Mad River Behavioral Health

Excerpted from Ken's  Parenting Guide Problems and Concerns v. Health, Well-being, Interests, Activities, Hobbies, Skills, Attributes, and Characteristics. There is a common tendency to focus on the negative. Problems just seem to call to us, to demand our attention. Our parental anxieties fuel our focus on problems and concerns.  We imagine future disasters.  A sense of urgency grows -- must fix the problem now, this minute!   Pause for a moment.  Breathe.  Imagine a warm, sunny beach ... waves gently washing against the sand, a gentle breeze, .... Take a step back. Ask two key questions: 1) is anyone or anything on fire right now, 2) is blood gushing from a wound?  If you answer yes to either of these questions, stay calm and take immediate action. If the answer to both is no, stay calm take no immediate action.  We have time to think about the situation, formulate a coherent plan, and implement corrective actions steps. ...

Washington Post: Study Finds Possible Link Between Childhood Deaths and Stimulants for ADHD - washingtonpost.com My response to the above headline is just below. Further down, I added some of the follow-up discussion from people who have struggled with ADHD. Children with ADHD are several times more likely to have accidental injuries requiring emergency room treatment and die from accidental causes; ADHD teens are more likely to have serious automobile accidents and are at a much higher risk of unwanted pregnancy. The negative impact of ADHD on academic performance, peer acceptance, and self-esteem can be enormous -- all contributing to negative adult outcomes. ADHD is a significant childhood difficulty with many significant risks. All of the pros and cons have to be weighed in making a decision on how to support ADHD children in achieving better outcomes. Best wishes, Ken See some of the follow-up comments posted in this Washington Post discussion: Greg Sleter at 9:34am...