Special Family Network

Scientists are discovering  that ADHD might not be the problem when it comes to your child’s hyperactivity and their inability to pay attention. For far too long these children have been lumped into one big misdiagnosed category and have had to live with the label of ADHD throughout their school days.  Fortunately,  more doctors are taking the time to discover the root cause of these behavior issues instead of handing out the ADHD diagnosis along with a narcotic prescription designed to calm them down.

Just today a new article came out on MSN about a little girl who was given the label of ADHD. She had been kicked out of a preschool and put on harsh ADHD medications. Fortunately for this little girl, her pediatrician looked further into her issues and discovered that she  had been misdiagnosed. She was actually suffering from sleep apnea. The symptoms of sleep apnea can closely mimic ADHD.  Now,  this little girl has a new outlook on life.  To read this article in full, please click here.

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, please consider taking the time to investigate the matter further. Some chidlren truely have ADHD, but it is believed that over time more and more children will be diagnosed with something else and will finally recieve the help that they need.

It is known that 30 percent of people who have Autism also have Digestive Problems, which is higher than the general population.  As a matter of fact, many parents of children with Autism who have put their children on restrictive diets have noticed an improvement in Autism symptoms. The most famous example being Jenny McCarthy’s son Evan.

Vanderbilt University is studying  gene called MET which deals with both brain cells and the  gastrointestinal system , but as Daniel Campbell, a research assistant professor involved with the study says, “As scientists learn more about the disease  it appears that autism is not a single disease but a spectrum of disorders with common symptoms but different causes.”

To read more about his reaserch click here.

The Fired Up! for Down Syndrome Conference will be held in Brentwood, Tn (a suburb of Nashville) This April 24-25 at the Brentwood United Methodist Church.  Some of the topics that will be covered include:

When a woman becomes pregnant she usually fantasizes about her unborn child. Who will the baby look like? What will the baby do when he/she grows up? With the advancement of medical technology we can now learn a lot about the baby before he or she is born. We can also discover if the baby is going to have special needs. Finding out that the baby is going to be a special needs child can be devastating to some couples. There are several things that you can do to prepare yourself for the birth of your special needs child.

For full article, click here.

On a recent road trip with a friend of mine, I found out that she had mosaic Turner Syndrome. I had been under the impression that women with Turner Syndrome could not have children, but she has two healthy daughters with no sign of TS. I also came across this article that talks about the possibility of having children even if you have a full case of Turner Syndrome. For more read here.

My own son is allergic to peanuts, so I can sympathize with all of the people out there dealing with the peaunt butter recall, wondering what they are going to put in their children’s lunches or use in their snacks. I found this article that has some pretty good ideas for peanut butter alternatives.  Personally, I like Sunbutter the best.

How to Find Peanut Butter Alternatives

Every year around New Year’s Eve, my husband and I try to take time out of the chaos that is our daily life and make goals for the coming year. We also like to reflect on the year that is passing and on life in general. I was thinking about this the other day when a commercial for St. Jude’s came on the TV. The one reminds us to be thankful for our healthy children and remember those who are not. It makes me cry almost every time. A reminder that it could be my sweet boy so sick and missing his beautiful, curly hair.

Even though we have to live with this syndrome every day, I have to be thankful. Thankful that we are not at St. Jude’s, but, if he did develop Leukemia or Aplastic Anemia, we live in a country where medical care is readily available. I am thankful for the doctors who, even though we’ve been to some who are not the most sensitive (complete jerks), are keeping a close watch on my little boy. I am thankful that we have pharmacies with the medications that we need right down the road because I have been to areas in the world where parents cannot get the medicines that their children need.

I wish every day that my children did not have to go through life with these syndromes, but I am thankful for my children and everything that they have taught me about strength, faith, and love. I am learning to stop asking “Why?” and rely on my faith that everything is going to turn out fine. I have realized that I am not in control (which is really hard for a control freak like me) and that I must “let go and let God.”

In this coming year, I am going to try my hardest to be happy, have faith that all will be well, and live each day to the fullest. This is what I want my children to learn for me. Every day is a gift and every moment that I have with my children is a blessing. Some days are harder than others, and I’ve had plenty of breakdowns, but I am going to try my hardest to make every day a fantastic day. I wish each of you a Happy New Year. May it be filled with love, happiness, and sense of peace. God bless.

This is such an emotionally moving video done by a man to his son, Elliot, who was born with Trisomy 18. Eliot only lived 99 days, but his life touched so many.

Most parents who find out that their child has Trisomy 18 before birth choose to abort their baby. I applaud Eliot’s parents for choosing life.  Their choice allowed them the precious gift of their son. As his father says in the video:

“An underdeveloped lung,  a heart with hole in it and DNA that placed faulty information into each and every cell in your body could not stop God from revealing himself through a child who never uttered a word. Not a pulpit not a slick presentation not a best selling book, but a six pound boy with Trisomy 18. God found great pleasure to take a lowly thing in the eyes of the world and show truth.”

Please watch this tribute to their son.

Alaska’s governor, Sarah Palin, recently gave birth to her fifth child. He is a beautiful baby boy named Trig Paxon Van Palin.

He was born with Down Syndrome.

A statement released by her and her husband, Todd says,

“Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed.”

I am so happy that, though they knew before birth that Trig was going to have Down Syndrome, she continued with her pregnancy and is taking so much joy in the life of her baby. 90% of American mothers who find out that the baby that they are carrying has Down Syndrome choose to have an abortion. They believe that abortion is the best option when in truth they are missing out on what could be one of life’s greatest blessings.

To read more about Trig’s birth please read this article.

Dr. Betty Williams, co-author of the book Very Young Children with Special Needs, presented the results of some of her research in a lecture. To find out more, please read this article.