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Listen to the Learning
Doctor |
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Listen here
to this month's feature
article, "FDA Update: The
Serious side effects of ADHD
Drugs" with Dr. MaryJo
Wagner, The Learning Doctor.
Click the button on left. It
may take several seconds to
start.
Find out what the Food and
Drug Administration is now
saying about ADHD drugs.
It's not such good news!
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Workshop and TeleChat
Schedule |
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MaryJo's Schedule,
April through July 2008
 How to Manage ADHD TeleChat,
starts April 8*
Brain Gym Basics TeleChat,
starts April 28
Brain
Gym 101, May 20-22, New
York City
Brain
Gym 101, May 22-24,
Bridgewater, NJ
Switched-on Selling &
Marketing Skills, May 28-29,
Brooklyn, NY*
(for Brain Gym
consultants/instructors
and alternative/wholistic
practitioners.)
Brain Gym 101, June
17-19, Colorado Springs,
CO
A
Day of Brain Gym,
Evergreen, CO, July 23 |
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Please add
mjw@mjwagner.com
to your white list or
address book in your
e-mail program so you
won't have trouble
getting future issues of
"Brain Boosters for Your
Kids." I know it's hard
to believe but sometimes
SPAM filters eat up your
Brain Boosters
Newsletter!
Read back
issues of the
Brain Boosters for Your
Kids Newsletter in
the archives.
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Note from The Learning
Doctor |
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Hi:
Snow update: Big April Fools
Day joke! We woke up to 6
inches of the white stuff.
And then it snowed all
morning. Where's Spring?
O.K. first
the bad news: Your "Brain
Boosters for Your Kids
Newsletter" is really late!
Sorry.
Now the fabulous news: It's
all systems go! Launches
April 8. I'm psyched, as the
kids would say. |
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I'm talking
about the Managing ADHD TeleChat and it's new
website. Yahoo!
(That's the reason the
newsletter's late.)
More about it in the
announcement at the bottom
of the newsletter. Look for
the red bar. In case you
just can't wait: Go to
www.ADHDChildrenToday.com
Often some of us like to
whine that the Food and Drug
Administration caters to the
pharmaceutical companies.
That the FDA isn't really on
the side of our kids when it
comes to ADHD drugs. Well,
I've got news for you. The
FDA has directed drug
manufacturers to notify
parents about the serious
side effects of stimulant
drugs--not once but every
time a prescription is
refilled. The whole
story's covered in this
issue's feature article: "FDA
Update: The Serious Side
Effects of ADHD Drugs."
MaryJo
P. S.
Got
so excited telling you about
the
ADHD TeleChat that I
forgot to mention the
ADHD NewsTips. They're
free. Come three times a
week in your email box.
Short and easy to use right
now. No clicking to a
website. No long newsletter
(wonderful as it is) to
read. No links for more
information. Perfect
for busy teachers and
parents who want a quick
"how to" right this minute.
Subscribe to the ADHD
NewsTips today.
In addition to great use-'em-right-now
tips, you'll get discounts
on the Telechats. |
"FDA
Update: The Serious Side
Effects of ADHD Drugs"
Dr. MaryJo Wagner
Summary:
The Food and Drug
Administration decided
against a black box warning
for ADHD stimulant drugs
such as Ritalin and Adderal.
However, the FDA remains
concerned about the side
effects of these drugs. Now
the Agency is directing drug
manufacturers to notify
patients about serious side
effects on children of
stimulant drugs. |
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Disclaimer: This
article is for educational
purposes only. We do not
diagnose medical conditions
nor prescribe drugs. Always
consult with your physician.
before discontinuing or
lowering the dosage of any
drug.
* * * * *
I took Ritalin once for a
few weeks. Interesting
experience. And I certainly
could focus like never
before. But everything
seemed a bit unreal, and I
felt kinda druggy. I didn't
like it. So despite my
counselor's dire warnings
that I'd have to take drugs
for the rest of my life
because of ADHD, I stopped taking
Ritalin. Somehow I knew
taking such a powerful drug
couldn't be good for me in
the long run.
I wasn't alone. Many
scientists and physicians
also became worried and
started doing the research.
I reported on some of this
research in the
Sept. 2006 and
Feb. 2007 issues of the
"Brain Boosters for Your
Kids Newsletter." I
told you that Steven Nissen, M.D., a
cardiologist, became alarmed
at the number of
heart-related problems and
even deaths associated with
stimulant drugs prescribed
for ADHD. That he presented
his findings to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration.
That the FDA considered a
black box warning on all
prescriptions.
The FDA eventually decided against a
black box warning, much to
the disappointment of many
who felt that such was
warranted. However, in 2007
the FDA did
direct drug manufacturers
to notify children's
parents in writing of the
possibility of serious side effects of these
drugs, particularly
cardiovascular and
psychiatric problems. The
FDA lists 15 of these drugs
including Adderal, Ritalin,
Concerta, and Strattera.
To be fair, many children
will not experience any side
effects . . . at least to our
knowledge, in the short run.
And, to be sure, for many
kids these drugs have
helped. But we don't know yet what
will happen over many years
of stimulant drug use. And
many other strategies with
no side effects work.
At the same time, the FDA, which moves
cautiously in these matters,
most certainly wouldn't
have directed drug manufacturers
to provide warnings if the
possibility of side effects
wasn't very serious.
A summary of the FDA
Medication Guide for Ritalin
includes sudden death in
patients who have heart
problems or heart defects,
increased blood pressure and
heart rate, new or worse
behavior problems, new or
worse bipolar illness, new
or worse aggressive
behavior, new psychotic
symptoms. The Ritalin
Medication Guide continues
that children should not
take the drug if they are
very anxious, tense, or
agitated, are taking
anti-depression medicine,
cold or allergy
decongestants, or seizure
drugs.
In addition to
cardiovascular and psychotic
concerns, other possible
side effects include slowing
of growth, seizures, blurred
vision, headache, stomach
ache, insomnia, nausea,
decreased appetite,
nervousness, dizziness, and
heart palpitations.
The FDA's Medication Guides for
the other stimulant drugs
contain similar warnings and
long lists of side effects.
So given these risks, it's time
we focused on the many
non-drug alternatives for
ADHD.
Furthermore, by
looking at non-drug
alternatives, we move away
from a medical model of
diagnosis, disease, and
disorder to a model more
clearly based on a child's
individuality, creativity,
and inherent specialness.
© MaryJo Wagner, 2008
MaryJo Wagner, Ph.D.
The
Learning Doctor
"Helping
You Help Kids Learn"
www.BrainGymClasses.com
www.ADHDChildrenToday.Com
www.brainboostersforyourkids.blogspot.com
Sign up today for
ADHD NewsTips
to help your ADHD kids. At
home and in the classroom.
*
* *
You're always welcome to
duplicate this article,
distribute it to parents and
pass it around to teachers.
Got a school or PTA newsletter or e-zine?
Your own parent, teacher, or
learning Web site? A
community publication? You
can reprint this article.
Just print the whole article
with my name under the title
and my contact information
at the bottom. When the
report is published, please
send me a copy or the url to
find it on the Web. |
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Last month's answer:
Music uses all parts of
the brain. It's one of
the most brain
integrating activities
we can do! "Brain
Boosters for Your Kids"
subscriber, Susan
Hitchcock in Idaho won a TeleChat.
Get the ADHD TeleChat
FREE.
Just be the first to
email me the answer
to the question below.
I'll even tell you where
the answer is. Just go
to
ADHD Children Today
to find the
answer.
Or find the answer in
the
Announcement
at the bottom of the
page. Just look for the
red bar. O.K. that's a
sneaky trick. I should
be ashamed of myself,
but I'm just too excited
about launching the ADHD
stuff that I've been
dreaming of for so long!
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How many stimulant
drug prescriptions
for children are
written every month?
1. 3 million
2. 2 million
3. 4 million
5. 1 million |
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Brain Boosters for Your
Kids Blog Update |
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When They Drive You
Crazy: ADHD Classroom
Resources
Well, much as I'd like
to, I'd be crazy to
think that I've got all
the answers for ADHD in
your classroom.
The
ADHD Children Today
website and the ADHD
Telechat are terrific,
but there's plenty of
other valuable information out
there. Take a look
at the following: |
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Teacher Vision
has articles,
printables, and
lessons plans. Lots
of info here,
including ADD and
gifted children, ADD
accommodations, ADD
and special ed.,
etc.
-
Driven to
Distraction
by
Edward Hallowell,
M.D., published in
1995, is still the
best overall
explanation of
ADD/ADHD although
not directly for
teachers. Hallowell
doesn't rule out
drugs, but he also
thinks of ADD as a
wonderful gift.
And
encourages a "strengths-based"
approach.
-
The
Brain Gym Message
Board has
information on ADHD
from a Brain Gym
perspective. Type ADD in
the search box.
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Concerned with the
increasing number of
children with learning
challenges, Denise
Hornbeak shares insights
and stories about her
own parenting process.
And lessons leaned
working with children
for 25 years.
Her book The
SuperConfitelligent
Child: Loving to Learn
through Movement & Play
emphasizes that
all children can grow to
their fullest potential
in the physical,
emotional, mental, and
spiritual realms.
Although the book is
grounded in
developmental reflexes,
sensory integration,
neuro-anatomy and plenty
of scientific research,
it's basically a book of
fun and easy games and
activities for children
from birth to 99. Plus
lots of heart-warming
stories. |
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Randomly open the
book, and you'll
find a Primary
Learning Tool (PLT)
you can use right
now. Try one of
Denise's PLTs while
you laugh, giggle,
and have fun. And
you've helped a
child (and probably
yourself) integrate
a reflex or improve
brain function or
make sense of their
senses or just calm
down.
Might be a Brain Gym
movement, a technique
from Touch for Health®,
maybe Neurokinesiology,
or HeartMath®, Natural
Vision Therapy,
Phototherapy, even
Bal-A-Vis-X. The
modality doesn't matter.
It's all about the
learning and development
that comes from playing
and moving.
Teachers, parents,
grandparents, this
book's for you!
Order Denise's book from
the
SuperConfitelligent
website.
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Brain Gym for ADHD
Lots of talk these days
about improving focus.
How kids (and adults)
just can't seem to stay
on track. Too many
distractions. Sometimes
we label lack of focus
"ADHD."
Brain Gym helps with
focus. In other words,
it helps with ADHD.
Focus is such an
important brain function
that it's one of the
Three Dimensions of
Learning in Brain Gym
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In fact, ADHD is why I got
into Brain Gym myself . . .
after being "diagnosed" with
adult ADHD and being told
I'd be on drugs the rest of
my life. No Way! I
chose Brain Gym instead and
discovered that I didn't
have a disorder, much less a
disease.
I learned Brain Gym from my
friend Debi Peterson, who's
in the picture doing a fun
"group" variation of a Brain
Gym movement called "The
Grounder." (Similar to
The Warrior pose in yoga.)
The Grounder's great for
improving focus.
To do The Grounder, stand
with your legs a little less
than one leg-length apart.
Point your left foot toward
the left and bend your left
knee as you exhale. Keep
your right leg straight.
inhale and straighten the
bent knee. Keep your body
facing forward and your head
turned toward the bend knee.
And arms stretched out as
Debi has hers. Switch sides
now.*
Now parents and teachers can discover dozens
of non-drug strategies for
ADHD and learn a few Brain
Gym movements all in one
class.
Check out the ADHD telechat:
"They're Driving Me Crazy:
How to Manage ADHD at Home
and in the Classroom" at the
bottom of the newsletter.
You can't miss the red bar.
Teachers, you can get
salary upgrade and
recertification
credit from the
University of
Colorado-Denver for the ADHD
TeleChat.
*Brain Gym movements from
Paul Dennison and Gail
Dennison, Brain Gym:
Teachers Edition
(Ventura, CA:
Edu-Kinesthetics).
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Let's share Brain Gym
news. Let me know who
mentioned Brain Gym
where and I'll keep the
list going for everyone.
So to get the ball
rolling:
The National Education
Association's NEA
Today mentioned
Brain Gym in it's
February issue in
the article,
"Breathe, Breathe,
Release" by Mary Ellen
Flannery. (Thanks to
Barbara Samson for
bringing this article to
my attention.)
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How to Get a
Free
Brain Gym Balance |
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Receive a
FREE
Brain Gym balance over
the phone with MaryJo
If you've taken Brain
Gym from me or anyone
else, you can get a
FREE
Brain Gym balance over
the phone with me. It's
my gift to you. (I
normally charge $75 for
a balance.) Even
an intro to Brain Gym's
enough. You don't need
to have taken the 3-day
Brain Gym 101 to be
eligible for a
Free
Balance.
You
must have some
knowledge of Brain Gym
to take advantage of
this gift.
Use a Balance to improve
a skill, set a new
habit, learn anything
more easily, even
improve your golf game.
If you don't know
anything about Brain
Gym, sign up for the
Brain Gym Basics
TeleChat, and you'll
also get a Brain Gym
Balance
FREE
as
one of the bonuses.
So a total of two
FREE
Balances--worth $150.
P.S. I'm not
trying to manipulate you
into taking the TeleChat
although I'd love to
have you in the class.
After all you get a free
balance with the
TeleChat anyway.
It's just that you can't
do a Balance, even if
I'm facilitating it for
you, unless you know
some Brain Gym
movements.
P.P.S. This offer is a
basic Brain Gym 101
Balance, not an In-Depth
or other advanced
balance.
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Announcement: ADHD
Website, NewsTips, and
TeleChat have Arrived! Sign
up Now and Save! |
Wow! Yippee! It's finally happened.
I started thinking about and
planning a
non-drug-alternatives-to-ADHD
website and class several
years ago. Can't believe
it's happening now!
I dreamed of changing these
scary headlines: "2.4
million kids diagnosed with
ADHD" and "2 million
prescriptions written per
month for ADHD drugs."
What if your newspaper ran a
headline like "Non-drug
strategies help 4.8 million
kids pay attention, raise
test scores . . . and love
school"?
I dreamed of telling folks
that ADHD isn't a dreadful
diagnosis of disease or
disorder. That lots of
things keep all us of from
focusing, cause us to be
scatter-brained, or just to
"space-out." And even act
impulsively.
I dreamed of showing
teachers and parents oodles
of tips and techniques that
can help. Nothing
complicated. No expensive
tests or brain scans. No
drugs. No complicated,
expensive equipment. No
pricey therapists.
Most of all, I dreamed of
letting the world know that
those of us with ADHD--kids,
parents, grandparents,
teachers--are really cool!
We're smart and savvy. We
just need some simple tools.
Check out
ADHD Children Today
Then check out the
ADHD TeleChat.
But
DON'T sign up for the TeleChat
yet if you want to save on
it. Come back to this
page to
find out how
a free subscription to "ADHD
NewsTips" gives you a
discount on the TeleChat,
"They're Driving Me Crazy:
How to Manage ADHD at Home
and in School" TeleChat . .
. and how to get a discount
for "Brain Gym Basics."
In honor of kids and
adults with ADHD, I'm
offering you a couple of
ways to save on the ADHD TeleChat and also on the
Brain Gym Basics TeleChat.
Here's what you do to save
$97! Just follow these
simple steps--in order!
1. Read about the "How to
Manage ADHD at Home and at
School" TeleChat and all the
bonuses.
But come
back to this page to find out to get your discount.
2.
Now
sign up for the
ADHD NewsTips.
They're free.
3. Wait for your "thank you
for subscribing" page. This
will give you a link to
sign-up for the ADHD
TeleChat and save $30 over the regular price.
4. Sign up for the ADHD
TeleChat with the link you
got from your "thank you
subscription" page.
5. When you receive your
"thank you for signing up"
page, you'll get another
link for Brain Gym Basics at
half off the regular price. Yes, the whole class--handouts
and audios--for just $64
Be sure to follow these
steps in order.
The discount links are
ONLY
in the "thank you for
subscribing to the NewsTips"
page and the "thank you for
signing up for the TeleChat"
page.
Give your friends a gift.
Send them this issue of
"Brain Boosters" and they'll
get the same valuable ADHD
NewsTips and TeleChats and
the same money-saving offer
you're getting.
Disclaimer: ADHD
Children Today©
(information, products, and
services) is intended solely
for educational
purposes. We do not
diagnose medical conditions
nor prescribe drugs. Always
consult with your physician
and your child's
pediatrician about any
diagnosed or suspected
medical condition and before discontinuing or
lowering the dosage of any
drug.
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