There is a new product available called “Obecalp”, which happens to be the word “placebo” spelled backwards.  It consists of cherry-flavored dextrose.  Yup, that's all.  It is for children, and is intended to make them feel they are being treated for something, wihout actually giving them any medication.

Because they contain no active drug, the pills will not be sold as a drug under Food and Drug Administration rules. They will be marketed as dietary supplements, meaning they can be sold at groceries, drug stores and discount stores and discount stores without a prescription.”

And the Ethics. This is wrong on so many levels, I hardly know where to start.  

First, what parent would interact with their child so deceptively? I find I intuitively make a distinction here between the kind of charming mothering that says "a kiss will make it better" and a commercial produt that LOOKS like real medicine. Second, either the child is sick or it is not.  If it is not, why lead it to believe that a pill, any pill, is what will help?  If it is sick, who would want to take a chance on treating it with fake medicine? Third, dosing the child with a delicious pill at the first sign of trouble, will contribute to the "take a pill for any ill" mentality which has led to the over-medicated society we live in.

HSI comments thusly:

Traditionally, mommies make owies go away with a kiss or some other form of TLC. But one day when Jennifer (Buettner) was trying in vain to cope with a hypochondriac niece, she asked her husband to pick up some placebo pills at the drugstore. This must have amused his local druggist, and of course Mr. Buettner returned home with no placebo.

That's when a light bulb blinked on over Jennifer's head.

Instead of simply giving her "ailing" niece a baby aspirin and telling her it was a new miracle drug, Jennifer started thinking big and developed Obecalp (spell it backwards) - a standardized, pharmaceutical grade, chewable, cherry-flavored pill, sweetened with just a bit of dextrose (sugar).

A legal look at this

Read what the Quackometer has to say

What do YOU think??

For a number of years, there have been serious and convincing indications that the main drugs used for ADD/ADHD, Ritalin and Adderall, were  dangerous to the heart health of children.

ADHD drugs and cardiovascular Risk

ADHD update - new data on the risks of medication

However, to a certain mentality, this spells OPPORTUNITY.  In an amazing Alice through the Looking Glass approach, authorities are now suggesting monitoring (expensively) ALL children for heart problems, before putting them on the medication.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573314

Yup:  definitely we should make sure their little hearts are healthy before we weaken them!

Surely the fact that this danger is inherent in the drugs, will cause parents and grandparents to consider other approaches? 

The Vitamin Lady writes about Natural approaches to ADD/ADHD

Most children want A's - but it looks as though D's is what they need.  I think we all know that diabetes is becoming a major childhood health problem.  New research is suggesting that Vitamin D3 may be protective.  I tell you ,  Grandma with her Cod Liver Oil REALLY knew best!!

Vitamin D3 linked to reduced diabetes risk in children

I usually cast a cursory glance over the Gott column, just to see how conflicted he might be that day.  This one takes the cake!

Some poor person writes to say that they have iatrogenic adrenal insufficiency - the word "iatrogenic" immediately raised the red flag, so I read on.

Dr. Gott calmly tells us that iatrogenic adrenal insufficiency is one of THE MOST COMMON forms of adrenal problems.  It obviously comes as absolutely no surprise to him.  What is the consequence?  This condition requires you to take synthetic Cortisol for the rest of your natural existence, or risk death. As he puts it, "without normal levels of Cortisol, your body cannot function properly."

I know you are panting to know - what causes this common condition?  "It is caused by excessive or chronic use of glucocorticoid medication (such as prednisone) which essentially .... shuts down the adrenal glands".

What is one of the most common uses of this type of medication?  INHALERS FOR OUR CHILDREN.

Here is a selection of immediately available links found through Google about the dangers:

Monitor growth when using glucocorticoids in children

Glucocorticoid induced osteopenia and osteoporosis

Glucocorticoids and the risk for cardiovascular disease

Are there alternatives?  Yes, and please, for the sake of your future health and that of your kids, consider them.

The Vitamin lady writes about natural help for Asthma

The Vitamin lady writes about controlling Inflammation naturally

Fluoride may be implicated in neurological disorders in children.

The Organic Consumer's Association suggests that you check out the warning label on your toothpaste tube. It notes that the amount of fluoride in a single brushing (.25 mg) should not be swallowed, and if so, the label says you should contact a Poison Control Center. Interestingly, that's the same amount that's in an average glass of tap water. Learn more and watch: http://www.fluoridealert.org/

THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CHILDREN.  You would think that in view of the increasing problems with autism and ADD/ADHD, even a suspicion that there might be a connection would have our officials leaping around like spring lambs to do something, anything, to bring it under control. HA!

Fluoride linked to brain abnormalities and reduced IQ in children

Most commentaries on this event state "New Jersey became the first state to require compulsory vaccinations for children" as though this were something to congratulate them for, and as though they are breaking wonderful new ground here.

I find this terrifying!  Please follow the links, and send support to those listed in the second link, who are opposing this disturbing trend.

Only New Jersey Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R-Bergen), a sponsor of a bill (A165) that would allow parents to opt out of the vaccine mandates by filing a "conscientious exemption" form with the local health department, voted against these vaccine requirements. "I'm gravely concerned about what's happening here today," said Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R-Bergen), a sponsor of a bill (A165) that would allow parents to opt out of the vaccine mandates by filing a "conscientious exemption" form with the local health department. "With New Jersey reporting the highest incidence of autism and a cause yet to be identified, we don't know what will happen," she said. "What happened to our freedom?"

New Jersey vaccinations

Forced vaccinations in New Jersey

We have just recently found out many, many toys contain lead in levels that pose a threat to children.  But how long has this been going on undetected?

Just possibly while it IS a toxic metal that has caused the horrifying increase in autistic symptomology, it is not only mercury, but LEAD that is to blame.

Warning:  lead poisoning or autism?

When I first came across this phrase, I thought it was a joke:  after all, only in the States could such a pseudo-scientific phrase be invented to describe the fact that kids don't spend enough time outdoors! 

Certainly I don't mean to imply that it is not a problem:  even in my small rural town, far too many children spend far too much time exercising their thumbs instead of their minds and bodies.

This article recognizes and defines the problem, but more interesting perhaps, it discusses the fact that now the condition (!) has a name, developers will be coming up with solutions. The cynic in me says that their motives may not be altogether pure, if this "diagnosis" catches on, they will after all be the first ones with the appropriate selling point ... but even so, what could be better than more ways to get more kids outdoors?

Fortunately in this case, the solution to the disorder involves neither a vaccine nor a pill!

Leave no child inside

The situation brings new meaning to the term "guinea pig".  All these chemicals which were received with such fanfare, and promoted as making our lives easier, may actually be putting the health of future generations at risk.

"Most Americans haven't heard of body burden testing, but it's a hot  topic among environmentalists and public health experts who warn that  the industrial chemicals we come into contact with every day are  accumulating in our bodies and endangering our health in ways we have  yet to understand. "

Regular detoxing doesn't seem like such a bad idea after reading an article like the one below!

Tests reveal high chemical levels in kids' bodies

The Vitamin Lady writes about Detoxing the Body - Health through Cleansing

Selection of products for Cleansing and Detoxification.

You may recall I posted about this spurious Teen Screen test, which leads all too frequently to FORCED drugging of teenagers  in Aug 2005.

Read the details of the test here, at http://psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html

The lengths they go to are positively Machiavellian:

One tactic TeenScreen officials use is to sell the child on the suicide survey first and after they have the child's agreement, they later contact parents.

TeenScreen Project Coordinator, Kathleen Cigich, was quoted as saying: "We found early on, though, that sending out letters directly to parents is prohibitively time consuming and gets a low response rate. We thought, why not go to students themselves and offer a $5 video store coupon to anyone who brings back a parental consent form within a two-day turnaround period. It works. Our response rate is extremely high."

TeenScreen also utilizes a "passive consent form"  which requires no written parental approval.  The passive consent form is sent home to parents and if they DON'T return it TeenScreen considers that the parents approve. TeenScreen officials favor passive consent because they say it boost their chances of screening kids to 95% as opposed to the written parental consent technique. What if the child forgets to bring the consent form home? What happens if the parent is too busy to refuse in writing? They've consented in the eyes of TeenScreen personnel.

Recently, Natural Solutions Foundation (quoted above) took up the banner, online a letter you can send to your representatives to support a bill that will ban compulsory medication of childrene as a prerequisite for attending school.

SUPPORT S. 891, THE CHILD MEDICATION SAFETY ACT

Ladies, another opportunity to mount on one of my hobby horses.  When you consider that breastfeeding:

Protects baby against disease
Increases intelligence
Decreases the likelihood of obesity
Protects YOU against breast cancer

and that FORMULAS

never have all that is contained in breast milk

why would you consider any other way of nourishing your precious baby?

Now, consider another problem that has arisen with thwarting nature's intent - never mind the possibility of toxins in the formula itself, the very bottles that you fill with it are poisoning our infants!

Toxic Chemical Leaches from Popular Baby Bottles

It seems that the "need" to know exactly when birth will take place, has inspired many Mothers and Doctors to opt for Caesarean sections, which can actually be SCHEDULED.

In England, they have called that "too posh to push", meaning that mostly affluent Mothers have opted for the procedure.  (As a digression, 'posh' comes from the days when wives would travel out to visit their husbands in India on the big liners of the day; the comfortable side of the ship was the side away from the intense sun:  hence, Port Out, Starboard Home.  or so the story goes! )

In any event, any woman contemplating putting convenience above nature in a non-emergency situation, needs to be aware that the risk for complications in the Mother are three-fold:  hematomas, cardiac events and aesthetic failures being the most frequent.

More alarming, to my mind, is that the risk to the infant is ALSO three-fold: three times more babies dying after the procedure.

Leaving it to Mother Nature may not be convenient, but it appears to be a great deal more efficient!

As is the natural way of feeding your baby ...

For the first time that I can remember, a major and respected Medical group is recommending a non-drug approach to childhood disorders FIRST!

"In a comprehensive review, the American Psychological Association urged in August that for childhood mental disorders, ''in most cases,'' non drug treatment ''be considered first,'' including techniques that focus on parents' skills, as well as enlisting teachers' help. "

This is truly a hopeful sign, leading, one hopes, to more children being given the help they actually need to perform, rather than being trained from childhood to think of a pill as the answer to all problems.

The New York Times article "Parenting as therapy for child's mental disorders"

So, does Echinacea help with colds or not?  The studies I like say it does:  it both protects against the onset of a cold, and shortens its duration.  It also protects against respiratory infections.  

What about the studies I DON'T like?  It helps to consider the source.  When a negative study can be traced back to a non-neutral source, it will almost always be found that the herb administered is either 1) the non-effective part medicinally or 2) given in incorrect amounts.

Bear this in mind whenever you see a negative study on a nutrient:  1) what is the source of the study? and 2) does it go against the majority of other study results? A discriminating intelligence will determine the truth.

Where there is no disagreement, however, is in the warnings which suggest that OTC cold medications are not safe for young children.  This quote from the report gives me extra amusement: "There are no studies demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of cold and cough medications in this under age 2 population,"  says Ian Paul, MD, a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.

I recall very well how frightening it is to be a Mother with a sick child, but with fevers,  remember that high temperatures have a purpose:  they are Nature's way of fighting a disturbance in the body.  Unless the child is very uncomfortable, it is best to let fever run its course.  Here is an explanation ( including when to worry) with valuable information, though I do not endorse the references to ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Zinc Echinacea tablets for Children

Try Gaias's Quick defense for your self

Would you rather be a little unhappy while you are pregnant, or run the risk of worrying for a life-time about the health of your baby's heart?

Well, when you put it that way ...

Pregnancy means the body has a high requirement for the Omega 3 fatty acids, which help with the developing fetus's brain and vision.  Add to this that Omega 3s are also protective against mild depression, and that a recent survey by the Washington, DC-based Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) reported that only 41 per cent of mothers and expectant mothers know they should be consuming omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy - I would say it is a no-brainer   that the first avenue of approach for depression during pregnancy should be - OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS.

NOT - I repeat - NOT - pharmaceutical anti-depressants which have previously been linked to possible birth defects, but which are now positively linked to heart damage in  some babies.

Despite all this the report on heart damage in infants concludes:

However, reproductive-age women have the highest prevalence of major depressive disorders. The benefit to the mother of treatment with any of the drugs may outweigh the risk to the fetus.

Can they possibly be that short-sighted? Or do we hear the voice of the pharmaceutical industry super-imposed on common sense?

Paxil poses possible risk of birth defects, group of obstetricians says

The Vitamin Lady writes about natural help for Depression

A Prenatal with Omega 3: Pregnatal w. DHA

Source of Omega 3: Carlson Fish Oil Liquid   Carlson Fish Oil Capsules