.  The treatment should be multidimensional. The stimulant drug would only work best  when it seems absolutely necessary that the child needs the drug treatment.

One cannot ignore the side effects of the drug. The side effects can do damage by preventing the children from taking the medicines for a long time. It has come to the notice that the ADHD medications have shown benefits to children but there have also been some problems associated with the drugs. The question comes to the mind; how can these problems be tackled?

Some kids have never been given the drugs for ADHD and they have gotten better. This may not be true. It is very possible that these children might have had mild symptoms. There are some children who do not want to take the medicines and they strongly refuse it when they are given it. Especially the teenagers refuse to take the medications. In a situation like this one, if the children are forced to take the medicine the results might not be good. So what should be done to prevent this?

There are many medicines for the children who are suffering from ADHS. But not all children respond to the drugs that are given to them. The matter can not be ignored as the medications do help a lot of chilren with ADHD problems but there are still many children who never respond to the medicines. So when the question comes in to the mind of ADHD treatment for kids, it should be made clear that the children should recover.

There are other means of therapy for ADHD. Behaviour therapy has been used for a long time to help the children. The therapy helps the children by teaching some simple norms and values that would make it easier for them to move appropriately in a society.


The relationship between children and parents is tied with a knot of friendship. If the child is appreciated by his parents when he gets good grades then he will be motivated to work even harder. Same is with the teachers, children with ADHD need more appreciation and encouragement on their achievements. When he’ll get the encouragement that he needs, he’ll me motivated. A child’s interests should be highlighted and should be provided with his/her positive consequences.

A physician should provide the child with the best results. There are other ways to cure ADHD besides drug treatment and behaviour treatment. They are Zinc and Feingold diet, music therapy. These are alternative treatments.

ADHD Test Conner's Rating Scale


No test can identify ADHD in human. A lot of factors are involved causing ADHD and it becomes a very complicated disorder. The only things that may be done in determining the ADHD are the symptoms in patients, allergy problems, the history of medical of the patients and the atmosphere in which the patient is living. Most of the doctors are ignorant of the symptoms and make there own estimation in determining the ADHD. But keeping a complete and thorough consideration on conditions of patient, the medication can be determined for that child.

One test for determining ADHD is Conner's Rating Scales Revised (CRS-R). This test is widely used in offices of school guidance, clinics of pediatric, facilities of mental health, and facilities of juvenile detention. This test is done through asking the surrounded persons of child for the condition of ADHD. There are three versions of this test- one for teachers of the child, other for parents and the third one for child. There are also a long version consist of checklist of 18 items and a short-term version of 12 items.

The test CRS-R is basically a treatment of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention conditions in children. The identification of all of these conditions is probably difficult but a professional can measure the symptoms. Doctors can also check the improvements through scheduled screening process. The test also considered to be basic point of treatment and can identify the hidden conditions in children.

It is also one of the tests for ADHD treatments. This test can only identify the conditions of ADHD but the factors that are behind ADHD cannot be identified through this process. If the real factors can be identified, they should be cured but your doctor will only work to suppress these conditions of ADHD. And at the end, the symptoms include in ADHD are same like other problems like deficiencies of minerals. You cannot only rely on the scale of rating because your child may be at the risk of his/her life.

You should make sure that the institute where you take your child for treatment is involved in different methods of testing for ADHD. Some expensive test are there but they can be beneficial for the identification of your child’s conditions for ADHD. 

ADHD Parenting: How to Deal With Lying




The parent of children suffer form ADHD usually face a problem of lying. To lie occasionally is considered to be ok but the children with ADHD are used to lie more than any other. The parents can get disturbed with this kind of conditions of the children. But they should also keep in mind that lying is considered to be one of the symptoms of ADHD and their child does not mean to bother them really. The reason of lying may not be understood even by the child himself. They probably have no idea that what is going on to them and they just want to lie in order to get out that situation. Suffering from such situation they may lose their attention of forget important tasks and maybe they want to save them from facing their parents and just lie. For example:

Forgetfulness.

The mother told David to come straight to home after school because some relatives are coming to dinner. He was in hurry and just want to leave the house and just say okay. After he had gone to school, he completely forgets that what his mother told him earlier. He came home two hours later. When his mother told him that he was late, he argued that his mother never told him to come home soon. He was not lying, he just forgot what his mother told him. If your child also forgets everything, make some reminders or notes and place them where he can easily see them.

Inability to finish a task.

The arts teacher of Angela assigned a task to her because she had not done any project for the month. She was afraid that her parent will show temper on her and she destroyed the notes that were given by the teacher and does not told anyone at home. Also she hides her monthly reports from parents in order to avoid embarrassment. This inability of Angela to complete any task should be tackled through proper strategies and management.

Impulsivity

Jana had to complete a task at school and she was told to bring her father’s car. When she was on the way, a friend called her for shopping at the mall. She accepted the offer due to a sudden wish and joined her friend for shopping. And after some time her dad asked for the progress of project, she tell her dad about the projects. But she didn’t notice that her brother has pointed out the car in the parking area. Such lies could have severe results because her car was not located for two weeks.

When you will go for treatment of ADHD conditions, it will stop lying, but you have to be very strict with your child for discussing the results of lying. You can use following for dealing with lies of your children.

Always face the lie when it is spoken but will polite behavior. Tell your child about the severe effects of lies and don’t blame him for anything critical.
Make some punishment for lies but it should fair enough and tell your child what he had done and what impact it should have on their life.
Show your child honesty because you are the role model for your child. Your honesty will reveal same behavior in your child.
--------------------------------------------

ADHD Home Remedies - Helping With School Assignments


ADHD brings challenges for the children and his later life and formostly their abilities in school are effected with ADHD. Statistics are alarming, confirming 80% of children having ADHD unable to get their targets appropriately. In this article I will put some thoughts to light that could be helpful for your child to get focused and gain maximum oftheir abilities.

There are four suggestions for Helping with School Assignments:

Reduce the chance of lost homework:  
Having a folder in the school bag is a good option for these children and they should put the homework in this folder as they complete it. Make it definite that your child is carrying this folder with the school bag before leaving the home.

Reduced span of homework:
This is one of the reasonable problems of ADHD. To get more out of your child’s ability it is recommended that you set some time limit on particular assignment. Then change to a different task whether the assignment is completed or not, after that start the unfinished assignment and get it completed. This attitude will not only refresh the child’s mind but also bring better results.

Create a better study atmosphere:
It is a fact that ADHD children are easily disconcerted and giving them with a still and tranquil atmosphere will pick up results. You can also get your child focused and improved in ability by playing music or setting ear plugs. You can switch off TV or radio to reduce distraction.

Time Management:
You can find that having ADHD, both adults and children resist with time management. Provide a timetable to solve this problem particularly when they are working on the projects that are time consumed.  Moreover, divide the contents of projects; getting some part of it finished day by day.

The four suggestions are for ADHD children to get focused and get help to complete school assignments. It does not mean that you start doing their homework; your focus should be on the obstacles that are defocusing them.

ADHD Diet: Five Foods That Fight ADHD


There is a big positive effect on conditions of child when he is undergone a diet consist of rich nutrition for ADHD. Most of the processed foods give rise to a chance of suffering from ADHD because they are mixed with some unreal material and also contain calories that are empty and harmful for the nutrient stores of the body. The children who suffer from such a problem usually face the deficiencies of nutrient. If they use other foods, that may cause allergy problems to child like gluten or casein, and use of proteins may cause brain to need more rest and lose strength of attention. The foods that should be eaten by a child suffering from ADHD are present here that are greatly helpful against ADHD.

Sardines

Omega 3 fatty acids are present in sardines that work as building blocks for brain and also for neurons. These nutrients make your neuron membrane more strong and neurotransmitter communication is made more efficient. The research indicates that weak neurotransmission cause some conditions of ADHD but are not the actual cause for it. If there is any deficiency in neurotransmission, it will only cause effects on those parts of brain that are critical. Calcium is also present in sardines. They are in the shape of small bones that can be eaten easily. It is also free from any kind of pollutants like mercury.

Clams

Clams are very rich in iron and there is a big deficiency of iron in children with ADHD. Potassium and vitamin B12 are also present in clams. They are usually made in farms, far away from any pollution and thus do not contain any pollutants like sardines. They should be served after baking lightly and cooked in seafood and vegetables that are free from casein.

Beef

Another useful food against ADHD is beef because it does not come from any can or fast food. Vitamin B12 is available in great amount in beef that serve the production of neurotransmitter. The beef should be grass-fed or organic because these are free or contain lower amount of chemicals and pesticides.

Guava

There is a very big amount of vitamin C present in Guava probably more than five times of amount in an orange. Vitamin C is very important to keep your brain safer from the lead when it is going to be included in your bloodstream. It should be served in raw shape because most of the vitamins are present on its skin.

Rice milk

Rice milk is free from any casein or hormones that may be present in cow’s milk. That is why many parent are feeding their children on rice milk while cooking. There is same strength and consistency in rice milk that is found in cow’s milk.

ADHD Child Violence - 5 Strategies For Parents


The violence shown by ADHD children can force them to leave their family and siblings who are silently watching the violence. Even the behavior can be worst when the ADHD child abuse, threat siblings, hit and beat up small kids.

It should be first strategy to make your child feel that there is no justification for their behavior. This should be very strictly by both parents. There are some families where the children find sympathy from one parent while they know that they should get it from the other one for such misbehaves. You should avoid treating your child separately.

Second strategy should be to make appropriate punishment for their mischief. They should the know the limitations and if they go beyond it they will have to face severe results for their misbehave. Try to focus on changing the behavior of the child rather to make hard punishments. The child should be making felt that this kind of behavior is not tolerable and this should not happen again.

Third strategy should be to avoid all kind of media that give rise to violence such as video games and other such devices which encourage his that attitude. Make your child feel that these things are responsible for their behavior largely. The proof is that their aggressive behavior is purely connected with such kind of games.

Fourth strategy should be to discuss with your child the feelings that come to his mind while he is in a calm mode. Try to discover the factors that push their anger because you have to make them temper free. Try to teach him how to calm down himself by taking some deep breaths. The Noemi Drew who is a professional on conflict resolution has described the technique. A lot of writings are there on confliction at house make by ADHD children.

Try to make yourself aware of ADHD therapy system and put yourself on the right path suitable for you. You just don’t need to pay heavy expenditures on consultation for such purposes. This can be done easily by your commitment and at your own house. Discover the medicines that are helpful for your child.

5 Ways to Deal With ADHD

Today’s youth is suffering from ADHD in a great number, also stress, lack of employment, depression, use of narcotics, crime and suicides are greater than before, and due to such situation parents and teachers are looking to fail in playing their role.

In the opinion of Marguerite Clancy, a specialist of family relationships, nothing can be determined accurately for treatment of ADHD, but there are certain things that should be kept in mind in order to deal with such kind of problems:

Make a schedule and just follow it only. Also include some laughter and jokes in this time.
Let your child play most of the time.
Maintain a discipline and give rewards where suitable.
Be polite, soft language, short ways to go and establish calmness.
Look for appropriate results for such behaviors.

In the words of Marguerite, “A lot of options are there for parents and teachers to give affection and love to their children in order to make them happy. And for them who don’t have trust on medication, many things are there to be performed”. A playing therapy called Sandplay Therapy, may be used that can give rise to emotions of the children. Her recommendations are that children should make a use of toys in order to get rid of things they are afraid of. They can use dolls, blocks, cars, balls to represent the objects of everyday life that are difficult for them to face. According to Marguerite, the problems that are faced by the children may be very surprising for the parents and when the children are provided a chance to express their emotions through these imaginary objects will be a great help for their treatment.

And when the problems are identified, parents can easily discuss with their children. And if the problem persists, they should be engaged in some kind of sports. The proper use of communication and making a catalogue of frustrations of your child, you will be able to improve the conditions very easily.

ADD/ADHD The Social and Self-Esteem Disorder


Generally when people think of ADD/ADHD, they think about a child who has problems at school in education or if talking about adults, career problems. Many people who suffer from attention deficit disorder show impairment in school and work. The causes are lack of concentration, distraction, memory difficulties and procrastination which are common in people with ADHD.

Performances in these areas are unpredictable and irregular because of these problems. People with ADD do well in the activities that seem interesting to them but they are lazy and poorly do the daily routine work and are bad in subjects that are of no interest to them or which they find boring. Some ADD students do not give their work even when they have done it. ADD/ADHD students are chronically late, so thus ADD becomes a school and career issue.

School and career problems are asiee, however, compared to other and less well known ramifications of attention deficit disorder. I personally think that ADHD is a social and self-esteem disorder and can have an affect on every person’s life if it is not treated. People with ADD/ADHD, each of them is different but generally these people are different compared to the normal people.

If the affected people are hyperactive, they move quicker than the other people and are louder than other. They have a habit of interrupting conversations and are more hasty than others. They are self absorbed and do not understand the body language of others. They have the tendency to monopolize the conversation they are in, and often misinterpret things; like what appear odd to others will make them laugh.

The prefrontal cortex of the brain should be alert in order to have true empathy and the ability to put oneself in another’s position. It should be alert enough to communicate well with the limbic system area of the brain where the emotions take place. The people with ADHD have less communication skills because their prefrontal cortex is often asleep.

So, it shows that ADHD affected people do not care about other people and their feelings.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Use of Prenatal Vitamin and Mineral Supplements


Specially formulated supplements for pregnant women are prescribed routinely by most physicians. Some are sold over the counter, while others are dispensed by pre­scription because of their high folate content (1 milligram), which could pose prob­lems for others, such as older people. This routine use of prenatal supplements may exist because it is easier for physicians to prescribe supplements than to discuss diet changes. Also, some pregnant women are just not willing to change their diets to meet their increased nutrient needs, or they simply expect (or de­mand) this treatment. These prenatal supplements typically include the critical nutri­ents for pregnancy that is, iron, zinc, and folate and many others as well. Prenatal supplements especially may contribute to a successful pregnancy with poor women, teenagers, those with a generally deficient diet, and women carrying multiple fetuses. There is no evidence that potential supplements cause significant health problems in pregnancy, as long as other sources of supplementary and dietary vitamin A are monitored. During pregnancy, preformed vitamin A should not exceed 3000 RAE per day (15,000 IU per day). Toxicity of vitamin A is linked with birth defects. This occurs mainly during the first trimester.

Pregnant Vegetarians
Women who practice either lactovoo vegetarianism or lactovegetarianism generally do not face special difficulties in meeting their nutritional needs during pregnancy. Like non vegetarian women, they should be concerned primarily with meeting iron, zinc, folate, and calcium needs.

On the other hand, when a total vegetarian (vegan) becomes pregnant, she must carefully plan a diet that includes sufficient protein, vitamin D (or sufficient sun ex­posure), vitamin B-6, iron, calcium, and zinc and must use a vitamin B-12 supple­ment. The basic vegan diet should be modified to include more grains, beans, nuts, and seeds to supply the necessary extra amounts of some of these nutrients. Because iron and calcium are poorly absorbed from most plant foods, iron and calcium supplements are probably necessary; however, to avoid competition for absorption, they should not be taken together. The amounts provided by typical prenatal supplements should suffice to meet iron needs but not calcium needs (only 200 milligrams of calcium are contained in a typical prenatal supplement). The prenatal supplement also fulfills vitamin D needs if sufficient sun exposure does not take place.


Use of Prenatal Vitamin and Mineral Supplements


Many physicians prescribe some formulated medicines especially made for pregnant women. Some of these are sold directly but others are only given on the basis of prescription, as they may be harmful for other people like older ones. These supplements are easy to suggest by the physicians because they consider it difficult to discuss diet changes. Also the pregnant women do not want to change their diets and simply demand this kind of treatment. Some critical nutrition is present in these supplements like iron, zinc and folate and many other supplements. These supplements are also beneficial for women who are poor, weak, teenagers, and women with inappropriate diets and who suffer from various fetuses. There is no proof that any problem is caused during the period of pregnancy due to these supplements. The amount of Vitamin A should not exceed 3000 RAE per day because the toxicity of Vitamin A is purely connected with defects in birth in the first trimester of birth.


Pregnant Vegetarians
The practice of  lactovoo vegetarianism or lactovovegetarianism reduce the problems of nutrition needs during pregnancy period. The non-vegetarian women should fulfill the needs of iron, zinc, folate and calcium. And therefore, non-vegetarian women should take into consideration the use of proteins like Vitamin D, Vitamin B-6 iron, calcium and zinc, and supplement of B-12 Vitamin. Their diet should include grains, beans, nuts and seeds that may provide extra amount of nutrition that is required during this period. It is suggested to make a use of iron and calcium supplements of plant foods but they should be absorbed separately. Prenatal supplements should be taken in sufficient amount in order to accomplish the needs of iron but they contain a little amount of calcium i.e. 200 milligram of calcium. They can also do the work to provide Vitamin D if there is a little sun light in the day. 

Recommended Weight Gain


Adequate weight gain for a mother is one of the best predictors of pregnancy outcome. According to the National Academy of Sciences, a woman of normal weight (based on BMI) should follow a diet that allows for approximately 2 to 4 pounds (0.9 to 1.8 kilo­grams) of weight gain during the first trimester, and then a subsequent weight gain of 0.75 to 1 pound (0.3 to 0.5 kilograms) weekly during the second and third trimesters. Total weight gain goal normally averages about 25 to 35 pounds (11.5 to 16 kilo­grams). Adolescents and African-American women, who often have smaller babies, are strongly advised to aim for the greater amount. Women carrying twins should gain 35 to 45 pounds, and women carrying triplets should gain 50 pounds (23 kilograms).

For women at a low BMI, the goal increases to 28 to 40 pounds (12.5 to 18 kilo­grams) (Table 13.1). The goal decreases to 15 to 25 pounds (7 to 11.5 kilograms) for a woman at a high BMI, and less than 15 pounds (7 kilograms) for an obese woman. Figure 13.4 shows why the typical recommendation begins at 25 pounds.
A weight gain of between 25 and 35 pounds has repeatedly been shown to yield optimal health for both mother and fetus if gestation lasts at least 38 weeks. The weight gain should yield a birth weight of 7.5 pounds (3.5 kilograms). Although some extra weight gain during pregnancy is usually not harmful, it can set the stage for creeping obesity during the childbearing years if the mother does not return to about her prepregnancy weight. This is especially true if the woman intends to have more than one child.
Weight gain during pregnancy, especially in the teenage years, requires regular monitoring that approximately. Infant birth weights improve if the mother's weight gain meets the ranges previously mentioned. Keeping weekly records of a pregnant woman's weight gain helps assess how much to adjust her food intake. Weight gain is a key issue in prenatal care and a concern of many mothers. Inadequate weight gain can cause many problems. If a woman devi­ates from the desirable pattern, she should be warned of this and counseled on how to make the appropriate adjustment.
For example, if a woman begins to gain too much weight during her pregnancy, she should not be encouraged to lose weight to get back on track. Even if a woman gains 35 pounds in the first 7 months of pregnancy, she must still gain more during the last 2 months. Weight loss is never advised. She should simply slow the increase in weight to parallel the rise on the prenatal weight gain chart. In other words, the sources of the unnecessary food energy should be found and minimized. Alternately, if a woman has not gained the desired weight by a given point in pregnancy, she shouldn't be en­couraged to gain the needed weight rapidly. Instead, she should slowly gain a little more weight than the typical pattern to meet the goal by the end of the pregnancy.

Pros and Cons of Breastfeeding


As noted already, the vast majority of women are capable of breastfeeding, and infants benefit from it. Nonetheless, a woman's de­cision to nurse depends on a variety of factors, some of which may make breastfeed­ing impractical or undesirable for a woman. Mothers who don't want to breastfeed their infants should not feel compelled to do so. Breastfeeding provides distinct ad­vantages, but none so great that a woman who decides to bottle-feed should feel she is significantly penalizing her infant.

Advantages Of Breastfeeding
Human milk is tailored to meet infant nutrient needs for the first 4 to 6 months of life. The possible exceptions are the relative lack of fluoride, iron, and vitamin D. In­fant supplements, used under the guidance of a pediatrician, can supply these and are generally recommended. Some sun exposure also helps compensate for the gap in vitamin D nutriture, but will likely not be enough for dark-skinned (e.g., African-American) infants, as they synthesize less vitamin D from typical sun exposure. Sup­plemental vitamin D is advised. Fluoride may be found in the household water supply. If it is not present in adequate amounts or the child is not re­ceiving tap water, a fluoride supplement after 6 months of age should be considered and a dentist consulted. Vitamin B-12 supplements are recommended for the breast­fed infant whose mother is a complete vegetarian (vegan).

Fewer Infections Breastfeeding reduces the general risk of infections to the in­fant. This is partially because of the antibodies in human milk that an infant can use. Breastfed infants also have fewer ear infections (otitis media) because they do not sleep with a bottle in the mouth. Experts strongly discourage allowing infants to sleep with a bottle in their mouths (or continuing to breastfeed as the infant sleeps). When that happens, milk pools in the infant's mouth, backs up through the throat, and eventually settles in the ears, creating a growth medium for bacteria. Infant ear infec­tions are a common problem. By avoiding them, parents can decrease discomfort for the infant, avoid related trips to the doctor, and prevent possible hearing loss. Tooth decay from nighttime bottles is another likely consequence.

Fewer Allergies and Intolerances Breastfeeding also reduces the chances of allergies, especially in allergy-prone infants. The key time to attain this benefit from breastfeeding is during the first 4 to 6 months of an infant's life. Breastfeeding for even just the first few weeks is beneficial. A longer commitment than 4 to 6 months is better, but the first few months are most critical. Another benefit of breastfeeding is that infants are better able to tolerate human milk than formulas. Formulas must occasionally be switched several times until caregivers find the best one for the infant.

Convenience and Cost Breastfeeding frees the mother from the time and ex­pense involved in buying and preparing formula and washing bottles. Human milk is ready to go and sterile. This allows the mother to spend more time with her baby. On the other hand, if the child is bottle-fed, the mother may be free to do other things while others feed the baby.



Production of Human Milk


Milk-producing lobules are made in breast of women during pregnancy and hormones cause these changes from the placenta. And after the birth of child, more hormones are produced and they keep a level of changes in the breast. Milk producing ability is also increased and the weight of breast is increased about 1 to 2 pounds.

The hormones that are produced also stimulate the synthesis of milk. Prolactin release is also stimulated by process of suckling. More amount of milk will be produced as more infants are suckled. The process of milk production is related with demand of infants. These facts also cause twins birth because milk production is driven by the demand.

The tissues present in breast cause milk proteins to be synthesized. A little amount of proteins is also included in the milk by the blood stream of women. Some immune factors and enzymes are also present in these proteins. Milk also includes some fats that come from tissues of breast and diet of mother. The milk also contains of some glucose that are provided by the blood stream of mother. Lactose that is the main carbohydrate, are formed by the sugar synthesized in the breast

Let-Down Reflex
There is a connection of brain and breast called milk ejection reflex and it is very important for feeding of breast. The hormones that are released by the brain and are called oxytocin, act as releasing the milk from storage parts.

This hormone travels through the nipple area and before the flow of milk starts, the let-down reflex is signaled by some sensations. And if it failed to do so, some little milk will also be available for the child. But that situation may cause some frustration for both mother and the child. The mother should be patient in such kind of situation.

This reflex is also caused by the nervous tension or low level of confidence. The connection of tension and the let-down reflex should be known to mother. The atmosphere should be comfortable for mother to breastfeed.

After the passage of some time, this reflex will become automatic. If mother just think of her child or look at the other one, the let-down reflex can be started. As the mother is unable to estimate the amount of milk the child feeds, she sometimes gets frustrated that she is not giving the infant adequate amount of milk.

Nutritional Qualities of Human Milk

There is a big difference of human milk and cow’s milk. You should not give cow’s milk to the infant unless he reaches to an age of 1 year because there is a high amount of minerals and vitamins in this milk and it also does not contain the carbohydrates that are necessary for the infant and it can also cause diabetes in infants. Also such proteins are difficult to digest for an infant. There are a lot of other compounds in human milk that are beneficial for the infants like visionary power and development of nervous system. The factors like omega 3 fatty acids are not present in cow’s milk and other formulas of infant but they are likely to be included in future times.


Prenatal Growth and Development


The learning process of child takes place when he was in your womb. This is not a surprising thing. This is a fact the your baby start learning in your womb.

The development takes place in the brain of the baby to make an understanding of the world for the first time baby open eyes and comes under the shower of sunlight.

The development of baby brain may be divided into two parts. One development before the birth of the child and one is after birth and they are called pre-natal and post-natal respectively.

The basic development of baby’s brain is carried out in womb. In this process of pre-natal millions of neurons are developed in the body of the baby.

The period of thirty-six weeks are most crucial when the baby start developing the brain in mother’s womb. The baby learns a lot of basic things in this period.

In a very slow process, the shape of brain begins to make and senses are matured. The period of 36 weeks is time for baby to develop taste buds and starts tasting the food that is taken by the mother.

All the process of brain development is initially take place in this period. Other processes are also take place in the pre-natal stage as hearing and sexual senses are developed. You will not imagine but it is the fact that your baby can keep memories in this stage.

Major changes are made in post-natal stage of brain development. The baby is able to connect his/her voice with you. And also these links are used to learn how to breath, suck, and swallow.

In this stage, the baby will come to know how to feed on self-basis and walking and running. A specific time is required for this development process. And few months are also required for further developments. And this process cannot be done in a quick session and you cannot expect your child to grow as faster as this world.

If there is some late in the learning process of your child, you should not worry by thinking that your child is not going at normal. But the process of your child’s brain is quite stable and you will not find any complaints in future of your child.


Planned Pregnancy - Good For You And Your Baby


You can consult your each and every inquiry about pregnancy to your consultants easily. In order to have a healthy baby, it is advised to consult with the doctors. You can also consult with your mother, close relative and books if you used to read the books. In this way you will be able to control every situation of pregnancy when you have a plan for your pregnancy. Planning includes your foods, vaccinations, diets, good age of pregnancy, factors harmful to your pregnancy, all these type of thing are usually put into questions against the parents. You can avoid any frustration or confusion.

Keeping A Step Ahead

All problems can be faced accordingly if you have proper planning for your pregnancy. You are going to become parents and are about to bring a new human being into the world. So, you will have to plan to give your best to your child and do not lose any planning step for comfort of your child. You have to be healthy and fit in order to give your child a healthy life. For this purpose, you can do daily exercises and morning walks, proper medication, proper foods, watching TV to keep yourself free from tension. If you will go for all these things, you will enjoy a period of enjoyment and also will be prepared for your next pregnancy.

Physical Fitness Is Essential

You will have to check your body mass index. You will have a greater chance of pregnancy if you have a healthy body along with some weight. You should know the best time for being pregnant. Preplanning will make you able to know ovulation period that is 14th day after menstruation. There are a lot of medicines and herbs available in order to increase fertility in both men and women, if there is any problem for your pregnancy or it is going to be too late.

Always keep in mind the money although if you have a good income source. There may be big amounts of borrowings when you are going to pay hospital bills, baby clothes, gels, creams, painting and white washing, purchase of medical items and grocery, traveling and communication expenses. All these things may put a lot of burden on your pocket. So when you have a plan for pregnancy, it will help you greatly to control extra burdens on your pocket. And if you are an ordinary person with limited means of income, then you should save your money for days that require heavy expenditures. Normally you are not paid after six weeks of delivery from office. So your planned pregnancy will help you in your difficult days. 

Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension


Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a high-risk disorder that occurs in about 6% to 8% of pregnancies. In its mild forms, it is also known as preeclampsia and, in severe forms, as eclampsia. Early symptoms include a rise in blood pressure, excess protein in the urine, edema, changes in blood clotting, and nervous system disorders. Very severe effects, including convulsions, can occur in the second and third trimesters. If not controlled, eclampsia eventually damages the liver and kidneys, and both the mother and fetus may die. The population most at risk for this disorder is women over age 35 and those who have had multiple-birth pregnancies. A family history in the mother or father also increases risk, as does a generally inadequate diet, such as too little calcium.


Breastfeeding
Before the 1900s, if a mother didn't breastfeed (nurse) her infant, a substitute nursing mother (wet-nurse) was hired to do it. Formula feeding was fraught with compli­cations, primarily because people did not know the importance of sterilizing formulas against bacteria. Nor did people know much about the nutritional needs of infants. During the early 1900s, the technology of formulas based on cow's milk and methods of feeding improved. From the 1920s and especially in the 1940s, when women worked in armament factories during World War II, more and more babies were fed formula. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, interest in breastfeeding further waned. In the 1970s, breastfeeding enjoyed a resurgence, which has since leveled off.
Healthy People 2010 has set a goal of 75% of women nursing their infants at time of hospital discharge, 50% breastfeeding for 6 months, and 25% still breastfeeding at 1 year. The American Dietetic Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics (as well as corresponding Canadian organizations) recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first 4 months and preferably 6 months, with the continued combination of breastfeeding and infant foods until 1 year. The World Health Organization goes be­yond that to recommend breastfeeding for at least 2 years, supplemented with other foods. Surveys show, however, that only about 55% of North American mothers now nurse their infants in the hospital, and at 4 and 6 months only 33% and 20% are still breastfeeding their infants, respectively. Thus, many women are leaving the hospital breastfeeding, but there is a large dropoff, especially after 2 weeks.
Women who choose to breastfeed usually find it an enjoyable, special time in their lives and their relationship with their new infant. Bottle feeding with an infant for­mula is also safe for infants, If a woman doesn't nurse her child, breast weight returns to normal very soon after birth.