Parenting Children's Talents

Placebo Effects In Caregivers May Change Behavior Of Children With ADHD

According to a recent article in ScienceDaily, the perception that children are taking medication for ADHD impacts the behavior of teachers and parents.

Stimulant medications such as Ritalin and Adderall are accepted treatments to stem hyperactivity in children with attention deficit-hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and improve their behavior.  Now a recent review of research by University at Buffalo pediatric psychologists suggests that such medication, or the assumption of medication, may produce a placebo effect -- not in the children, but in their teachers, parents or other adults who evaluate them.

A placebo effect is a positive change in symptoms or behavior after a patient receives a "fake" medication or procedure; in other words, the belief can become the medicine.  In this case, the review suggested that when caregivers believed their ADHD patients were receiving ADHD medication, they tended to view those children more favorably and treat them more positively, whether or not medication was actually involved.

"The act of administering medication, or thinking a child has received medication, may induce positive expectancies in parents and teachers about the effects of that medication, which may, in turn, influence how parents and teachers evaluate and behave toward children with ADHD," said UB researcher Daniel A. Waschbusch, Ph.D., lead author of the review.

"We speculate that the perception that a child is receiving ADHD medication may bring about a shift in attitude in a teacher or caregiver. They may have a more positive view of the child, which could create a better relationship. They may praise the child more, which may induce better behavior."

The analysis supported the hypothesis that producing changes in how caregivers behave toward children with ADHD who they think are on medication produces changes in the child.

Read the full article at ScienceDaily.  As a parent, please comment to this post and share how your perceptions of and actions toward your ADHD child may change as a result of your child taking ADHD medication.

Kids Ed Websites: Fun, interactive resources for kids, parents, and teachers

Laurie Batres is a Pre-K through 5th grade teacher who created a wonderful website for kids, parents and teachers called Kids Ed Websites.  As she explains, "The purpose of this website is to present free, high-quality, fun, interactive, educational websites to parents, teachers, and kids. I select quality educational website activities that are more meaningful than drill or arcade style games.  Most of the activities are appropriate for kids ages 8 to 14, but some of them are fun for kids of all ages."

Checkout Kids Ed Websites today.

Quick Relaxation

After your child has mastered the long version of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, he or she can use the following shorthand version to relax muscles quickly.  The description below comes from The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook.  Children like the short version below because it is quick and easy to perform.  For younger children, you can give each tense-relax sequence a funny name to bring humor into the relaxation exercise.

Shorthand Version 

During the shorthand version of progressive muscle relaxation, whole muscle groups are simultaneously tensed and then relaxed.  As before, repeat each procedure at least once, tensing each muscle group from five to seven seconds and then relaxing from fifteen to thirty seconds.  Remember to notice the contrast between the sensations of tension and relaxation.

Curl both fists, tighten biceps and forearms (Charles Atlas pose).  Relax.

Roll your head around on your neck clockwise in a complete circle, then reverse.  Relax.

Wrinkle up the muscles of your face like a walnut:  wrinkle forehead, eyes squinted, mouth open, and shoulders hunched.  Relax.

Arch your shoulders back as you take a deep breath into your chest.  Hold.  Relax.  Take a deep breath, pressing out the stomach.  Hold.  Relax.

Straighten your legs and point your toes back toward your face, tightening your shins.  Hold.  Relax.  Straighten your legs and curl your toes, simultaneously tightening calves, thighs, and buttocks.  Relax.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Relax and Enhance Your Brain Power

As I mentioned yesterday, stress limits your mind's ability to think, reason and focus attention.  You can use Progressive Muscle Relaxation to notice and reduce stress.  Progressive Muscle Relaxation requires you to briefly tense and relax muscles from your toes to your head while breathing.  It is a great way to notice what muscle groups are harder to relax.  I have provided below a video from Stress Affect that guides you through the long version of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (takes 10-15 minutes).  Perform the long version each day for one to two weeks before using the short-hand version (takes 1-2 minutes) I will provide you tomorrow.

Always keep in mind, whenever you relax your body, your mind also relaxes and can better process information.

Reduce Stress To Access More of Your Brain

A recent study of medical students by the Weill Medical College at Cornell and Rockefeller University reveals the importance of helping all performers in school, sports, arts and work reduce stress in order for them to access more of their brains.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article about the study, “ The brains of the stressed gave the inside story: During the attention-shifting task, activity in their prefrontal cortices -- the seat of such functions as attention, task-planning and judgment -- was far lower than that of the non-stressed-out.”  In short, stress limited the students' ability to access the full potential of their brains. 

An important first step to reduce stress as a performer is to notice when you are stressed.  In our highly active lives, we are often not aware of the stress our minds and bodies experience because high stress has become a natural way of life.

To help you and others notice stress, I will post tomorrow a description about how to do “progressive muscle relaxation.”  It is an effective way to relax and, at the same time, notice how and when your muscles tense when under stress.  The ability to notice stress manifested in tense muscles has been an effective trigger for people to use relaxation techniques.  Ultimately, the more you stay relaxed, the more you can use your brain’s executive control center to think effectively.  For now, please read the LA Times article below.

Personalize Your Unique Talent

Performance Anxiety: How Improving Balance Can Relieve Children's Anxiety

When children come to me because they are having problems performing in school, sports or the arts, their anxiety is often very visible.  Anxiety is the distress or uneasiness in someone's mind caused by a fear of danger or misfortune.  Sometimes the anxiety can be specific to the problem they face.  On the other hand, some children have high anxiety or uneasiness as a trait that shows up in many parts of their lives.

To address children's performance problems, I often use perceptual motor development activities that improve integrated mind and body functions such as balance and midline awareness.  While these methods are geared toward creating stronger coordination between the mind and body, I notice that they can reduce the stress and anxiety children experience.

Using Deadlines To Motivate Children

As parents, we have all witnessed our children getting very motivated to practice, complete a task or project when the deadline was immediately upon them.  While watching children wait until the last minute to get something done can drive parents crazy, the following summarizes a recent study that explains why approaching deadlines are a part of our natural motivation system.  After reading the following summary, you should think of ways you can use deadlines at home to get children to be more motivated and appreciate what they have.  Also, please post your comments about how you use deadlines to motivate your children.

Making the most of it: Study reveals motivating factor of deadlines

From EurekaAert, January 12, 2009

It is common knowledge that when something becomes scarce, its value goes up. This concept does not just apply to material goods—time can be an extremely valuable commodity, especially when it is in short supply. According to a new study, thinking that we have a limited amount of time remaining to participate in an activity makes us appreciate the activity that much more and motivates us to make the most of it.

Psychiatrist Examines Effects Of Video Game Play On Children

Parents often ask me what type and duration of video game play is appropriate for children compared to the time they spend on school work, talents and hobbies.  So, I have posted a summary from Medical News Today about a new book regarding the effects of video game play on children by psychiatrist Dr. Kourosh Dini.

From Medical News Today, January 13, 2009

Since the advent of faster game consoles, more realistic artwork and longer game play, two things have occurred in the video game market: it has grown into a record $1.7 billion industry, and the heated debate among the media, parents' groups, law makers, and game companies, over what effect videos games have on children - has gotten even hotter.

A new book, Video Game Play and Addiction: A Guide for Parents (iUniverse) aims to clarify both sides of the controversy, while offering the definitive assessment of video games' impact on children, including on their physical and emotional health, and educational and social development.

Ballerina: A Documentary That Is a Jewel To Help Dancers Learn

The dance documentary called Ballerina can be a jewel to help dancers learn about other dancers and themselves.  Many of my counseling clients benefit greatly from learning about the journey that other dancers experience.  One of the most important mental aspects of training and sacrificing is knowing you are experiencing the same highs and lows as others before you and around you.  This documentary can be inspirational and help dancers remember that they are not alone in their journey, but are a part of a unique group.

Documentary "Ballerina" Opens Tomorrow

From Meryl Cates at Dancer Blog
January 15, 2009

 After an appearance at the Dance On Camera festival, "Ballerina" will be opening at a limited number of movie theaters tomorrow, January 16th.  The film, shown alongside a number of dance-related movies, documentaries, and features, will now stand on its own as an intimate look into the lives of five Russian ballerinas.

For the ballet aficionados who are interested in the in-depth journey of a dancer, or for the ballet admirer who lusts after the glamour of the stage, the film intends to satisfy with their unique stories and experience...if nothing else, the dancing will be worth the watch.

Directed by Bertrand Norman, he sought to tell the story of the ballerinas at the Kirov, and the mystique of their lives behind the Maryinsky theater stage.  Following Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Svetlana Zakharova, Alina Somova, and Evgenia Obraztsova through different points of their career, we see the complexity of everyday human emotions paralleled with their work and passion as a ballerina.

The 80-minute documentary takes on a mission that could easily become trite (the Russian ballerina has certainly been the focus of many films before), but aims to introduce something new with their personal stories and journeys.