According to Sari Solden, in her book Women with Attention Deficit Disorder, “Almost all women find that life today is complex, upsetting or frustrating, but they are still able to meet most of [life’s] demands reasonably well… For women with untreated Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), however, the demands of daily life can be crippling. It cripples their self-esteem, their families, their lives, their work and their relationships.”

ADD, also known as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), affects between three and five percent of the population. However, adult ADD, especially as it appears in women, often goes unrecognized. [Symptoms outlined below.]

CHARACTERISTICS OF ADD IN WOMEN

The symptoms of ADD are many. Some are more commonly seen in women and opposite the more recognized symptoms seen in men. This makes detection unlikely and diagnosis difficult. Each person’s experience with ADD is unique. While there are a multitude of characteristics, most women with the disorder don’t have every symptom. Instead, each woman has a mixture severe enough to impair some areas of life.

Mental vs. physical disorganization

Disorganization is common and often a serious problem for women struggling with ADD. They may be unable to organize their homes, offices or lives. To outsiders, the disorganization isn’t always visible. That’s because women who lead professional lives may have assistants, secretaries and cleaning services to assist them. Some women with ADD have a partner who compensates for their organizational dysfunction as well.

Other women with ADD find clutter and disorganization an incredible distraction. These distractions, coupled with the responsibilities of everyday life, lead to mental disorganization. The disorganized brain struggles to store, weed out and organize in a logical fashion. For these women, being tidy and organized equals survival.

Hyperactivity vs. hypoactivity

Women with ADD can be at either end of the spectrum, either hyperactive or hypoactive (underactive). Hyperactive women may go at full speed until they crash from the overload.

Family life can also suffer with a hyperactive mother. She may be unable to sit and play games or read to her children unless she finds the activities stimulating.

Many women with ADD are at the other extreme. They’re hypoactive, unable to muster the energy to do much of anything. These women are often unable to keep up with life’s many demands. Maintaining a home, participating in family activities, staying in touch with friends, even holding down a job can be a major challenge.

Inattention vs. hyperfocusing

The problem is women with ADD struggle with the inability to regulate attention. So it doesn’t mean they can never maintain attention. Rather, the ability to focus for most women with ADD is based on interest and whether the activity is stimulating. Many women daydreamed through school when they were younger. Yet the subjects or activities they found fun, interesting or exciting didn’t pose such a problem. Adult life for these women is often the same.

Hyperfocusing, the opposite of inattention, also poses problems and can coexist with symptoms of inattention. While it may be difficult to focus on some things, a woman may hyperfocus on that which interests her and be unable to shift her attention. Hyperfocusing can last for hours, days and longer and makes it difficult to break for important matters. Meals are forgotten. Family members may carry on conversations and not be heard. Hyperfocusing puts a strain on the family. If a hyperfocused woman does manage to break away from what she’s engrossed in, she may wander aimlessly and forget what she’s doing.

Impatience and impulsivity

Standing in lines, sitting in waiting rooms and being placed on hold for lengthy waits drives some women with ADD to the brink. So they may avoid these situations altogether. These women may be impatient either visibly or internally or act impulsively. Minor nuisances can cause major agitation. Other women with this disorder are able to maintain their composure yet still feel anxious and annoyed.

Women with ADD may also be impatient about life and events. A woman may plan her whole education or life in one day and need for it to happen immediately. She goes into things full swing rather than step-by-step. This can result in a change of heart after much investment of time or money or feeling spread too thin with too many goals to achieve.

Impulsiveness is seen when women with the disorder act or speak without thinking. This often leads to trouble by spending impulsively or jumping into relationships and even marriage. Some struggle socially and interrupt conversations or blurt things out they later regret.

Mood

Mood swings, being overemotional or easily frustrated is another problem. For some women, having ADD is like being on an emotional roller coaster. Extreme shifts in mood sometimes lead to a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, though the two can coexist.

Women with ADD are frustrated by the slightest aggravations. A simple mistake seems a major ordeal and may result in anger, storming off and dropping a task altogether. If interrupted in the midst of something, a woman may become irritable and annoyed.

Depression, although not a symptom of ADD, often coexists or is a result of the debilitating disorder. Depression in the ADD woman may stem from lack of self worth because she’s unable to hold down a job or adequately care for her family. It may also result from not achieving up to her potential because of attention problems in school or an inability to stick with anything. It also sometimes comes from feeling overwhelmed. This feeling can dominate the life of a woman with this disorder.

THE CAUSE OF ADD

Research indicates ADD is a neurobiological disorder with a strong genetic link. According to the nonprofit organization Children and Adults with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), complications during pregnancy, labor and delivery, exposure to nicotine or alcohol during fetal development, or a number of other environmental factors may also play a role in the development of ADD.

MISDIAGNOSIS

Studies show the incidence of ADD in men and women is nearly identical, says Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., co-author of Understanding Women with AD/HD. There are several common reasons women with ADD often don’t receive the diagnosis.

Doctors often diagnose the depression that accompanies ADD, but miss the ADD itself. Women, more often than men, have coexisting anxiety and depression which must be treated as well.

Also, women who are more hyperactive, hypertalkative and impulsive are sometimes misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Many doctors still look for signs of ADD more typical of boys. Many doctors fail to understand that ADD symptoms in females often don’t appear until puberty or later because of hormonal fluctuations. When girls enter puberty, during PMS and as estrogen levels drop in perimenopause and menopause, the symptoms of ADD often worsen.

In addition, girls tend to try harder in school, so their ADD patterns are often masked or overlooked by teachers.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Several treatments are available for ADD. The most effective is prescription medication. There’s a multitude of stimulant and nonstimulant medications available for treatment.

Behavioral therapy is also beneficial both for coming to terms with the lifelong disorder and to relieve negative coping behaviors. Coaching is also useful for learning new skills and strategies for structuring life. Because ADD is neurobiological, therapy and coaching work best in conjunction with medication.

Several ineffective treatments are being marketed as well. Treatments that are suspect, according to CHADD, include dietary plans such as the Feingold Diet, vitamin and mineral supplements, antimotion-sickness medication, Candida yeast, EEG Biofeedback, Applied Kinesiology also known as Neural Organization Technique, and Optometric Vision Training, to name a few. Often, excessive claims are made about these treatments, citing a few favorable responses or studies that don’t hold up to scrutiny.

WHERE TO FIND HELP

An accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment is essential. Finding a qualified provider isn’t always easy because adult ADD, especially as it affects women, isn’t always recognized. Before seeking a diagnosis, read some recommended books (see below) for a better understanding of the disorder and the diagnosis and treatment process. Also, compile a list of questions to ask your provider to ensure he/she has a clear understanding of the disorder and appropriate treatments. If you don’t feel comfortable with a physician’s responses, seek help elsewhere.

Symptoms of ADD

Some of the symptoms commonly seen in women, partially taken from Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults by Dr. Lynn Weiss, are as follows:

●      Difficulty completing tasks or following through on plans

●      Difficulty shifting attention

●      Excessively shifting from one activity to another

●      Difficulty concentrating on reading

●      Impatience

●      Frequent preoccupation in thoughts and not hearing when spoken to

●      Difficulty sitting still or excessive fidgeting

●      Sudden and unexpected mood swings

●      Interrupting in conversations, speaking without considering consequences

●      Hot tempered

●      Need for high stimulus

●      Forgetfulness

●      Low tolerance for frustration

●      Tendency toward substance abuse

RESOURCES ON ADD Books

• ‍Women with Attention Deficit Disorder: Embrace Your Differences and Transform Your Life (2012) by Sari Solden, MS, MFCC‍
• Help for Women with ADHD: My Simple Strategies for Conquering Chaos (2017) by Joan Wilder
• Journeys Through ADDulthood: Discover a New Sense of Identity and Meaning While Living with Attention Deficit Disorder (2004) by Sari Solden, MS, MFCC‍
• Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder (2011) by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.
• ‍Delivered from Distraction : Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder (2009) by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.
• ‍Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults 4th edition: A Different Way of Thinking (2005) by Lynn Weiss, Ph.D.‍
• The New Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults Workbook (2012) by Lynn Weiss, Ph. D.‍
• You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?! The Classic Self-Help Book for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (2009) by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo‍
• The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus, and Get More Done (2014) by Terry Matlen M.S.W.

by Kea Grace

For dogs, a huge part of remaining physically and mentally sound involves exercise and lots of it. Just like people, right? When the weather goes wild, so can an understimulated, bored, pent up dog. Yup, just like people too! Inclement weather often causes major issues with getting enough activity to keep a service dog focused, relaxed and happy. That’s why people with disabilities that rely on service dogs should learn about indoor energy burners and some easy alternatives anyone can use.

Service dog trainers and handlers everywhere know that top performance from a canine partner requires careful balancing of work, play and learning. Any deficits in a dog’s care can cause an avalanche of issues with a dog’s training or work, especially if the lapse involves nutrition, rest or exercise. Exercise in particular, experts say, has the biggest ripple effect on a dog’s behavior. “A tired dog is a happy dog,” canine behaviorists often joke. However, a lack of activity is no laughing matter, as it can disrupt even the most well-trained dog’s ability to focus and function.

Unfortunately for dog lovers everywhere, though, Mother Nature doesn’t consider your service dog’s exercise needs. Endless rain, gray skies and chilly temperatures often make going outside to exercise your service dog a real challenge. When inclement weather continues for days or even weeks on end during rainy season, it can get increasingly more difficult to meet your service dog’s need for a solid workout. Fortunately, though, there are tons of easy ways to exercise a dog indoors, some of which you may not have considered.

Use Your Dog’s Natural Play Style to Exercise Indoors

To discover ideas that might work for you and your dog, begin by examining your dog’s play style. Different breeds tend towards distinct categories of play, but every dog remains an individual. As an example, lots of herding dogs play chase games. Many bully breed dogs, however, prefer body slamming and full contact wrestling. What types of games and activities does your service partner enjoy?

Many play styles readily adapt to indoor activities. Pups who enjoy tugging, contact and wrestling games, or softer / solo play types entertain easily indoors. Think creatively and use items lying around the house. Maybe dining room chairs magically morph part of a maze or a blanket becomes a hideout for a chase game.

Full Body Motions Burn Lots of Energy (and Yeah, a Bit of Equipment Helps)

For dogs with more active play styles or those with higher energy, working on jumps, send outs or highly physical tricks offer plenty of opportunities to burn energy. Select activities that require your dog to use large muscle groups repeatedly. Some skills to teach that don’t require much space include high jumping through a hoop (adults dogs only), jumping rope, sitting pretty / begging, army crawling and standing on hind legs and turning in a circle (adult dogs only).

You’ll get the best results from full-body movements requiring balance and strength. Don’t expect perfection from the start. These tricks are like everything else in dog training — they take time and practice to master.

Consider buying a dog-safe exercise ball and learning some of the drills and activities designed to build power and stability while also increasing your service dog’s body awareness. Many of the stability-based movement drills for dogs require only the space for the ball (or disc, etc.) itself, plus room for the handler to sit or stand close by. If you really want to dig into this type of canine conditioning, then FitPaws USA sets the industry standard, especially for working and performance dogs.

Finally, don’t rule out treadmill training for your service dog. Especially for those critters who can just go and go and go, nothing beats a treadmill for quality indoor exercise. Dog treadmills exist, but they’re pricey. Human treadmills can work; make sure any human treadmill you use is long enough for your dog to take a full stride and has safety shut offs. Introduce the treadmill slowly and keep things upbeat and positive. Never tie your dog to the treadmill or leave a dog to workout alone.

Brain Games Offer a Great Workout

After exhausting more active options, enhance your service dog’s indoor exercise routine with plenty of mental stimulation. Scientists say mental stimulation is more fatiguing than physical, so bring on the problem-solving. Work on some tricky task training behavior chains like retrieves or message delivery. For dogs who are clicker trained, bad weather is a great time to break out shaping games, like the Box Game.

If you’ve never played the Box Game with your service dog, there’s no time like the present to introduce this wild and wacky free shaping exercise. The Box Game is specifically designed to build creativity and analytical thinking skills. It also aids dogs in learning to enjoy trying and offering new behaviors without getting “stuck” on defaulting to known skills.

Additionally, this simple and fun dog training exercise improves the dog’s focus, frustration tolerance and decision-making ability. Service dogs routinely utilize all of the skills taught with the Box Game. For many trainers around the world, the Box Game is a reliable favorite for engaging a dog’s mind and body in equal amounts. To play, you’ll need a box big enough for your dog to get in, a clicker, high value treats and an excited dog. Many dogs get quite inventive while playing the Box Game, so be prepared for your partner to offer unique solutions you never thought possible!

Puzzle Toys and Scent Work Can Help With Your Service Dog Tasks

You can easily harness a dog’s food drive or powerful scenting abilities outside of free shaping exercises. Play indoor hide and seek or start learning some nose games. Both activities can help with task training, especially for delivery, messenger or odor alert tasks. Stuff puzzle toys like KONGs or Tricky Treat balls. For an extra challenge, use one of the various puzzle toy recipes available online and freeze the toy before handing it to your dog. Peanut butter or mixes of kibble and canned food always work well. You can also stuff a toy with cheese and nuke it for a few seconds in the microwave. Let it cool before giving it to your service dog.

Use maze bowls or snuffle mats at mealtimes. It’s easy to make your own snuffle mat, but purchasing fully made snuffle mats is also an option. To increase the challenge offered by a maze bowl, use several smaller bowls instead of one large one. Pour water over your service dog’s kibble and freeze the bowl before serving.

If you have several KONGs or food dispensing toys, prepare several all at once so your dog can work for their entire meal. If special toys aren’t in your budget (or even if they are), two liter soda bottles, gallon jugs and PVC pipe with holes in it make great alternatives. Repurpose simple household items like empty paper towel rolls and small cardboard boxes. Anything you can safely hide kibble in that requires your dog to work to access it is fair game.

Chews and Other Forms of Enrichment

Puzzling through an entire meal’s worth of kibble is a great way to give your service dog a great mental workout. Once feeding time is over, don’t forget about bones and long-lasting chews. Stock up before inclement weather strikes. That way, you’ll not only have a handy source of entertainment, but you’ll also save yourself a trip out in the elements to purchase them.

Raw bones, Himalayan chews and smoked natural bones supply the safest past times for most dogs. Most vets advise avoiding rawhide for safety and health reasons, but if you opt to give your service dog rawhide, try to ensure the chew was made in the United States. If you do a bit of searching locally or purchase online, rawhide alternatives are easy to find.

If you need some additional entertainment or exercise options for your service dog, there’s an excellent group on Facebook called “Canine Enrichment” that’s dedicated to creative ways to work a dog’s mind. Their library of enrichment and mental stimulation ideas is second to none.

‍Originally published by Anything Pawsable, United States Service Dog Registry; reprinted with permission. | Feature photo credit: Dogspring Training

In order to obtain Social Security Disability benefits, you must qualify under the specific guidelines the Social Security Administration has put forth.

The good news is that the process has improved over time and you can more easily navigate through it to better understand your qualifications even before you apply.

The Social Security Administration requires you to meet the specific qualifications and requirements under law, not necessarily if you believe you are disabled or even if your doctor labels you as disabled.

The following are the five things the Social Security Administration takes to determine if you should receive Social Security Disability Insurance.

1: Are You Working While Applying for Social Security Disability?

Social Security Disability is meant specifically for those people who are unable to work. It provides payments to those who are otherwise unable to fulfill their work duties due to their disability.

Therefore, if you are currently working and earning enough to support yourself, you will probably not qualify for disability. The SSA does not consider those who are able to work as “disabled.”

Though the income threshold may change from year to year, in 2019, if you earn more than $1,220 a month, you cannot qualify for disability. If you earn less than this, you may qualify under the program and can move on to the next step.

2: How Severe Is Your Disabling Condition?

In order to qualify for Social Security Disability, your condition must be severe enough to restrict you from working. It must “interfere with basic work related activities,” according to the SSA.

Disabled individuals are usually unable to work, or they are unable to complete the tasks they normally would have prior to their disability. If your condition is severe and you are unable to do your job, the Social Security Administration may label you as disabled, and you may qualify for disability.

3: Is Your Condition Recognized By The Social Security Administration?

You may find it a bit shocking but, the fact is, not all medical conditions qualify for disability insurance, even if they seem severe enough to you. The Social Security Administration has a Listing of Impairments resource that lists all of the major body systems that the Administration recognizes as being disabling.

If your condition is listed in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments, then you can get disability benefits. You will, however, need to meet the specific requirements of the condition required by the SSA. For example, you may need to have the symptoms listed or the limitations of your condition outlined by your doctor.

If your condition falls under one of the disabling conditions which automatically qualify for disability, you do not have to go on to the fourth or fifth step.

The Social Security Administration then determines if your case is a “compassionate allowance” case, in which certain cases are qualified as soon as diagnosis is confirmed or if your case is a quick disability determination case, where a computer program screens the information provided and makes a decision of its accuracy.

4: Are You Able To Do The Work You Used To Do?

If your condition does not fall under one of the Listing of Impairments specifically, you need to work through the final two steps to get disability benefits.

In this case, you need to show that the condition you have is severe enough to limit your ability to work. The Social Security Administration is trying to determine if you qualify for disability insurance based on your ability to work.

If your condition is severe enough that it interferes with your ability to do the type of work you did previously, then you can move on. If not, then you are not disabled in the eyes of the SSA.

5: Can You Do Other Work?

The final qualification for receiving Social Security Disability Insurance is to document your ability to do other types of work. If you are unable to do the work you used to do, the Administration wants to learn if you can do any other type of work, such as with changes made to the way you work.

In this area, the Administration looks at a variety of factors to determine if you may qualify including:

• Your medical condition
• Your age
• Your education
• The type of past work experience you have
• Any type of transferable skills that could follow you to a new position

If you are able to do other types of work, taking these things into consideration, you may not qualify for disability.

Speak with a Lawyer

Qualifying for Social Security Disability can be a long process. The process can feel very limiting especially to someone who simply cannot go to work. It is recommended that you get additional advice from a Social Security lawyer to determine if you qualify or help you to fight a denial you may have received.

If you meet the criteria listed in the criteria above, you will likely receive the disability benefits you need.

‍

Originally published by Disability Benefits Help; reprinted with permission.

Cleft lip and cleft palate are common birth defects in the United States. One of every 600 newborns is affected by cleft lip and/or cleft palate.

A cleft lip is a separation of the two sides of the lip. The separation often includes the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which the two sides of the palate did not fuse, or join together, as the unborn baby was developing. Cleft lip and cleft palate can occur on one side (unilateral cleft lip and/or palate) or on both sides (bilateral cleft lip and/or palate). Because the lip and the palate develop separately, it is possible for the child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both cleft lip and cleft palate.

Cleft lip and cleft palate occur very early in pregnancy. The majority of clefts appear to be due to genetic or environmental factors, though there is no known cause in many cases. The risks of recurrence of a cleft condition are dependent upon many factors, including the number of affected persons in the family, the closeness of affected relatives, the race and sex of all affected persons, and the severity of the clefts.

A child born with a cleft or other craniofacial condition often requires specialized healthcare from infancy to young adulthood. ACPA supports an interdisciplinary team approach for all patients, with teams comprised of professionals from a variety of healthcare disciplines who work with the family on an individual treatment plan.

Cleft-craniofacial treatment teams are made up of specialists who coordinate to offer multiple types of health care, addressing cleft and craniofacial needs throughout a person’s life. ACPA encourages individuals and families to work with a cleft-craniofacial treatmentACPA Family Services team whenever possible.

Copy originally published by ACPA Family Services; reprinted with permission. | Images courtesy of CDC

By Susan Bernstein

Young children often are sidelined by illness or fatigue – the flu-like bug picked up from playmates at daycare, or the sore arm caused by a tumble on the playground. When symptoms like pain, stiffness or fevers occur at odd times, without obvious cause, could this mean juvenile arthritis (JA)? How can you tell the difference?

Traditionally, a child complaining of occasional achy joints was dismissed as having “growing pains,” a vague phenomenon believed to be the result of the natural growth process. Now, we know that symptoms of joint pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue or illness may be early signals of a serious, inflammatory rheumatic disease that requires immediate medical treatment.

Several rheumatic diseases affect children, often those who are too young to speak about what’s bothering them. In such cases, it’s important not to assume these symptoms are temporary, and to get a proper diagnosis from your child’s pediatrician. Early drug treatment can prevent serious, permanent damage to your child’s joints and enable to him/her to live an active, full childhood despite juvenile arthritis.

Common Signs of Juvenile Arthritis

The most common type of juvenile arthritis is juvenile idiopathic arthritis, formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Children as young as two may be affected. Other rheumatic diseases affecting children include juvenile dermatomyositis, juvenile psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic arthritis, or Still’s disease. In these diseases, a child’s immune system malfunctions for some reason, attacking her body instead, especially her joints. Here are the common symptoms of juvenile arthritis, and why they are different from symptoms caused by other illnesses or injury.

• ‍Pain: Kids complain of pain in joints or muscles at times, particularly after a long day of strenuous activity. But a child with juvenile arthritis may complain of pain right after she wakes up in the morning or after a nap. Her knees, hands, feet, neck or jaw joints may be painful. Her pain may lessen as she starts moving for the day. Over-the-counter pain relief drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen may not help. Unlike pain caused by an injury or other illnesses, JA-related pain may develop slowly, and in joints on both sides of the body (both knees or both feet), rather than one single joint.
• ‍Stiffness: A child with JA may have stiff joints, particularly in the morning. He may hold his arm or leg in the same position, or limp. A very young child may struggle to perform normal movements or activities he recently learned, like holding a spoon. JA-related stiffness may be worse right after he wakes up and improve as he starts moving.
• ‍Swelling: Swelling or redness on the skin around painful joints is a sign of inflammation. A child may complain that a joint feels hot, or it may even feel warm to the touch. A child’s swelling may persist for several days, or come and go, and may affect her knees, hands and feet. Unlike swelling that happens right after a fall or injury during play, this symptom is a strong sign that she has juvenile arthritis.
• ‍Fevers: While children commonly have fevers caused by ordinary infectious diseases like the flu, a child with JA may have frequent fevers accompanied by malaise or fatigue. These fevers don’t seem to happen along with the symptoms of respiratory or stomach infections. Fevers may come on suddenly, even at the same time of day, and then disappear after a short time.
• ‍Rashes: Many forms of juvenile arthritis cause rashes on the skin. Many kids develop rashes and causes can range from poison ivy to eczema or even an allergic reaction to a drug. But faint, pink rashes that develop over knuckles, across the cheeks and bridge of the nose, or on the trunk, arms and legs, may signal a serious rheumatic disease. These rashes may not be itchy or oozing, and they may persist for days or weeks.
• ‍Weight loss: Healthy, active children may be finicky about eating, refusing to eat because they say they’re not hungry or because they don’t like the food offered. Other children may overeat and gain weight. But if a child seems fatigued, lacks an appetite and is losing rather than gaining weight, it’s a sign that her problem could be juvenile arthritis.
• ‍Eye problems: Eye infections like conjunctivitis (pinkeye) are relatively common in children, as they easily pass bacterial infections to each other during play or at school. But persistent eye redness, pain or blurred vision may be a sign of something more serious. Some forms of juvenile arthritis cause serious eye-related complications such as iritis, or inflammation of the  iris and uveitis, inflammation of the eye’s middle layer.

Juvenile arthritis includes many different diseases, but one common thread between them is that they can have serious, even life-threatening impacts on a young child. Diagnosis by a physician can determine the cause of the symptoms, rule out injuries or other diseases, and suggest treatments that will ease symptoms and allow your child to return to school and resume playing with friends and enjoying childhood.

Originally published by the Arthritis Foundation; reprinted with permission. | Image credit: UCLA