I thank Lenore Skenazy’s recent Tweet that led me to the post Free-Range ADHD child and, from there, to the other blogs. Thank you, JoAnn, for your blog list.

A Free-Range child? It has nothing to do with feeding your children free-range chickens. (However, see my note below about free-range chickens.) The idea started from a seemingly innocuous act that Skenazy described in a column she had written for The New York Sun. She notes on her blog:

When I wrote a column for The New York Sun on “Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Take The Subway Alone,” I figured I’d get a few e-mails pro and con.

Two days later I was on the Today Show, MSNBC, FoxNews and all manner of talk radio with a new title under my smiling face: “America’s Worst Mom?”

It took only a bit of research for her to realize that our fretting over our children, worrying that they will be abducted by strangers at any moment, is really a case of media hysteria. Lenore notes that the number of child abductions by strangers was 115 in 2006. So millions of children need to be shackled to their homes because 115 children are abducted? (With those odds, your child is more likely to be hit by a flying toilet.) “Children, like chickens,” Skenazy writes, “deserve a life outside the cage. The overprotected life is stunting and stifling, not to mention boring for all concerned.”

Lenore’s blog: Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children.

Jeff’s Fact Check:

This same number – 115 – appears on the Missing and Exploited Children website. There were 74 million children in 2006. So about 0.000001% of our children are abducted by strangers. However, about 200,000 children are abducted by family members. It seems that we’ve been worrying about the wrong event. We should be keeping an eye on our relatives.

My Research on Free-Range Chickens:

NOTE: The following is based on my extensive research on the subject of Free-Range Chickens and has nothing to do with the concept of free-range kids or the blog of the same name.

Unbeknownst to many of my dedicated readers, I’m considered to be well known within the field of chickenology. As a chickenologist I’ve tried to understand the complexities of chicken in both its physical and spiritual manifestations. Examples of my research on the physical nature of chickens are here, here, here and here. What follows are my professional musings on the spiritual nature of the free-range chicken.

A free-range chicken is a chicken that is allowed to explore its “chicken-ness.” The concept of “free-range chicken” developed out of the chicken liberation movement though it has been difficult to precisely determine a date when this movement came into existence. Despite the seemingly long pedigree of the free-range chicken movement, it has not produced any philosophical works about the unexamined chicken life, the fragility of chicken life itself or how the reality of free-range-ness contrasts with the more common, unfree-range chicken existence.¹  Further, there has been no evidence of a Friedan or Steinem who has been instrumental in this liberation movement, nor has there been evidence of a chicken counter-revolution led by a Schlafly-influenced anti-free-range chicken proponent. Some have speculated that the lack of philosophical works or, at the minimum, a free-range Descartes — “I cluck, therefore I am” — is a consequence, not of their inability for metaphysical inquiry, but a consequence of their crude technology. As far as we can tell, chickens have no writing instruments other than their claws, and have nothing to write on, except the very ground they walk on. It is possible that, over time, we may discover a chicken semiotics which may help us to extract meaning out of their chicken scratches and, in so doing, discover the hitherto unknown Descartes, Friedan or, more likely, Thoreau of the chicken world.

1. One commentator has pointed out that the term “unfree-range” is a bit of Orwellian newspeak that has the effect of erasing our mental images of chickens in chicken coops. Further, it numbs us to the reality of the unfree chicken life where the population density within the coop makes the chickens depressed. Freudian chickenologists (psychologists specializing in the field of chicken psychology) refer to this feeling as “being cooped up.”

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I adapted to the noise and varying personalities within the family by spending much of my time at the periphery. If everyone was gathered in the living room, I would be in the dining room. If the men were watching a football game, I’d find a book and a quiet corner where I could disappear for awhile. No one questioned my behavior. The few times when someone did make a remark, the response would be, “Well…he comes from a small family and he still hasn’t gotten over the shock of how large our family is.”

On July 4th the family gets together for a long day of fun and conversation. They go in the swimming pool, they play wiffle ball, they play basketball. They drink wine and beer and talk and talk and talk. They enjoy hot dogs and chicken and ribs and sausage and salads and music. Much of this is made possible by me because I spend the entire day at the grill, cooking hot dogs and chicken and ribs and sausage. This is a socially acceptable way for me to remain at the periphery. No one asks why Jeff doesn’t play wiffle ball or why Jeff doesn’t come into the pool because it is understood that Jeff is at the grill and that’s okay.² Don’t get the wrong impression here. I truly enjoy cooking and I am not all alone at the grill. I get help from some others. I take a break. I have a beer or two. I even go into the pool, but not necessarily to play but mainly to cool off. I get to sample the cooked food before everyone else does. I engage in some conversation, but the conversation takes place at my safe spot – the grill – where I am in control.  I can pace the conversation by interrupting it in a socially acceptable manner — I open the grill and check on the food.

In the movie Mystery Men there was a character named “Invisible Boy” who had the power to make himself invisible. (You weren’t surprised, were you?) However, he could only use this power when no one was looking. That is, his power depended on people’s willingness to carry out a specific task, namely, the task of not looking at him. If they did not do it, he could not utilize his power of invisibility. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Yet in the scenario described above I cannot hide in plain sight without the participation of the other people. They must play their role so that I can invoke my power of invisibility.

Part of the motivation for hiding, even if it is in plain sight, is an ADHDers need to control the external chaos of the world. Though this need to control the external can take on negative overtones, nonetheless, it can also be seen as something positive when viewed from a strictly personal perspective.³ For example, cooking at the grill, which may have the effect of allowing me to hide, has a positive dimension. It is a skill that I can discuss with others, even with those whose main interest may be sports.⁴ Cooking also provides a creative outlet. I can try different recipes and cooking methods (direct heat; indirect heat; low temperature cooking  – for those baby-back ribs! – and see the Cooking category of this blog). Further, cooking has led to an interest in fresh foods (as opposed to frankenfoods) which led to creating a vegetable garden. These are all outgrowths of my need to hide in plain sight. The interesting twist is that, unlike Invisible Boy, when I invoke my power of invisibility I have, in this case, increased my visibility.  But you weren’t surprised by this, were you? After all, everyone wants to know, “Who is that bald headed man cooking all those ribs and sausages?”

1. When my mother-in-law was ill and the entire family went to see her at the hospital, we took over an entire waiting room. I wonder what people thought when they saw this crowd of people ranging in age from three years old to eighty years old (my father-in-law) all doing their kumbaya thing. Hopefully my younger daughter – who is an extraordinarily talented writer – will be able to use moments like these in some future novel.
2. I don’t want this to sound like I am resentful of being stuck at the grill. I’m there of my own choosing and I am thankful that everyone in the family accepts this behavior, accepts it as just one more variant of “normal.”
3. Anyone familiar with my blog will know that I do not see ANY positive characteristics to ADHD. The scientific literature backs me up on this one. Objectively, when one views all of the data, it shows that in terms of life accomplishments there are NO POSITIVE BENEFITS to having ADHD.
4. Since childhood I have had zero interest in sports. See my comments in He Said / She Said – The Education of an ADHDer (Part I).

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Camp Runamuck, established in 1994, is located in Chester County Pennsylvania, 2 hours northwest of New York City. The Camp is set on a 100 acre campus with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hockey rinks and gymnasiums. Camp Runamuck also has a large lake, an in-house ice cream parlor and a drug-dispensing vending machine (sponsored by Big Pharma).

Camp Runamuck

provides

personalized therapy sessions!!

YOU choose the type of therapy that’s best for your child!

Behavioral
Cognitive
Gestalt
Humanistic
Postmodern
Psychoanalytic
Psychopharmacological

BUT WAIT!!

THERE’S MORE!!

Enroll Now

and

We Will Provide Your Child With

YOUR CHOICE of Comorbid Condition!

That’s RIGHT!!

YOU get to choose the comorbid condition. Now your child can experience ADHD at its finest!!

ONLY Camp Runamuck offers the following comorbid conditions:

Anxiety disorder
Mild Tourette’s
Aixelsyd (Dyslexia)
Depression
Uncontrollable anger
Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Camp Runamuck prides itself on being a non-denominational ADHD camp. That means no matter what your view of ADHD — it is a gift; it is a curse; it doesn’t exist; it is a conspiracy created by the Psychiatry/Big Pharma cartel — we welcome you to our camp.¹

Here’s the kind of FUN MORNING YOUR CHILD WILL HAVE at Camp Runamuck!!

• 7:30 Rise and Shine
• 7:33 Get Dressed
• 7:37 Brush Teeth
• 7:39 Feet are cold. Forgot to put on socks. Back to bunk. Get socks
• 7:45 Breakfast Time
• 7:48 Look under table. Ooooh…look at the ants on the floor! Get back up and bang head on table
• 8:01 Walk to garbage pail to throw out uneaten food. Get splinter in foot. Look down. Ooops. No shoes. Head back to cabin
• 8:04 Back at cabin. Put on shoes
• 8:06 Get distracted. Forget to tie shoelaces. Trip and fall down stairs
• 8:09 Head to nurse’s office for scraped knee
• 8:11 Talk to pretty girl that you think likes you
• 8:28 Walk into nurse’s office
• 8:45 Count the ceiling tiles (for the third time) in the nurse’s office. Miss out on art & crafts activity
• 9:03 Catch up with other campers at swimming pool
• 9:05 No swimming trunks. Back to cabin
• 9:08 Lay on your bed reading book your Mom sent you
• 9:38 Counselor walks into cabin. Wonders where you have been all morning. Sends you to next activity
• 9:40 Enjoying hyperfocus class
• 9:41 Go to next activity – gymnasium
• AND THAT’S ONLY PART OF THE MORNING!! IMAGINE WHAT A WHOLE DAY IS LIKE!!

Meet some of our happy campers!!

Your ADHD Kids Will LOVE IT AT CAMP RUNAMUCK!!

1. These different views are known as Handelmanian (ADHD is a gift); Barkleyian (ADHD is a curse); Scientological (ADHD doesn’t exist); Baughmanian (ADHD is a conspiracy).

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The latest post at You and Me… and Adult AD/HD presents the heart-warming story of a family of A.D.H.Ders and their wonderful wacky ways. In that post you’ll learn how children can invade each others personal space, how they can embarrass their parents at the local restaurant and how parents with A.D.H.D. help to make the whole thing worse (until, of course, they are diagnosed and begin dealing with the issues). So if you are wondering if A.D.H.D. is the perfect gift for your family, you’ll want to read that post. Then when you are done, you’ll want to read this one.

This post has been approved by
the National Sarcasm Society.

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Total Transformation Infomercial

What is the Total Transformation Program®?

According to their website, “The Total Transformation is a child behavior modification program for child behavior problems like oppositional defiance disorder and child anger issues.”¹ It “offers practical, real world solutions for the most challenging problems parents face such as defiance, disrespect, lying and cursing, acting out in school, unmotivated behavior and more.” As the video above notes, it will even help in dealing with A.D.D./A.D.H.D.

If you are unfamiliar with their advertising,
I recommend watching the video before reading further.

Does the Total Transformation Program® Actually Work?

In Search of Reviews:  A Google search on the term “total transformation program” turned up the following on the first page:

• Positive Review – http://www.amamasrant.com/a_mamas_rant/2008/09/my-review-of-th.html “…the program makes a lot of sense, and seems practical and down to earth…”
• Positive Review – http://www.focusas.com/TT.html “Total Transformation gives PARENTS the tools to help solve real-life behavior problems in children and teens.“
• Semi-Positive Review – http://holymama.typepad.com/holymama/2006/12/total_transform.html “Total Transformation wasn’t going to ‘work’ for us, and for this one child. I still believe in it wholly, though.”  (It didn’t work for the reviewer’s child because of very severe problems.)
• Positive Review with a dose of realism -http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080805112142AAFGPIz “There’s no miracle cure, it takes a lot of work on the parents part. But I will tell you that the program will definately give you the tools you need to make changes.”²

However, there are some negative reviews on Amazon.

“We were not at all satisfied with this product. When we tried to return it, we too, received the run around. We were told it takes longer than 30 days to see results (but the refund policy is only for 30 days – imagine that). We tried this program consistently for well over 4 months. It was an absolute failure….” Really Really Disappointed – Don’t Waste Your Money, November 17, 2009

“I tried this with my daughter. It did not work. I passed it along to a friend. It did not work. She sold it and kept the proceeds. We are no longer friends. How’s that for a total transformation?” Total Junk, September 15, 2008

“I do not even want to give this product one star but amazon makes you pick at least one. My husband and I decided to try this out with our son. After trying it for two months, it was not effective AT ALL. Very time consuming without any positive results. My husband and I felt like fools for even ordering the thing. First of all, the terms of the trial period are horrendously inconspicuous, which may lead you to keep the product longer than intended. Let me tell you, if it is kept longer than the 30 days, you WILL NOT GET A REFUND!!!” HORRIBLE, May 29, 2009

In Search of Scientific Data: The following Google searches turned up nothing of value, that is, no reference to a scientific study that examined this program.³

Google Searches Performed

• “scientific” site: www.thetotaltransformation.com
• “data” site: www.thetotaltransformation.com
• “study” site: www.thetotaltransformation.com
• “studies” site: www.thetotaltransformation.com

There are, however, many testimonials on the website that attest to the program’s effectiveness. But the accumulation of testimonials does not constitute scientific data. It may be the impetus for a scientific study but it is not, in and of itself, “science.”  Furthermore, there is something very curious about the testimonials. They seem to all refer to the first 30 days of program implementation. Where are the testimonials of those who have used the program for longer than 30 days? Those testimonials are sorely missing.

Does It or Doesn’t It Work?

Logically speaking, it is safe to say that it should work. In fact it should work for at least 30 days in most cases. After all, imposing a structure where such structure may not exist or may have been implemented in an inconsistent manner, is quite likely to have a beneficial effect. In a very thoughtful and well-reasoned review (See: Sound Parenting Techniques, May 19, 2008), the reviewer – a retired special education teacher – writes:

The program contains much practical content on ways for the parents to change THEMSELVES, which will impact their children’s reactions OVER TIME. It is NOT a “quick fix” in all regards–there IS NO such thing–but parents should start to see very positive results relatively soon IF they stick with it. As the saying goes, “It may get worse before it gets better” if children sense that things are changing–again, once children learn the PARENTS are consistent in acting differently, they will respond and act differently too.⁴

A Product Endorsement?

I am puzzled by a review of the Total Transformation® Program written by Dr. Quinn of the National Center for Girls and Women with ADHD. (A summarization of the review appears on the Total Transformation® website and, it seems, the full review appears on Amapedia, Amazon’s answer to Wikipedia.) If one reads it very carefully it reads as an “endorsement by similarity.” Here is what I mean by “endorsement by similarity.”

We can acknowledge that the automobile is a useful means of transportation. We can acknowledge that Toyota and General Motors build automobiles. We can acknowledge that their automobiles have a logical structure (the dashboard and instrumentation layout is what is to be expected; the doors allow movement into and out of the vehicle, etc.). At no point did I say anything about the quality of the automobiles.⁵ All I said was that automobiles have particular characteristics and the automobiles made by these manufacturers have those characteristics. Therefore it is likely, but not necessarily the case, that you will be satisfied with their automobiles. Dr. Quinn’s review seems to employ this same logic.

She notes that there is a real “need [for] a structured program” that can be used with children and teenagers with behavioral issues. She then states that the Total Transformation Program® provides a structured program. After explaining why medication alone is not sufficient for dealing with ADHD behavioral issues and, in light of the time constraints on doctors and parents, she notes that a “training program like the TTP program seems ideal” since it can be done at home and does not require visits to a clinic or other setting. Further, Dr. Quinn points out that

TTP is an accountability based treatment program that empowers parents to deal with their child’s inappropriate responses. It offers them a means to decode and understand their child’s behavior. It places parents in the training and coaching role and offers them a concrete plan that they can actualize in the home.

A bit further in the review she examines “the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of such  programs.” She notes that Parent Training (PT) and Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) are proven methods of dealing with, and correcting, behavioral issues. Now, here’s the “endorsement”:

In my opinion, the TTP incorporates both aspects of these psychosocial treatments and does it in a way that educates and supports parents as they learn to understand and deal with their child’s behaviors. The materials are also reinforcing and available for parents to review as necessary, as opposed to a session that may provide few written materials and concrete examples for the parent.

The implication is that TTP must be an effective program since it uses the same “psychosocial treatments” that have been proven to work.⁶ It would seem we could also conclude that Toyota and General Motors build quality automobiles since they both incorporate doors (scientifically proven to allow ingress and egress), instrumentation panels, and so on. But, sarcasm aside, we know that we cannot make ANY statements about the quality of the automobiles based on similarity of characteristics. This would seem to be the same problem with this endorsement of TTP. Features “X” and “Y” appear in TTP therefore, it would seem that TTP will be an effective program. TTP provides a structure and a set of methods that, in other contexts, have been shown to work. But have these methods been implemented correctly? Have there been any studies that reviewed these particular implementations and, when necessary, made adjustments based on the data? We are never told if such studies had been done.⁷ We do, however, have testimonials (but, seemingly, based only on 30 days implementation) and sales statistics.

At the bottom of the review, Dr. Quinn notes:

Over 85,000 units of the TTP have been sold to date with about 1000 currently being sold per week. A 10-15% return rate reported which indicates overall satisfaction.

TTP may well be effective and there may be many parents who are satisfied with the program. Nonetheless, sales statistics cannot be used as evidence of the program’s effectiveness or the satisfaction level of those who use the program. It can, however, be used as evidence of the effectiveness of a marketing program.

1. I should point out that you will not find this description of the program anywhere on their website. This description is buried in the “Description” metatag for the home page. I found it by doing this search – “behavior modification” site: www.thetotaltransformation.com – on Google. It is telling that the phrase behavior modification does not appear anywhere else on the site, at least based on my Google searches. There is still a slight negative connotation associated with that phrase because of its association with Skinnerism. See this article on behavior modification. You may also want to look at this. Though it examines behavior modification within the context of Special Ed, still, you may find it to be of interest. WebMD also has an interesting article on behavior modification.
2. You will find also find links to two reviews of the program. This one offers a realistic yet optimistic review, while this one reads like a 30-second informercial.
3. The search was limited to the Total Transformation® website. If such studies existed, I am sure it would be on their website.
4. I highly recommend reading this review. It offers a lot of practical advice.
5. As I write this, Toyota has enacted a massive recall of millions of vehicles and has halted production on eight of its models.
6. This reminds me of a story told to me by someone who writes intentionally misleading advertisements. At no point is there anything misleading within the advertisement itself. HOWEVER, the reader is allowed to draw conclusions based on similarities that would imply that a particular product is effective. Here’s the example: An advertisement has a quote from a Harvard study that shows that Vitamin X is effective in dealing with Problem Y. The advertisement then lists the ingredients in the magic elixir and, surprise, Vitamin X is in there. You are then left to draw your own conclusions, namely that the product has Vitamin X and, therefore, could be used to deal with Problem Y. But you will NEVER see this stated within the advertisement itself.
7. Though not directly analogous, nonetheless, the Success For All program offers an interesting contrast. It provides a structured learning environment – which has been implemented in many schools – and has been subject to extensive studies. Most importantly, the program is modified on an ongoing basis as a result of the findings of the various studies. The point here is that it is possible to have a program that really works and, when the data reveals problems, to modify the program accordingly.

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If your teen can't pass a driver's test, it might not mean more time in driver's ed is needed. It might be due to ADHD.

See: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081103160841.htm

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Before I explain how my father died, it is important that we first do our "amens" and "hallelujahs."

This is the greatest country in the world. Now you say "Amen."
Americans are the smartest people on Earth. Again, you say "Amen."
We have the best health care system in the world. Let me hear you say "Hallelujah!" 

Now…let the story begin.

On January 4, 2008, my father was admitted to a nursing home in Florida. Some time during the previous month he had a small stroke¹ that made it impossible for him to walk ("shuffle" is a more apt description). The nursing home stay was meant to be rehabilitative so that he could learn how to walk again. The first week he was making enormous progress and then things starting to go wrong. One day he had a large gash on his nose. Another day it seemed that he was given his day medications at night which kept him awake all night long. Another time his new sneakers suddenly disappeared.

By the second week at the nursing home something was terribly wrong and he was rushed to the hospital. The doctors gave him 48 hours to live. His kidneys had stopped functioning. He had a fever and a urinary tract infection. They determined he was completely dehydrated. The hospital administered an IV drip and antibiotics. I was in constant phone contact with my brother down in Florida (I live in New York) who told me that all the funeral arrangements had been made and now they are just waiting for him to die. I made arrangements to fly down as soon as possible. By the time I got down to Florida (about 72 hours after he was admitted into the hospital) his kidneys were functioning and he was like a chatterbox, talk with everyone in the room and making jokes. 

As I later found out, the nursing home had failed to keep him hydrated. Since most stroke victims have trouble swallowing² a thickening agent is added to liquids because the stroke victim has a better chance controlling the flow of the thickened liquid so that it flows into the esophagus. At the nursing home they did not care how much thickening agent they added to the liquid. It turns out, they added so much thickening agent that my father could not drink at all. (Oh…did I forget to mention? A lot of stroke victims drink using a straw.) The gash on his nose was a result of him falling out of his wheelchair. (Ooops…someone forgot to strap him in.) Though he was diabetic, they gave him lots of orange juice (a no-no for diabetics because of its high sugar content).

After several days in Florida I flew back to New York thinking that a crisis had been averted. My father was sent to a different nursing home for rehabilitation. About a week later he was back at the hospital. His body was riddled with infections and his kidneys shut down again. The hospital put him on antibiotics and, even though he was fully hydrated, his kidneys were not functioning. It was determined that his body could not handle the stress of a dialysis machine. A DNR was signed, he was placed on a morphine drip and, after eight days, he died in his sleep around 10:40pm on the evening of February 12, 2008.

  {{{ *** }}}

As news of my father's death started to become common knowledge among the doctors that had known him, they were startled to hear of his death. He had a very strong heart and his kidneys had always worked fine. In fact, prior to being admitted to the nursing the first time around, he had just completed a blood test which showed that he was slightly anemic and nothing more.

My mother has been gathering up copies of all his medical records from the nursing homes and the hospital. She's contemplating a lawsuit against the first nursing home. I will leave it up to her as to whether she should or should not pursue it. I'm not sure what I would do. On the one hand you have to go on with your life, on the other you want to see some justice in an unjust world. 

{ ==========//\\==========}

To complete the circle we must end this post the way it started. Let's say our our "amens" and "hallelujahs."

This is the greatest country in the world. Now you say "Amen."
Americans are the smartest people on Earth. Again, you say "Amen."
We have the best health care system in the world. Let me hear you say "Hallelujah!"

1. He's had a series of strokes over the past five years.
2. The  epiglottis does not function normally, thereby potentially allowing food or liquid to enter the lungs which can become a source of bacterial growth and lead to aspiration pneumonia. See: Dysphagia. See also this abstract about a study of swallowing abnormalities after a stroke.

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I was so impressed by the way the website – Midwest Teen Sex Show – addresses the issues of sex and sexuality that I thought others, most especially parents of teenagers, should be aware of it.¹ It uses video and a charmingly disarming narrator to examine important topics such as birth control, homosexuality, dealing with parents (the site’s target audience is teenagers) and that “very first time.” But what is so delightful about the site (yes, “delightful” is the right word to use here) is that it uses a serious/light-hearted dialectic that conveys the importance of what is being stated and, while the seriousness of it sinks it, it releases the tension that was just created. For example, in a video that deals with birth control methods, it points out the folly of relying on the “pull and pray” method of birth control (a/k/a Coitus Interruptus). Then after the seriousness sinks in, the tension is released by the narrator’s admission that the two adorable children you see in the video are the result of her own use of “pull and pray.”

So, if you are a teenager…take a look at this website. Then show it to your parent(s). If you are a parent of teenager…take a look at this website. Then show it to your teenager. You might find that the website’s treatment of sex and sexuality is exactly what is needed in order to openly discuss this most important of subjects.

1. Don’t be mislead by the website’s name. It is NOT a site for voyeurs and pedophiles.

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• ADD Moms
• ADD Students

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