Will you learn anything from reading this story? Probably not.

A CNN "news" story to stir the pot on this sunny, lazy, late-August day:

"Is Your Kid Really Gifted? Probably Not"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/08/27/gifted.kids/index.html

As superficial as the story is, someone still found it necessary to boil the article down to four bullet points at the top of the page.

One more month to go!

I have one month left to train for the Philadelphia Distance Run and raise funds for the Tourette Syndrome Association. I have almost reached my fundraising goal! Please help me reach that goal by making a donation here. Thank you!

It's getting uncomfortably close...

"Thanks" to Jennifer for sending me this story from The Onion, as I put the finishing touches on plans for the coming school year and continue to contemplate our options.

Helping a child with ADHD excel

An interesting story about a young man with an ADHD diagnosis who has been in the news a lot recently:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/sports/olympics/10Rparent.html

The moral of this story is: "Too many adults looked at Ms. Phelps’s boy and saw what he couldn’t do. This week, the world will be tuned to the Beijing Olympics to see what he can do."

On that note, I will be taking time this week to thank those very few adults who look at my son and see what he can do, instead of seeing only problems.

The Neurological Roots of Genius

Thanks again to Corin for yet another interesting article:

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=high-aptitude-minds

"But I Did Everything Right!"

Thanks to Corin for sharing this link to a story in Newsweek on how genetic differences affect behavior: "DNA discoveries are revealing why even the best parenting doesn't have the effects experts promise, from breast-feeding to letting kids learn from mistakes."

The first reaction many of us are having to this story is "no kidding!" This information should be obvious, right? My second reaction was to remember how lost I felt when my son was very young, how I could not figure out why none of the parenting books and parenting experts seemed to offer techniques that worked with my child. I remember doubting my own instincts for the longest time; indeed, they were nearly impossible to hear over all of the solicited and unsolicited advice I received from every person who met my son.

So, if this story grabs the attention of a few parents who are feeling lost, confused, and overwhelmed, and they hear "It's not you! It's not something you did! Your child's brain really is wired differently." -- then great, the article has served a purpose.

Abuse allegations

From today's New York Times, a disturbing story about accusations of sexual abuse made against Dr. Mel Levine:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/us/06pediatrician.html

ADHD and iron

Thanks to the folks at 2E Newsletter for bringing this article, about the link between low iron and ADHD-like behaviors, to my attention. I have to say, the article sparked all kinds of questions for me. First, while the doctor/author describes her son's symptoms as resembling pica, my first thought was of the sensory-seeking behaviors associated with sensory integration dysfunction.

It also was interesting, for me, to read about the link between restless legs syndrome, iron and dopamine levels (hi, Mom!). Note this sentence: "Iron has to be available in adequate amounts for your brain to keep its dopamine at a normal level." Which brings me to a third thought that popped into my mind.

My child with severe ADHD also had some pretty serious problems with tolerating iron when he was an infant. I had to discontinue my post-natal iron supplements because the little guy just shrieked all day (and night) long, and practically pooped gravel. Now, I am wondering about iron intolerance and ADHD. I also find myself wondering about the effects of a vegetarian diet on a child with ADHD.

So many questions, so little time and energy. I have the urge to do my own research, but I must confine myself to trying to sort out all of the questions inside my head, all the while chanting "correlation does not equal causality."