The following sites have news, information and perspective on a number of important social subjects. We hope you will take the time to visit each one.

TerrisFight.org

Online home of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to protecting the lives of vulnerable and chronically ill people. Originally established to protect the life of Terri Schiavo, the foundation is operated by Terri’s parents and siblings and their work continues.

The Rollye James Show

Weeknights from 10.00p to 1.00a Eastern Time, join Rollye James for news and commentary on the events of the day, society, life, politics and more.

Justice now!

A community organization dedicated to truth and justice. Justice Now’s mission is to helping victims of injustice and exposing unethical and illegal activity in the courtroom perpetrated by the very people who are appointed to uphold the rules and structure of the criminal justice system.

NorthCountryNews.com

Serving Northern New York and beyond.

Olive Branch Press

Endeavors to glorify and serve God, by educating, edifying and entertaining his people. We will do this by providing quality materials that help to develop a Biblical worldview. We desire to be used by God to draw non-believers into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and believers to a closer walk with Him.

Property Rights Foundation of America

Working to ensure property rights for all. Site contains news, legislative information and more.

Pro-Life Blogs

This site disseminates unique news and commentary on life oriented issues and events that are ignored or under reported by traditional news sources. A diverse team of editors and contributors, each with news, reporting, commentary, or editorial experience, work to provide compelling content that will inform our readers, lead to a greater understanding, promote constructive dialog and facilitate change within our culture and society.

Victims of Guardians

The Terri Schiavo case was all about unlawful “guardianship”, with continuing coverup all through the courts. it is one of the very worst examples of what corrupt judges and unethical lawyers can do with the power of life and death in their hands.

The source for this column’s idea actually comes from a parent who, in exasperation, declared that his kids were driving him crazy. He then jokingly asking if there was a vaccine out there that can be used to eliminate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (often referred to as ADHD).

Another parent actually had momentary thoughts of selling the kids to the highest bidder and even was willing to go with any bidder at all.

Obviously, these parents were joking as they continue to deal with the stresses of raising kids with ADHD. yet, the comments (despite their attempt at some humor) revealed the depths of distress these parents were experiencing. the problem is not small, either. in 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 4.5 million children ages 5 to 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD.

This disorder, in which the main behavioral themes include impatience, impulsivity, inattention to detail, difficulty concentrating and staying focused, forgetfulness, disorganization, being always on the go and so many more annoying traits, can wear out parents, siblings, grandparents and even teachers.

As one author noted, “The brutal reality about children — they’re such powerful stressors that small perforations in relationships can turn into deep fault lines.”

No doubt, the energy of married couples shifts when kids come into the world, and naturally so, but the shift can be disastrous at times. This can be especially true for single parents and even happily married couples when the added stressor is a child with ADHD.

Often the symptoms on first glance at a child’s behavior at home might be viewed by parents as mischievous and may elicit a command from mom or dad “I’m going to count to three” or “OK, you need to go to time-out.”

When school enters the picture, a teacher may begin to notice areas of concern, such as not paying attention, talking, frequent need to be redirected, always seeking attention and coming across as the class clown. Then come the notes from the teacher to mom and dad indicating that Johnny is not turning in homework assignments. the parents discover that what homework Johnny did attempt to complete wasn’t anywhere near what had been assigned. Next is a parent-teacher conference, in which the reality sinks in that the problems at home also are occurring at school.

But there could be an explanation, and referral for a complete assessment by the family physician, pediatrician and/or mental health professional just might reveal that the symptoms and behaviors meet the criteria for considering ADHD. once the diagnosis can be confirmed, medications can do wonders in helping bring about some stability and focus, plus some relief for mom and dad. with good medication management under the supervision of appropriate medical professionals, the light at the end of the tunnel can finally be visible.

The critical pieces include:

n Confirmation of the diagnosis, which then sets a course of action.

n Medication based on a well-developed social/medical history and documentation of symptoms and behaviors.

n Structure, with a routine established even through the summer, so transition from summer break to the rigors of school can be made with minimal stress.

n Constancy, with parents maintaining a routine of communication with the teacher who is in daily contact with the child.

Medications can be a real concern for parents, since stimulants are the most commonly prescribed. the medications in this class of drugs can create a tolerance that sometimes necessitates increasing the dosage, not at all unusual with kids who are in their rapid growth spurt. A visit to the health care professional always includes checking weight and height.

As one author noted, medications often can be a family affair; it’s not at all unusual for more than one person in the home to be on ADHD medicine. This even can include one of the parents.

Such medications are fast-acting, with onset within 30 to 60 minutes, peaking at one to two hours and lasting from two to five hours. Extended release preparations are helpful to reduce the need for school dosing. And, there are longer-acting amphetamines as well.

Sometimes stimulant medications do not work because patients do not tolerate them well. in such cases, there are other medications available. Often, the best source of help for the physician in determining dosing amounts and frequency comes from the person taking the medicine. We always seek our patients’ input on how they think they’re doing; this includes the children. the best source of information on these medications is your family physician, pediatrician, advance practice nurse or psychiatrist.

Don’t give up. with persistence and perseverance, most children will come to grips with the realities of their everyday life and recognize the importance of taking their medications.

Professionals who work with ADHD are available in our communities. Please don’t hesitate to contact someone when help is needed.

Mary Lou Petrisko is a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist and Cheryl Thomas is an advanced practice nurse with Mulberry Center Inc. Contact the organization at (812) 436-4221 or comments@south[SR]western.org.

Independent Newspapers

A mosquito rests against a window. Malaria has claimed the lives of two siblings in Limpopo. Photo: Karen Sandison

Johannesburg – two siblings died from malaria in Mopane at the weekend, the Limpopo Health Department said on Monday.

The pair were believed to be between nine and 13 years old, said spokesperson Cecil Motsepe.

“they were admitted into Malamulele hospital over the weekend, diagnosed with malaria and treated… but they sadly died.”

The entire family was tested and found to be negative.

“we will be thoroughly investigating how they contracted the virus,” said Motsepe.

The department said it had seen a slight increase in malaria cases in the province over the past week but could not release any figures.

It had been carrying out a provincial programme to help prevent such diseases.

“we are carrying out a spray programme and have targeted 960 000 households to be sprayed,” Motsepe said.

So far, 40 000 homes had been sprayed.

“we are dispatching a team immediately to the area where the siblings came from so that all the homes there can be sprayed,” said Motsepe.

“Malaria is treatable but 90 percent of the time people treat it too late. So people must check for symptoms.”

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease which is transmitted through the bites of certain types of mosquitoes.

Flu-like symptoms, body aches and pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are all symptoms of the disease.

In 2010, nine people died of malaria out of 450 cases reported in Gauteng. – Sapa