-=> Quoting Jane Kelley to Regina Finan <=-
 RF>This is a seperate msg to draw a conclusion to our posts (hopefully).  I
 RF>would like to ask you a few questions so we may draw some conclusion to
 RF>your msgs.
 
 RF>1.  You have repeated stated that ADHD, alcoholism and diet are related.
 RF>    What about most of us here who do not have alcoholism in the family?
 RF>    Your statements suggest we should put our children on diets anyway.
 JK> I started out in alcoholim, then started to look for answers to some
 JK> of the problems that are fairly common in that population.  One of them
 JK> is allergies, food allergies.  That point has been kicked back and
 I will agree that food allergies can mimic ADHD.
 RF>2.  If I had a Great Great Grandmother who was an alcoholic, would
 JK> it RF>    it affect my children?  If the child's DNA comes from both
 JK> parents RF>    and they are not alcoholics than how easy would this
 JK> tendency for RF>    alcoholism be? Please explain in relation to
 JK> ADHD. 
 JK> Alcoholism is sort of like the white and black mice you were supposed
 JK> to learn about in high school biology.  If the genetic codes that are
 JK> the precursors for alcoholism were not passed down in your family, then
 JK> it does not affect your children at all.  There are however, families
 JK> where all of the children are considered at risk.  Then all of the
 JK> children are affected.
 JK> If some of the children in those families are thought to have the
 JK> symptoms of ADD, it is the opinion of those who are considered to be
 JK> experts in addiction that they NEED TO BE TREATED FIRST FOR THE
 JK> ALCOHOLISM and related problems, second for whatever is left
 JK> afterwards. 
 So, it essence you are saying that Great Great Grandma could pass the
 tendency for alcoholism down the road.
 JK> The worst type of person to deal with is an untreated alcoholic who
 JK> has never, ever had a drink. They are usually associated with some sort
 JK> of religion which allows them to believe they are always right and
 JK> other folks are always wrong.
 
 So even if you have this tendency you need to be treated as an alcoholic
 first, am I getting this correct?
 JK> You are unable, as are most mental health professionals, to link a
 JK> fact from one area to a fact in another.  That is why the mental health
 JK> people will shortly sit in empty offices while those who understand
 JK> mental illness are becoming overwhelmed.
 I don't believe this is true.  I have to do what I feel is best for my
 child.  If what is wrong with my child does not include alcohol or
 Down Syndome than I can not put my attention on that.  Maybe down the
 road when my children are grown and I have the time to deal with other
 matters, yes I would like to read up on other things.  As it stand today
 I try to deal with my children according to what their genetic make-up
 is.  
 JK> And why children continue to be damaged by well meaning folks with
 JK> blinders on their faces.
 Since I am not a health professional it is not my duty to know about
 everything that does not concern me.  It is the duty of a health 
rofessional
 to know and keep up with everything that is going on in the medical field.
 JK> Parents are supposed to be more concerned about their children than
 JK> the professionals who cannot see around corners or down to another
 JK> floor. 
 Yes, they should be.  Although, if you are right about the connection
 between alcohol and ADHD and diet than only those with a tendency to
 alcohol would be concerned with this facet.  Since this is not in my
 family, I don't read up alot on this facet.  I concern myself with
 the genetic make-up my kids have.  I take into account any allergies,
 environmental and the fact that ADHD runs very strong in our family
 background. Although mental health seems to be somewhat questionable
 in the family, I have seen any real Psychosis type of illness that
 (other than mild manic depression) in the family.  I am at this point
 looking into as far as I can family background to find out what may
 or may not be there.
 Regina
... All I need is a Wave and a board to surf it on.
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