Power Advocates

The causes and etiology of autism are areas of debate and controversy; there is currently no consensus, and researchers are studying a wide range of possible genetic and environmental causes. Since the way autism manifests is different for each person, there are likely multiple "causes" that interact with each other in subtle and complex ways, and thus give slightly differing outcomes in each individual. Two environmental theories include the impact of vaccines on the immune system (of which a statistically significant link has never been found despite many attempts; see the vaccine theory for a more extensive treatment) and a more recent theory relating autism to high levels of television viewing...

Teachers and Counselors: Does it seem to you that you are seeing more and more seriously emotionally disturbed kids than ever before? The problem may not be with your perceptions. The problem may be that in fact, you are seeing more disturbed children and youth than at any time before. This article covers some of the updated mental health information we give out in our popular Problem-Kid Problem-Solver Workshop ( It's data that all teachers and counselors can use. There are a few explanations for what you may already have noticed. First, many settings such as schools and Job Corps, are accepting youth with increasingly serious emotional problems. Second, mainstreaming has shifted many kids from...

When people ask me about getting out of debt, they often ask "Doesn't it take quite a bit more time to be frugal?" Of course, doing work yourself does mean you spend more time doing certain things, but it also means that you will spend a lot less time and money working to pay someone else to do it. Many people work more hours to pay someone else to do a job than it would take them to do it themselves. Of course, if you make a million dollars a year and have no manual dexterity, this article is not for you.Here are some examples based on my own experience with a family of 4. Because your household income is probably not the same as mine, some things that make sense for me will not make sense for you...

Introduction Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a psychiatric behavior disorder that is characterized by aggressiveness and a tendency to purposefully bother and irritate others. These behaviors cause significant difficulties with family and friends and at school or work. Oppositional defiant disorder is sometimes a precursor of conduct disorder. Much of the literature tends to lump these two conditions together. However, they seem to be distinct entities and, although conduct disorder does have a genetic component, ODD does not. Description Oppositional defiant children show a consistent pattern of refusing to follow commands or requests by adults. These children repeatedly lose their...

There are many nutrition supplements at your local health food store. So many to choose from so confusing which ones are the right ones. How many should you take? Here you will learn what you need to take for the best health benefits. A word of warning here although these products are convenient getting some of your nutrition in liquid form or capsules is only recommended when you can't eat properly or you feel you are not getting your proper daily nutrients. The companies that make the products themselves mostly fund the studies of meal replacements, and the manufactures usually test their supplements against similar supplements not the benefits of whole foods. BORON WILL AID IN THE...

Intelligent design (ID) is a theory stating that certain features of the universe and of living things are justified only by an intellectual or rather intelligent cause and not by any undirected system like natural selection. All its advocates are associated with the Discovery Institute that holds that 'intelligent design' is a scientific theory that is as credible as or even better than the majority of the existing scientific theories on the subject of the origin of life on earth. Contrary to this, a vast majority of the scientific commune regards 'intelligent design' as an invalid and unfounded scientific theory.Intelligent design is offered as a substitute to mere naturalistic explanations for...

In aiding children with developmental challenges, we must first realize that this requires a team effort and a strengths based approach. It is necessary to not focus on what the child cannot do but look at what the child can accomplish and build upon this. Parents can enlist the support of professionals but must realize that it is they who are the most important persons in the child's life and that furthering the development of their child is not just the work of professionals but is a collaborative effort from everyone involved with the child. It is neccessary that for any interventions to truly be effective and helpful, that they must be consistent and constant. The interventions must be the same...

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is both a psychological as well as a chemical ailment in which the sufferer experiences great trepidation towards being in groups of people. Generalized anxiety disorder or GAD is only an extension of the fear or group of fears experienced by most people. GAD fears are overwhelming and very consuming, and stem from an untoward, irrelevant response to a stressful situation. Typical characteristics of GAD are an anxiety that is exaggerated by expectations of impending disasters and incessant worries about family, work, health, or money. This behavior makes daily life and activities hard to tolerate. At certain points, this anxiety is so overwhelming that it takes...

A recent study by Course and Outcome of Bipolar Illness in Youth COBY found that children and teen-agers with bipolar disorder suffer from the illness differently than adults do with their symptoms lasting longer and changing more swiftly from hyper to lethargy and depression.In this first major study by COBY psychiatrist conducted a study of over 400 patients some for over five years to determine the effects of bipolar in young people and children.Dr Martin Keller a front liner in designing and conducting long-term studies of major psychiatric disorders says "Bipolar disorder severely impairs functioning and has a high rate of related psychiatric and physical health issues, such as anxiety and...

Although many people believe that young women don't get breast cancer, the fact is they can and they do. One in every 229 women between the ages of 30 and 39 will be diagnosed with breast cancer within the next 10 years.The statistics that surround younger women and breast cancer are frightening. Although only a small percentage of all new breast cancer cases each year involve women aged 40 and younger, breast cancer is still the leading cause of death for women between the ages of 15 and 54. The number of young women diagnosed each year with breast cancer is between 11-12,000. Close to 1400 of those women will die each year. A lot of young women and their doctors do not realize that they too...

There are so many learning labels floating around these days ... A.D.D., A.D.H.D., Dyslexia, etc. Basically, these are labels pinned on children who are in some way learning disabled. I think most of these kids are learning advanced, but I'll try to stick to the facts ... somewhat ... ;-)Children who cannot sit still or are disruptive in a classroom environment are sometimes suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.) When they are also extremely hyper, they earn the tag of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (A.D.H.D.) When children are prone to twisting their letters and numbers around, they are often called Dyslexic.There are definitely some children who need medication to control their...

Not everybody is into reality TV. It's understandable. Many of the shows are just plain stupid. But for pure entertainment value, it is hard to argue that American Idol is not the cream of the crop. This show doesn't seem to lose steam, even after five seasons. If you think that's not accurate, you might like to know that more people voted in the American Idol finals this past year than in any presidential election, ever. Of course that's a sad commentary on our political and social system, but nonetheless, those are the facts.So why is American Idol so popular? Is it that good? Are the singers that good? Is the concept itself so interesting and unique? Is there just nothing else on worth...

Who Was Jean Piaget?Jean Piaget was to cognitive development as Albert Einstein was to physics. In fact Einstein was afan of Piaget's work. Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland on Aug. 9, 1896. He published his first scientific paper at the age of 10. By the age of 22 he already had a doctorate in zoology. He became interested in psychoanalysis after WWII and attended lectures given by Carl Jung. He then studied in Paris working in Alfred Binet's child psychology lab. It was there that he first began to notice that children of the same ages answered true/false questions similarly.He returned to Switzerland and spent many years studying and conversing with children. He realized through his...

IntroductionIt is estimated that between 1% and 6% of the adult population has AD/HD. (Wender) Forty percent of children who have AD/HD have at least one parent who also meets the criteria for diagnosis. (Zeigler) AD/HD affects up to 7.5% of school-aged children, or between one to three students in every classroom. (Barbaresi, et al) For various reasons, AD/HD in adults often goes undiagnosed. Thus, these parents are trying to carry out adult responsibilities without the benefit of appropriate treatment for their own AD/HD. Undiagnosed AD/HD in parents affects the entire family. These adults typically exhibit emotional labiality and tend to have higher rates of depression, substance abuse disorders...

To non believers and carnal beings, the Word of God is insignificant to them and their lives. These people falsely challenge the infallibility and truthfulness of the Bible, by suggesting that it is merely a collection of human written essays, letters and laws, combined together to form a book that controls weak and foolish people.To faithful believers, the Word of God is The Holy Bible. It was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the...

When a child has ADD ADHD, it is not uncommon for the first person to recognize the symptoms to be the child's teacher. Many of the symptoms of ADHD can seem more pronounced in a structured classroom setting, when a child is forced to sit still and focus on something specific. Of course, a teacher's suspicion is not grounds for assumption that your child has the condition. A diagnosis of ADHD should come only after valid ADHD assessment tests and extensive professional evaluation that includes such factors as his or her behavior at school, at home and at play, and that eliminates the possibility that your child is suffering from other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, that can produce...

Ticks can cause a great deal of harm to people and pets. Ticks infest areas with thick vegetation, and individuals and animals in these areas face the risk of tick bites. Tick bites occur when ticks attach themselves to a host. In humans, tick bites can cause diseases such as Lyme disease, Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and tick paralysis.Ticks vary in size and color; based on these factors, some ticks are easily noticeable while others are not. If a tick simply crawls on the skin, no disease or infection will be transmitted. Diseases may be transmitted if a tick attaches itself to a host and feeds on the host. As there is no pain immediately after a tick bite, one may...

An ADHD diagnosis is not formal until formal tests have been given by a licensed psychologist or other mental health professional. Unfortunately, these days school teachers are the ones making the diagnosis when they usually have no qualifications to be able to do so. I think it is good to be cautious in diagnosing disorders and loosely labeling children with ADHD when that may not truly be the case. Often times symptoms of ADHD look like a lot of other things, and it is extremely important to a child's well-being to be careful in the process of evaluating them. It is important and essential, though, that school teachers are keeping their eyes and ears open while teaching...

There are two categories of mood disorders recognized by the psychiatric community: unipolar and bipolar disorder. Both are a type of depression with the difference being those who suffer bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, also experience extreme mood swings between depression and episodes of extreme mania or high energy.The unipolar, or depression, type of mood disorder can further be broken down into the different types of depression which include:1. Major depression. 2. Dysthymia. 3. Seasonal affective disorder. 4. Postpartum depression.Mood disorders are characterized by continued feelings of sadness, despair, guilt, irritability, loss of appetite, constant fatigue and suicidal...

Have you ever examined the ingredients listed on the labels of your cosmetics or other skin care products? Do you know what those ingredients are?What you may not realize is that many of the skin care products and cosmetics you are buying contain ingredients that are not only harmful to your skin, but also to your long term health. Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and are used by the cosmetic industry simply because they are cheap!Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics - The following are just some of the synthetic chemicals that have been identified by scientific studies to be harmful to our health.Sodium Lauryl Sulfate...

When a child has ADD ADHD, it is not uncommon for the first person to recognize the symptoms to be the child's teacher. Many of the symptoms of ADHD can seem more pronounced in a structured classroom setting, when a child is forced to sit still and focus on something specific. Of course, a teacher's suspicion is not grounds for assumption that your child has the condition. A diagnosis of ADHD should come only after valid ADHD assessment tests and extensive professional evaluation that includes such factors as his or her behavior at school, at home and at play, and that eliminates the possibility that your child is suffering from other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, that can produce...

The most common Mesothelioma symptoms are shortness of breath and pain in the chest. These symptoms occur due to a buildup of fluid in the pleura, what is known as Pleural Mesothelioma. However the symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma include weight loss, abdominal pain and swelling due to an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.Peritoneal mesothelioma may include other uncomfortable symptoms too, such as bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia and fever.However these symptoms can appear before if malignant cancerous cells have spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, and other symptoms such as trouble swallowing, pain, and swelling of the neck or face may...

Raising questions, finding answersBorderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual's sense of self-identity.Originally thought to be at the "borderline" of psychosis, people with BPD suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation. While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), BPD is more common, affecting 2 percent of adults, mostly young women.There are a high rate of self-injury without suicide intent, as well as a significant rate of suicide...

Headaches are a common problem. About 12% of the population suffers from migraines; counting sinus, tension, and cluster headaches, that number probably approaches 100%. While over-the-counter and prescription headache remedies often are appropriate, the expense and side effects can be problematic for some people.These problems may be avoided with any of a wide selection of herbal and mineral supplements. Here are some you can try; they're listed in alphabetical order, and, as always, you should check with your health care provider if you have any questions.General precautions:-- Some are not recommended for pregnant or nursing women or children under age two. -- Don't take any of these with...

I'd like to discuss how we talk to children with autism. One of the things that strikes me is the wide range of what is considered acceptable. I'm not talking about teaching methods. Specifically, I'm talking about the tone and volume in which we speak to these children. I know that they're often difficult to reach and may require multiple attempts to get them to attend or to understand what is being said to them. I also understand that this can be frustrating and confusing at times, but it's everyone's job to stay calm and talk to them in a reasonable manner. There are many teachers and therapists in special education that would never speak harshly to any child. However, I've heard many speak to...

You've seen the news stories. The mercury in childhood vaccinations has been linked to everything from mental illness to developmental disorders. But are these stories actually credible or are they the result of an overzealous "natural" movement? Let's look at the facts. Studies by four completely separate research teams working on three different continents have failed to provide any evidence linking autism to the mercury in childhood vaccines. Over and over, vaccines have been proven safe and effective for the vast majority of children.Why Parents Are WorriedDespite the fact that an overwhelming majority of mainstream physicians endorse vaccines as a safe, effective way to prevent childhood...

You're prepared, polished, and ready to go. You step up to the podium and "bang, bang, bang" - you get shot down by a hostile audience. How do you keep your cool and take back control?When I started out as a consultant, I remember landing my first large account. My assignment was to design and deliver writing and presentation skills seminars for 30 MBA trainees. Finally, the big day came when I was ready to deliver the training. There was just one slight glitch. Management scheduled the first major technical exam the day after my training seminar. Naturally, the MBAs thought they would have the day before to study and prepare for the exam. To make things worse, they told them that I would be...

Childhood depression is a very real but sometimes elusive illness that affects the young today. We take a look at what it actually means and how unity and support in the family can help fight its hold over a child.At the recently concluded Asia Pacific Suicide Prevention Convention 2006, we learnt a few startling facts about children and suicide. For example, in a worldwide survey, 7.3% to 38% of the children surveyed demonstrated suicide ideation, which is the idea of wanting to kill themselves. In Singapore, close to 4.7% of children entertain this morbid thought. While the figure may be alarming, there is no need to panic as it is actually not uncommon to think about suicide.Ask anyone in the...

Major depressive disorder or depression as it is commonly known is a form of mental illness that leaves the patient in a gloomy state and also severely affects the appetite, work, relationships and all major aspects of life.Some of the major symptoms are as follows:Always undergoing feelings of sadness, irritability and tensionLoss of interest in activities of pleasure or lack of libidoFeeling fatigued even though you may not have done anythingHaving appetite problems which may lead to increased or decreased dietChanged sleeping habits, which could translate into too much sleep or too little of itAlways feeling restless or feeling slowed downLack of concentration and difficulty in making...

Autism is a very common type of pervasive developmental disorder that generates serious communicational and behavioral impairments. People with autism experience pronounced difficulties in interacting with others. Also, patients diagnosed with autism have poor imaginative skills, engage in repetitive, stereotype behaviors and manifest a strong resistance to change. In many cases, autism can also involve a certain degree of mental retardation.Autism is considered to be the most severe childhood disorder. The overall number of cases of autism has known a pronounced increase in the last decades and the worldwide incidence of the disorder in children is continuously rising. Statistics indicate that...

Some forms may include:biting branding, such as with gang members burning carving cutting on various parts of the body excessive body piercing head banging marking picking and pulling hair and skin scratching with fingernails or objects self bruising self hitting self piercing tattooing Some adolescents and teens may self-mutilate to rebel, reject their parents' values, take risks, state their individuality or merely to be accepted by their peers. Others, however, may injure themselves out of anger or desperation to seek attention, to show their hopelessness, loss of self-esteem and worthlessness, or because they have suicidal thoughts. These children may suffer from serious...

Who Was Jean Piaget?Jean Piaget was to cognitive development as Albert Einstein was to physics. In fact Einstein was afan of Piaget's work. Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland on Aug. 9, 1896. He published his first scientific paper at the age of 10. By the age of 22 he already had a doctorate in zoology. He became interested in psychoanalysis after WWII and attended lectures given by Carl Jung. He then studied in Paris working in Alfred Binet's child psychology lab. It was there that he first began to notice that children of the same ages answered true/false questions similarly.He returned to Switzerland and spent many years studying and conversing with children. He realized through his...

There is nothing like introducing a child to nature and getting photographs of that child's discoveries. The natural joy of a young one when he examines bugs, smells flowers, climbs trees, and rolls down hills makes great pictures and memories. Dress up or dress down and wait for the smiles.When the weather first warmed this spring, I took my daughter out to play hide-and-go seek behind the tall bushes at a local park. We picked the dried wildflowers left over from last season. We rolled down the tall hills and lied on our backs staring at the blue sky. I like to play while I take photographs. It makes the child with me comfortable and willing to cooperate more than she normally might for a...